Before you even get near the house and gardens at Calke Abbey, you’ll find Calke Explore tucked away in the grounds. A woodland hub for outdoor activities, complete with its own car park, you’ll find easy access to walking and cycling tracks, and all the nature access you’ll ever need! (If you’re visiting in spring, look out for the bluebells! They’re gorgeous!)
The main draw for families though, is the woodland nature playground! You won’t find traditional swings and slides here – in between the trees are logs for balancing, logs for climbing, a whole felled tree, and a human sized badger set!!! And kids just love it! It’s suitable for all ages – kids from toddlers right up to teens will find something to occupy themselves.
As mentioned above, the site has its own extensive car park, and the hub area has toilets, a food and drink hut (only open weekends and peak times), and a number of benches and picnic tables – some of which are under cover, a huge bonus with the unpredictable British weather! Plus, there’s cycle hire during weekends and school holidays – perfect for exploring those cycle trails!
We absolutely love visiting Calke Explore – it’s somewhere we return to again and again. We love the whole National Trust ethos of natural childhood, and their “50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾” programme, and Calke Explore certainly fits in with that! If you’ve got nature loving, outdoorsy kids, we highly recommend a visit!
The important bit – how to get there:
Calke Abbey,
Ticknall,
Derby,
Derbyshire,
DE73 7JF.
For current prices and opening times please check the National Trust website.
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