Located in the Yorkshire countryside between York and Harrogate, the glorious National Trust gardens are a popular place for families to explore and relax together.
First stop for many is the wilderness play area, all ages can swing from heights with traditional and bucket swings on offer. Test your nerve on the clamber stack and pick which slide suits your size and for the smallest visitors make a home in the wendy house.
If you prefer creating your own adventures the den zone is prepped to get building and the only limitation is your imagination. Build a den is just one of the â50 things to do before youâre 11 Ÿâ â tick off many more from the popular play list when you visit.
During the holidays expect new trails, often nature focussed and other activities to help fill those days away from school. Thereâs space on the south lawn for ball games, flying a kite or watching the clouds go by.
Childrenâs picnic boxes and delicious meals made from home grown and locally sourced produce are on offer from the restaurant, with seats indoors and out. Grab a takeaway to head into the garden and ice creams are for sale to finish off your picnic.
Take part in your biggest ever game of hide and seek on your visit to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal. Hide in all corners of the large abbey ruins before following the river to the water garden. Race around the moon ponds, see the swans swimming and discover the winding dark tunnel. Emerge from the tunnel to find three fun buildings called follies along this woodland path. With acres of space to explore, hidden places to discover and lots of sniffs to sniff, Fountains Abbey is the perfect place to bring your four-legged friends. Dogs are welcome in all the outdoor spaces and in the Visitor Centre Restaurant too.
Be sure to have a playground adventure. There are things to wobble along, jump over and climb onâŠyouâll find a wooden abbey, a woodland house, scramble nets and posts, swings, firemanâs poles, a slide, a roundabout, a gigantic rope bridge and a huge zip wire for the most daring adventurers of all.
Have a well-earned sit down with a seasonal meal in the Visitor Centre Restaurant, tuck into tea and cake with a lakeside view at Studley Tea Room or a sweet treat at Mill Café.
If thereâs still oodles of energy left visit the deer park. Admire the views down to Ripon Cathedral and see if you can spot the deer. There are three different types from small fallow deer to the largest of them all: red deer.
Thereâs lots to do but donât worry if you canât fit it all in this time â weâll be here another day! Become a member on your first visit and come back for free as many times as you like. Plus, get the feel-goods about it as every time you scan your membership card, youâre contributing towards the essential conservation work we do.
Open this Easter for exercise in a beautiful, historic, heritage Park. Plenty of room for a socially distanced walk with a trail of themed displays to see along the way.
Takeaway refreshments available to enjoy during your walk through the park.
Clean, safe and Good to Go. Please follow the latest Government Guidelines, incluiding on travel and meeting others.
If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@mothershipton.co.uk
Spa Gardens is a beautiful park right in the heart of Ripon.  It’s been recognised for its high-quality maintenance and facilities and has been awarded Green Flag status.
In the centre of the park is a splendid Victorian bandstand, where band concerts take place on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer. For birdwatchers, carefully sited nesting boxes have encouraged many varieties to make a home in the gardens. There’s also a cafe serving home cooked food and cakes, and you can enjoy a round of crazy golf or try playing bowls.
Tree sculpture
The newest addition to Spa Gardens is a series of tree sculptures depicting characters from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Carroll spent time as choirboy at Ripon Cathedral and is said to have been inspired to create the characters by the cathedral’s animal carvings.
âChainsaw Mickâ was commissioned to create the carvings using the trunks of a cypress tree. As well as a very lifelike Alice, these garden sculptures include the Caterpillar, Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit.
Restoration
In 2011, the Friends of Spa Gardens worked with us to secure funding for the restoration of the war memorial and the Marquess of Ripon statue.
The war memorial, at the entrance to Spa Gardens, has been named the best war memorial in the town class several times in the Yorkshire in Bloom awards.
Facilities include:
Click here to read more.
Stockeld Park is open every school holiday, and most weekends throughout the warmer months, and offers wonderful family days out across different adventure seasons, with different themes and events throughout the year.
Step into the magical world of the Enchanted Forest where every path leads to a different adventure. The forest contains interactive play that encourages the imaginations of all, as well as five large Adventure Playgrounds that have something for everyone from small children to the grandparents!
In addition to the adventure playgrounds, Stockeld Park is also home to an impressive giant yew tree maze! Climb the castle viewing tower to look out over the tops of the trees or cross bridges and discover playful surprises, musical instruments and some unexpected obstacles!
Along with all these exciting activities, there are also different seasonal activities such as jumping pillows, indoor inflatables, pedal go-karts and the Laser Adventure. The Laser Adventure is also available to hire exclusively for birthday parties, with a range of party packages on offer!
Stockeld Park has a large café, outdoor food outlets and picnic area. There is also an amazing gift shop where you can buy different, seasonal goodies throughout the year!
For the full details on our events, prices and opening times please visit www.stockeldpark.co.uk
Stockeld Park, off the A661 Wetherby Road, Yorkshire, LS22 4AN.
01937 586333
enquiries@stockeldpark.co.uk
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“Fountains Abbey is a definite favourite for our 5 year old daughter. She loves to explore the ruins, especially what she calls the ‘Princess Tower’ through the tunnel. It’s a really great place to let her imagination shine. She especially likes the hands on experience of grinding wheat to make flour in the old mill and she loves to ring the bell. There is a now a new addition of a great obstacle course and zip slide which can keep our daughter entertained for a very long time. If we’re feeling energetic, we like to walk right through to the deer park at the other side and if she’s wearing her wellies she enjoys wading through the fords under the mini bridges.”
Ali ~ with kids aged 5 and 1
The car parks (including Strid Wood), village shop and post office, lavatories and some takeaways will remain open for those living locally to take their daily exercise. All visitors must pre-book their tickets online.Â
Things to do/see: Walk the beautiful grounds, enjoy a picnic on the banks of the river, attempt the famous stepping stones in front of the abbey, explore the Welly Walk (which runs through the summer months and into autumn). It might be a good idea to dress the kids in old clothes as the Welly Walk can get a bit muddy especially through the tunnels section! You can relax at the end of a day of exploring in one of the local tearooms.
Location: Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 6EX
Opening Times: Open every day at 9pm
Cost: ÂŁ10 per car in the car park
01756 718 009
“We loved walking here, even in the rain! We managed to scramble down to the waterfall (follow signs for The Valley of Desolation) which the kids loved. They also have fun scrambling around in the tunnels and on the Welly Walk sections. We warmed up in the tearoom after our walk with a huge hot chocolate! I highly recommend a trip here. Be warned if you have a pushchair though that you might have difficulty getting up some of the hills with it. There are flat areas to walk.”
Alyson, with children aged 8 and 5
“Harlow Carr is one of our favourite places to visit. The Logness Monster Slide and Tree House are always very entertaining for our 5 year old. We always find time to have a treat from the Betty’s kiosk in the gardens too. There are usually little activity trail maps for the children too. There is also an Easter Lindt Gold Bunny hunt. The gift shop has a lovely range of great books, presents and a small selection of toys to treat yourselves”
Claire ~ with kids aged 5 and 6 months
Things to do/see: In the Spring and Summer months there are wild flowers galore surrounding the abbey ruins. Tearooms (delicious cakes here!!) and a small caravan site,
Location: Park House, Jervaulx, Ripon HG4 4PH
Cost: Honesty box system at entrance
01677 460391
Kiplin Hall and Gardens, grounded in North Yorkshire, making marks around the globe.
Museum, gardens, and tea room located between Northallerton and Richmond. Open 6 days a week, closed on Thursdays.
Expansive grounds to explore, lakeside walks and woodland paths, toddler play area. Great value tickets valid for 12 months! 01748 818 178
Take part in your biggest ever game of hide and seek on your visit to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal. Hide in all corners of the large abbey ruins before following the river to the water garden. Race around the moon ponds, see the swans swimming and discover the winding dark tunnel. Emerge from the tunnel to find three fun buildings called follies along this woodland path.
Fountains, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 3DY
Things to do/see: Adventure playground!! (This is a great place for the kids and includes a water play area and pedalo boats), gardens, house, miniature steam railway (for an additional charge), teddy bear and dolls house exhibitions. They are starting this year with an enchanted wood trail in the magical woodland walk!
Location: Newby Hall & Gardens, Ripon, HG4 5AE (SAT NAV HG4 5AJ).
Things to do/see: Local history exhibits, information and displays about life and work in the area through the ages. The interactive Victorian school classroom set up is a draw for children.
Location: The Old Workhouse, King Street, Pateley Bridge, HG3 5AT
Things to do/see: There are 3 museums in the centre of Ripon offering fun, often interactive activities. These are the Workhouse Museum and Garden, Courthouse Museum and Prison and Police Museum. The museums are geared towards adults and children and there are chances for kids to dress up and try hands-on activities such as trying to build an photo-fit of a suspect (pictured).
Location:
Stump Cross Caverns is an ancient natural cave formation deep underneath the Yorkshire Dales. As well as the caves, theyâve also got a cinema, cafe, time out private dining pod, shop and visitor centre on site. They are located  on the B6265 between Pateley Bridge and Grassington and open seven days a week (9am-6pm). They run special offers throughout the year â so check out their website for latest offers!
The Forbidden Corner is a unique labyrinth of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises created within a four acre garden in the heart of Tupgill Park and the Yorkshire Dales. A tourist visitor attraction unlike anywhere that you have been before, ideal for the adventurers and those young at heart!
Pre-booking advised.
Tupgill Park Estate, Coverham, Middleham, Leyburn, DL8 4TJ Tel:  01969 640638
Beautiful gardens with nature trails, a large lake, picnic area and children’s play area.
Thorp Perrow Aboretum, DL8 2PS