Family-friendly things to do at Flatford

A parent and two children wearing winter coats walk through autumn trees in golden late afternoon sun — Family walks at Flatford | © National Trust Images/Rob Coleman

Whether it's walking on frosty paths by the River Stour, finding treasure in a geocache or the countryside around Flatford on a nature trail, there are plenty of options for families to create their own adventures and memories. Find out what's on offer and all the details you need to plan your visit.

Planning your family visit

Baby-changing facilities are available in the main toilet block
The walking trails cover varied terrain and may not be suitable for pushchairs
Children’s lunchboxes are available in the tea-room.

Family-friendly events at Flatford

October half-term

Hallowe'en Trail
21 - 29 Ocotber 2023

Our trail team at Flatford have put together another of their fiendishly popular trails. As always, there will be ghoulish clues to answer and tricky spells to crack - and a devilish treat to finish.

Hallowe'en trail

Autumn Nature Day
Tuesday 24 October 2023

Join the fun and go wild at the Flatford Nature Day. There will be craft activities to try, trails to follow and nature clues to hunt. The event is a collaboration between the National Trust, RSPB, Dedham Vale AONB, Field Studies Council and other local organisations.

Autumn Nature Day

Young Artist's Workshop
Friday 27 October

Join 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' and experience this historical site in new ways. During the two hour workshop, young artists will explore the site in small groups and experiment with different approaches to drawing and painting ‘en plein air’.

Young artist's workshop

Family-friendly things to do at Flatford

Explore on foot

There are plenty of walks in and around Flatford that are suitable for the whole family. The purple and orange trails are shorter, and perfect for little legs to explore. You can find these routes on the maps around the site.

For a longer stroll, why not try the circular route to Dedham, making a pitstop in our riverside tea-room for a warming hot drink?

Try geocaching

Join the world’s largest treasure hunt and go in search of the Flatford geocaches. All you need is a smartphone and the Geocache app – search for The Flatford Mill series and you’ll find the coordinates to seek out our geocaches.

Children finding a geocache box of treasure at Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire — Children finding some geocache treasure | © National Trust Images/John Millar

'50 things to do before you’re 11¾'

An outdoor adventure is just around the next tree, hedge or field here at Flatford. Here are some of our favourite things to try from the National Trust's '50 things' list.

No. 1 Get to know a tree: The countryside at Flatford is home to many fascinating trees: big, small, old and new. Some have spaces big enough to get inside, while others can be climbed. Get to know a tree and see what creatures they are home to
No. 6 Go welly wandering: A spot of rain doesn’t need to dampen your spirits. Pull on some wellies and explore the outdoors on a drizzly day. Jump in puddles and look out for the creatures than come out in the rain
No. 8 Spot a fish: If you look carefully, all kinds of water creatures can be spotted on the shallow edges of the river. You might spot fish, water boatmen or even a newt
No. 32 Float in a boat: In summer you can hire a boat and paddle your way along the peaceful River Stour.

Visitors looking over a low wall down towards the river at Flatford Mill, at Flatford, Suffolk

Discover more at Flatford

Find out when Flatford is open, how to get here, things to see and do and more.

Plan your visit

Misty morning on the River Stour near Flatford, Suffolk

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A gold heart and red stocking Christmas decoration in the branches of a Christmas tree

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Christmas at Flatford

We'll be celebrating the festive season at Flatford this year with decorations, winter treats and Christmas crafts. Enjoy a winter walk in the Suffolk countryside with your loved ones, or join one of our Christmas events. There's also a seasonal menu in our cosy tea-room and a chance to pick up the perfect stocking filler from the shop.