Family Days out at Colby Woodland Garden

Planning your family visit 

To help you plan your day in advance, here’s some key information. 

• You can find our opening times here. Please check before you travel as opening times for certain parts of the garden may change depending on the season. 
• Take part in our events throughout the open season.
• The Bothy Tearoom serves scrumptious fresh food.
• We welcome picnics.
• There are natural play areas. 
• Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead throughout Colby Woodland Garden. Read more about visiting with your four-legged friend here 
• Toilets can be found near the Tearoom. There are baby changing facilities as well as accessible toilet facilities. 
• If you’re visiting with a wheelchair or pushchair, there is level access from a drop off point near to the vehicle access near to the Gallery.
• Wheelchair free to hire, subject to availability. If you require assistance or more  information, please ask a member of our friendly team. View our accessibility map here.

Explorers at the ready during May half term.

From 22 April you can borrow a backpack to help you and your little ones explore the gardens in new ways. Alternatively have a go at our new Inside and Out trail from May 1 

Young Explorer Backpacks

These backpacks are inspired by ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾’, with TREEmendous activities inside, from using a magnifier to view bugs, a stethoscope for listening to trees, and a tape measure and instructions for how to measure the height of a tree. 
The backpacks are free for anyone to borrow with no booking or deposit required (they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis). Ask the Welcome Team to borrow a backpack next time you visit and watch your little ones experience Colby Woodland Garden in new and fun way. Runs from 22 April daily through to 2 November. 

Find out more here

Inside and Out trail

This is a wonderful trail to do with family or friends and gives you the chance to explore the highlights of the trompe l’oeil painting from the Walled Garden gazebo; bringing the ‘Inside Out’. Come any time as this is a self-led trail so you can take as long as you want between the opening and closing times. Runs from 1 May daily through to 2 November. Find out more here.

Natural Play areas

The Woodland Garden is the perfect place for children of all ages to discover nature through natural play. Discover the sky gazing glade at the top of the woods or have fun building a den under the trees. Enjoy jumping on the giant stepping-stones or explore the flora and fauna that makes its home around the stream running through the meadow in the lower part of the garden. 

Things to do in the garden 

Picnics

There are plenty of places to enjoy a picnic in the garden. Choose from the meadow, the woods or anywhere that takes your fancy. If you need somewhere accessible consider the hand made bench on the gravel path that runs alongside the meadow or the bench ear the upper bridge. For more detailed information ask our helpful staff in the welcome centre.

Kites, bikes and balls

Young children can practis on their balance bikes only in the woodland garden, and it’s fun to play ball games in the meadow as well as flying a kite. We don’t allow balance bikes, kites or ball games in the walled garden

Play areas

There are natural play areas everywhere including fallen trees to climb, a bamboo den in the meadow., stepping stones in the woods and lots more to discover when you visit.

Nature-spotting highlights

Discover wildlife like birds, dippers, house martins and the many invertebrates that live in the ponds and stream.

Trails

To have a go at our family friendly trails please pop into the Visitor Welcome Centre to pick up your trail sheet and for more information, or discover the Colby woodland Garden walk on our website

50 things

Pick up your ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ sheet from the visitor welcome centre and get advice from our helpful staff on what activities work best for the time of year you are visiting