Tickets include access to the 200-acre picturesque deer park where the red and fallow deer roam amongst the stunning castle backdrop. Enter through the towering gateway and disappear into the dense woodland playground. Explore ground-level forest trails, then climb to high walkways and towers. Become part of a world of magic and mischief: create a cacophony on outdoor musical instruments and match pairs on our giant memory game, or strike a Plotters’ Portrait pose and cause chaos with our spinning signposts.

Visitors young and old will love getting lost amongst exhilarating views, sky-high turrets and treetop tunnels, before spreading out on the stargazing deck and slipping down the slide. Send your fellow plotters coded messages through the Talking Tubes, and spot enemies in the Mischief Mirrors. And for the very smallest rebels, there’s a dedicated toddler area: think mini turrets, climbing equipment, slide and a chalkboard for drawing secret squiggles.

At The Plotters’ Forest, we firmly believe that building a relationship with the outdoors inspires children to be resilient, curious and courageous. In an increasingly digital and risk-averse world, The Plotters’ Forest playground is a setting where little ones – and their imaginations – can run wild.

Each season brings new excitement with magnificent February Half Term, Easter, May Half Term, Summer, Halloween and Christmas Trails. The Castle is open from March to October for children to enjoy and learn more about the magnificent history around them.

Opening Hours – Weekends and holiday periods, 10am till 4pm

Raby Castle, Staindrop, Darlington, County Durham, DL2 3AH – Visit the Raby Castle website

Take a trip back to the early 1900s to see how the house would have looked. The exciting exhibition and events programme has something for the whole family. The Grade One listed house has been restored to its former glory as the family home of the Lloyd Greames, circa 1910, and has been furnished with exquisite items from the national collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum as well as items from significant local collections. At the same time, we have incorporated modern ideas regarding accessibility and interpretation into a traditional setting, creating a working ‘Edwardian’ kitchen, live interpretation and handling collections to allow visitors to interact more fully with the displays.

The zoo is the place to keep the children amused, home to an exciting range of over 60 mammals and birds, firm favourites include the Eclectus Parrot, who is always keen to chat, the Humboldt Penguins splashing and swimming and the cute Raccoon Dogs.

The gardens are a great place to visit whatever the season; with the Walled, Pleasure and Rose Gardens taking centre stage throughout the summer months. Why not take a stroll along the Woodland Walk and discover the hidden delights nature has to offer? The adventure playground has an exciting nautical theme that will appeal to children of all ages. We love taking the land train down into Bridlington too – it’s great fun.

Located within a large arboretum, the Wildlife Park’s enclosures are thoughtfully placed to keep you connected to nature throughout your visit. We’ve recently just opened our Heritage Conservation Farm, raising awareness of rare farm breeds and their importance.

Entrance tickets are available for purchase both on the day of your visit and through our website. We also offer season tickets for local visitors and special animal experiences for those looking to make their day even more memorable.

ABWCP is based at Askham Bryan College, so from Monday to Friday during term time, we are the classroom for the next generation of animals keepers and conservationists! We cannot allow visitors during the week when students are in.

We’re open on weekends and during the school holidays, from 10am – 5pm in the summer and 10am-4pm in the winter. Check out our website for accurate dates!

The Wildlife Park team offer daily talks throughout the day and are always on hand to talk about the animals they work closely with. Our on-site café, located next to our FREE car park, provides hot drinks and an array of sandwiches. It’s open from 10am – 3pm. Children can also burn off those sweet treats in the play area of the wildlife park.

Under 3’s go FREE!!

As a member of BIAZA, the wildlife park is part of a group of collections that provide vital education, conservation and research in the UK around the world. This ensures they maintain high standards, for both their visitors and students (who are working towards industry-relevant qualifications).

Call – 01904 772270

Email – wildlife@askham-bryan.ac.uk wildlife@askham-bryan.ac.uk 

Website – Askham Bryan Wildlife and Conservation Park

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Mother Shipton’s Cave says…Discover the legend of Knaresborough’s famous prophetess, Mother Shipton. She lived in the time of Henry VIII and was born in a cave next to the River Nidd. Beside Mother Shipton’s Cave is the Petrifying Well, a geological phenomenon where water cascades over objects and turns them to stone. The Petrifying Well is England’s oldest visitor attraction, opened in 1630!

Take in spectacular views of Knaresborough as you walk alongside the river to the Cave and Petrifying Well. The park has plenty of scenic picnic areas, an adventure playground, plus gift shop and museum. Mother Shipton’s is dog-friendly and furry friends can enjoy the park as long as they are kept on a lead.

The attraction offers something for all ages, with themed events every school holiday. Book your tickets online!

*Meet The Animals*

From donkeys to guinea pigs, goats to poultry of all shapes and sizes and many more! Beetle Bank Farm has lots of super friendly animals for you to feed, meet and cuddle. Their friendly staff are on hand to answer your questions and introduce you to all of their amazing fluffy, furry and feathered friends.

*Play and Explore*

Beetle Bank Farm is situated in the beautiful rural village of Murton (only four miles away from York city centre) with acres of fields to roam and let off steam. Go wild on their two adventure playgrounds or explore the ride-on toys, zip line, sandpit, playhouse and Inflatables (weather permitting).

*Parties and Events* 

Looking for a birthday party with a difference or have an animal-mad child? Look no further than Beetle Bank Farm. Day and evening bookings are available. Get in touch to discuss how they can develop a perfect party package to suit you!

*Activity Room*

Unwind and have a break in the activity room! Watch eggs hatch in the incubator, get creative, draw and colour with their colouring books, paper and activity sheets. On special occasions, you can meet some of the more elusive creatures and animals.

*Educational Farm*

Find out more about the animals, running a farm, and the many conservation and wildlife projects at Beetle Bank Farm. With resources and activities for all ages, school trips and other groups are welcome. Contact their friendly team for more details.

*On-site Cafe* 

Relax and revive over breakfast, lunch or a quick snack. And why not grab a hot or cold beverage too. They have so many tasty treats sweet and savoury to choose from. All the food is locally sourced and home-cooked too, so pop in and share a bite!

Beetle Bank Farm, Moor Ln, Murton, York YO19 5XD – Visit the websiteVisit the website

Offering almost 7 acres of indoor and outdoor activity for children of all ages, it’s one of the best places to play in York. As well as the usual climbing frames, astro-slides, ball cannons, sensory area and sports zone, there’s a decent area for non-walkers, ride-ons for toddlers, a dance floor, an outside animal zone and a role play village, Bugginton. The café is all homemade with decent offerings for children and adults.

Outside there is a huge water play and sand area, a new animal zone with ponies, pigs, goats and sheep etc, and a fairground open at peak times!

There’s also a new ninja course for older children and outside is a selection of amazing fairground rides and an amazing dinosaur mini golf for the competitive ones. These are all included in the entry fee! No nagging for more money when you are in!

Good to know – It can get very busy at weekends, during the holidays and when it’s raining so go early. Tickets are best pre-booked to allow the park to limit numbers when necessary.

They have lots of birthday party offerings for all budgets, including a fairground one! There’s even an on-site nursery, Little Bugs Childcare, too.

– Cycling: Bring your own bikes or hire one from Sutton Bank Bikes, then take advantage of the various trails, from the family-friendly to the more adventurous. There are four trails to choose from.

– Walking: Do the circular 3-mile walk that takes in the White Horse at Kilburn or have a go at something a little longer. Whichever route you choose, stunning views are guaranteed.

– Play: There’s a natural play area outside the Visitor Centre where kids can climb, run and jump around to their heart’s content. There’s a mud kitchen too, if you’re not muddy enough after your walk/cycle ride.

There’s a cafe at the Sutton Bank Visitor Centre where you can also do some children’s crafts, enjoy a spot of birdwatching and stock up on gifts from the shop. There are loos, baby-changing, a place to refill your water bottle and wash your bikes too.

Good to know – There’s not a lot in the way of shelter, so check the forecast to make sure you take the right clothes. There’s an adventure playground near the entrance, but try not to get stuck there because there’s so much else to explore. Special activities and events run during the school holidays – keep your eye on the website for details.

Meet magical creatures in the Enchanted Forest, explore the many adventure playgrounds, get lost in the Magical Maze or journey through The Playhive, the spectacular indoor adventure playground.

Open most weekends, and every holiday throughout the year, there’s fun for the whole family at Stockeld Park!

Stockeld Park, Wetherby Rd, Wetherby LS22 4AN