Days Out In the North West
Showing posts with label Days Out In the North West. Show all posts

Tatton Park Farm

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Another planned visit for us this month to Tatton Park but it was the first time that we’ve been able to visit the farm. The farm reopened on the 17th of May and is another reason why we love Tatton Park. The farm which is setback away from the main courtyard and gardens has its own pathway leading to the farm entrance. You can reach the farm by walking, taking the land train or by car if you wish to park in the disabled bays. The land train is chargeable each way and stops at the farm and children's playground, every 20 minutes. 

Boy looking at a goat





Booking is preferred when visiting as it allows the farm to control the amount of visitors per day however we did see a family allowed entry as numbers were low at the time of our visit.  Entrance to the farm is via the shop and once inside you’ll be greeted by donkeys and an introduction video showing what to expect on your visit. 

donkeys on the farm


Once on the farm you can explore the area including a visit to the horses, goats and chickens. The horses will be the first to greet you on your visit to the farm including 21-year-old Blossom.

As always the goats provide lots of entertainment. They love to come up close for a stroke and it is fun watching them play on their climbing frame. You will spot some cheeky ones poking their heads through the fences and jumping up too. You will also find some cows and pigs on the farm too.

Tatton Park Woodland Playground

Tatton Park Woodland Playground

Tatton Park Woodland Playground


Once you’ve made your way past the animals you can head towards the playground area. It's a woodland playground that has lots of different climbing obstacles for the children to complete. It's set out like a trail from start to finish and has balance beams and rope climbing areas to complete.

Cost onto the farm for all visitors including National Trust members is a  £8 for adults and £6 per child. Concessions and family tickets are also available at a discounted rate.

There are lots of picnic benches around for you to enjoy a picnic and there are snacks available in the gift shop. There are two sets of toilets one by the main entrance and one just before you head to the children’s playground.

boy stroking a goat
boy at tatton park farm


Most of the ground is cobbled stones and I did see a few people struggling to push a pram around however when we left I noticed some people had left their prams near the shop. 

Estimated time on the farm does depend on how long you spend in each area but I would think no more than an hour and a half.

We recently visited Tatton Park to complete the Percy the Park Keeper Trail in the gardens which finishes on June 13th. We will be heading back to the farm soon when the new Percy the Park Keeper Treasure Trail lands on 20th of June 2021.

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways.

Comments - I love reading your opinions and thoughts - Have you visited Tatton Park farm or planning a trip?  Leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought or what you have planned. 

Growing my social media is something I work hard on. If you would like to follow us - Like us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram

If you have found this post or our blog useful you can say thanks by - Buying Us A Virtual Coffee

If you think a friend of family member would like this post - Tap the share button below.

Michelle
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Exploring Chester With the Kids

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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links. 

The best days out we have had as a family are the ones we didn't expect to have. With the various restrictions in place we have been very limited to places we can visit however I feel it has opened our eyes to what we have closer to home that we may have missed if the restrictions were not in place. We love being out and about planning days out as a family so we recently visited Chester and realised that there is so much more to do there than we had realised. Although we went with an idea of what we were going to do, we ended up doing so much more. Here is our guide to exploring Chester With The Kids. 

Chester Town Hall









Chester City Walls



Chester City Walls
Elevated above the city you can take in the views of Chester as you walk along the city walls. Standing for almost 2,000 years the defensive walls are the oldest and longest in the UK. You can't miss the walls and they are easily accessible from 4 main gates, Northgate, Eastgate, Watergate and Bridgegate. There are opportunities to join from other points along the way including steps and accessible ramps. 


Chester City Walls




The route is free of charge and is approximately 2 miles long. The duration will depend on your speed and also whether you stop to look at the beautiful views of the city, the river, the cathedral and other places of interest.

The Roman Gardens

The Roman Gardens



The Roman Gardens

The Roman Gardens can be spotted from the City Walls Walk or if heading down towards the river from the city centre. The gardens feature lots of pieces of important buildings and baths. As well as the history to see and read, the gardens themselves are well maintained with beautiful lawns and cherry blossom trees.

The Roman Gardens




There are benches around the gardens which slope down to the river. Perfect for stopping for a picnic lunch, a break from the hustle and bustle of the city centre close by or just to sit and enjoy the views. 

There are steps leading down to the river but also an accessible winding path. 

Cruise on the River Dee


Cruise On The River Dee
There is a buzz in the air as you arrive at the banks of the River Dee. The Chester Boat River Cruise offers sailings throughout the day on the Dee so you can enjoy the views from the river. The half hour cruises sail from 11am-5pm each day with ticket available to book at a discounted rate online or at the quayside.

views from the River Dee


Prices start from Adult £7, Children £2.50. Concession, family, disabled and disabled carer rates are available and children under 5 go free. 

man and boy on motor boat



Drive A Motor Boat
If you want something a little different , just next to the Chester Boat River Cruise you can hire a motor boat. The motor boat is easy to use and would comfortably fit a group of 4 or 5. 

views from the river dee


It's a lovely way to travel along the Dee, looking at the views on both sides of the river.

To hire a motor boat it is £25 plus a £20 deposit for 30 minutes. If paying by card they take £45 and return your deposit in cash.

Boy eating an ice cream

Enjoy An Ice Cream On The River Bank
Alongside the River Dee there are plenty of ice cream kiosks selling various ice cream treats and snacks. Just opposite the Chester Boat you can purchase a Cheshire Farm Ice Cream cone. We recently visited the Ice Cream Farm and loved all the flavours to choose from. The kiosk on the River Dee has lots of flavours to choose from too so you will be sure to find one you like.

Eastgate Clock in Chester

Eastgate Clock in Chester


Take A Photo Under The Eastgate Clock
The Eastgate Clock stands at the original entrance to the Roman Fortress. It towers over the city centre shopping area and is also part of the City Walls walk. It is a precious landmark within the city of Chester and is rumoured to be the most photographed clock in the UK after Big Ben.


Chester Cathedral


Visit Chester Cathedral
The Chester Cathedral is a church of England cathedral and is located in the heart of Chester. As well as being a beautiful Grade 1 building to admire and explore it opens its doors throughout the year to host special events.

Between May 17th - July 1st you can enjoy a free exhibition of the very popular children's book The Tiger Who Came To Tea by Judith Kerr. The exhibition is family friendly and includes a life-size model of the Tiger.

Boy holding a treasure map



Treasure Map Trails
Chester is full of history and things to see so what better way to explore than with a Treasure Map Trail. Choose a city local to you and your map will be delivered to you first class, then you are ready to go on a treasure trail. 

Chester has two maps to choose from or you could do both. They are bright, colourful, easy to read with road names and buildings illustrated on the map and are ideal for children aged between 5-12. 

boy climbing an elephant statue


The maps are a great way to encourage your children to look around the city trying to solve the clues and find all the different statues, signs and other treasures. 

Each map costs £5.99 each or you can purchase more of the same maps if you have more than 1 child starting at £8.99 for two copies of the same map. 

We are part of the Treasure Map Trails affiliate scheme and can offer our readers a 10% discount if you use the code PLAYDAYSRUNWAYS or follow this link

Chester is a great city to explore and cane be reached by train, bus and car with ease. When planning your trip make sure you check out way you can save on your travel costs, it will give you more money to spend while you are there. 

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways.

Comments - I love reading your opinions and thoughts - Have you visited Chester or planning a trip?  Leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought or what you have planned. 

Growing my social media is something I work hard on. If you would like to follow us - Like us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram

If you have found this post or our blog useful you can say thanks by - Buying Us A Virtual Coffee

If you think a friend of family member would like this post - Tap the share button below.


Michelle
Read More

Exploring Chester With the Kids

No comments
Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links. 

The best days out we have had as a family are the ones we didn't expect to have. With the various restrictions in place we have been very limited to places we can visit however I feel it has opened our eyes to what we have closer to home that we may have missed if the restrictions were not in place. We love being out and about planning days out as a family so we recently visited Chester and realised that there is so much more to do there than we had realised. Although we went with an idea of what we were going to do, we ended up doing so much more. Here is our guide to exploring Chester With The Kids. 

Chester Town Hall









Chester City Walls



Chester City Walls
Elevated above the city you can take in the views of Chester as you walk along the city walls. Standing for almost 2,000 years the defensive walls are the oldest and longest in the UK. You can't miss the walls and they are easily accessible from 4 main gates, Northgate, Eastgate, Watergate and Bridgegate. There are opportunities to join from other points along the way including steps and accessible ramps. 


Chester City Walls




The route is free of charge and is approximately 2 miles long. The duration will depend on your speed and also whether you stop to look at the beautiful views of the city, the river, the cathedral and other places of interest.

The Roman Gardens

The Roman Gardens



The Roman Gardens

The Roman Gardens can be spotted from the City Walls Walk or if heading down towards the river from the city centre. The gardens feature lots of pieces of important buildings and baths. As well as the history to see and read, the gardens themselves are well maintained with beautiful lawns and cherry blossom trees.

The Roman Gardens




There are benches around the gardens which slope down to the river. Perfect for stopping for a picnic lunch, a break from the hustle and bustle of the city centre close by or just to sit and enjoy the views. 

There are steps leading down to the river but also an accessible winding path. 

Cruise on the River Dee


Cruise On The River Dee
There is a buzz in the air as you arrive at the banks of the River Dee. The Chester Boat River Cruise offers sailings throughout the day on the Dee so you can enjoy the views from the river. The half hour cruises sail from 11am-5pm each day with ticket available to book at a discounted rate online or at the quayside.

views from the River Dee


Prices start from Adult £7, Children £2.50. Concession, family, disabled and disabled carer rates are available and children under 5 go free. 

man and boy on motor boat



Drive A Motor Boat
If you want something a little different , just next to the Chester Boat River Cruise you can hire a motor boat. The motor boat is easy to use and would comfortably fit a group of 4 or 5. 

views from the river dee


It's a lovely way to travel along the Dee, looking at the views on both sides of the river.

To hire a motor boat it is £25 plus a £20 deposit for 30 minutes. If paying by card they take £45 and return your deposit in cash.

Boy eating an ice cream

Enjoy An Ice Cream On The River Bank
Alongside the River Dee there are plenty of ice cream kiosks selling various ice cream treats and snacks. Just opposite the Chester Boat you can purchase a Cheshire Farm Ice Cream cone. We recently visited the Ice Cream Farm and loved all the flavours to choose from. The kiosk on the River Dee has lots of flavours to choose from too so you will be sure to find one you like.

Eastgate Clock in Chester

Eastgate Clock in Chester


Take A Photo Under The Eastgate Clock
The Eastgate Clock stands at the original entrance to the Roman Fortress. It towers over the city centre shopping area and is also part of the City Walls walk. It is a precious landmark within the city of Chester and is rumoured to be the most photographed clock in the UK after Big Ben.


Chester Cathedral


Visit Chester Cathedral
The Chester Cathedral is a church of England cathedral and is located in the heart of Chester. As well as being a beautiful Grade 1 building to admire and explore it opens its doors throughout the year to host special events.

Between May 17th - July 1st you can enjoy a free exhibition of the very popular children's book The Tiger Who Came To Tea by Judith Kerr. The exhibition is family friendly and includes a life-size model of the Tiger.

Boy holding a treasure map



Treasure Map Trails
Chester is full of history and things to see so what better way to explore than with a Treasure Map Trail. Choose a city local to you and your map will be delivered to you first class, then you are ready to go on a treasure trail. 

Chester has two maps to choose from or you could do both. They are bright, colourful, easy to read with road names and buildings illustrated on the map and are ideal for children aged between 5-12. 

boy climbing an elephant statue


The maps are a great way to encourage your children to look around the city trying to solve the clues and find all the different statues, signs and other treasures. 

Each map costs £5.99 each or you can purchase more of the same maps if you have more than 1 child starting at £8.99 for two copies of the same map. 

We are part of the Treasure Map Trails affiliate scheme and can offer our readers a 10% discount if you use the code PLAYDAYSRUNWAYS or follow this link

Chester is a great city to explore and cane be reached by train, bus and car with ease. When planning your trip make sure you check out way you can save on your travel costs, it will give you more money to spend while you are there. 

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways.

Comments - I love reading your opinions and thoughts - Have you visited Chester or planning a trip?  Leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought or what you have planned. 

Growing my social media is something I work hard on. If you would like to follow us - Like us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram

If you have found this post or our blog useful you can say thanks by - Buying Us A Virtual Coffee

If you think a friend of family member would like this post - Tap the share button below.


Michelle
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Jump Maniax Inflatable Park, Preston

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Jump Maniax is a unique inflatable park and is now open in Preston. With a 20,000 sq.ft arena it is every bouncers dream as all the inflatables are connected to make one huge bouncy playground. 

Jump Maniax
What To Expect At Jump Maniax, Preston, PR1 4LQ

Jump Maniax is located on Fishwick Park in Preston. The inflatable park covers 20,000 sq.ft and is the largest of its kind in the North West. The arena has different areas to provide bouncing fun for everyone.

Slam Dunk and Darts - Challenge your family or friends to some basketball or darts.

Wipeout Zone - Can you stay in the wipeout zone the longest? Be prepared to dunk and jump over the spinning beams.

Battle Beams - Balance on the inflatable beam with another beam in your hand as you try to knock over your opponent. 

Climbing Wall - Use all your strength to climb across the wall. Don't worry if you fall there is a nice bouncy soft landing. 

Wrecking Ball - Stand on the beam opposite your opponent and try to dodge the wrecking ball as you throw it back and forth.

Wac A Mole - Like the popular fairground game but you can choose an opponent (wearing a helmet) to whack. 

Inflatable Slides - Various slides to choose from all heading in to a ball pool. 

Ninja Climbing Wall - A little tougher than the climbing wall but there are ropes to help you. 

Ninja Obstacle Course - A One way obstacle course with lots of different challenges.

Multi Sports Arena - Perfect for basketball or football.

For Toddlers - The under 5's won't miss out on the fun with their own inflatable area including slide. Upstairs in the arena you will also find their own dedicated soft play area.  

Anything Else?

If you are feeling peckish the cafe serves hot and cold drinks and food all day.

There are lockers available to keep your personal belongings safe whilst bouncing. 

There are a variety of promotions offering discounted entry such as buy one get one free so make sure you check the promotions page before you buy tickets. 

Jump Maniax also offers party package perfect to help you celebrate a special birthday. 

Opening times differ depending on the time of year 

Term Time
Monday – Friday: 10am – 6:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10am – 8:00pm

School Holidays
Monday – Friday: 10am – 7:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10am – 8:00pm

We will be heading to Jump Maniax soon and will post a full review of our experience. If you would like to visit Jump Maniax, enter our giveaway to be in with a chance of winning one of two family tickets. All you need to do is complete the entry form below and pop back daily for bonus chances to win. 

Good Luck

Monday – Friday: 10am – 7:00Michelle

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The Ice Cream Farm, Tattenhall Cheshire

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The Ice Cream Farm is a family friendly attraction that offers a children's play area, lots of pay as you play attractions and over 50 flavours of ice cream to choose from.

Boy sitting on a deck chair


What To Expect At The Ice Cream Farm, Tattenhall, Cheshire CH3 9NE
The Ice Cream Farm is located in Tattenhall in Cheshire. Like most days out and activities you now have to book in advance online. You can choose a 1, 2 or 3 hour pass. The passes cost just £1 or 90p if you are a VIP pass holder. You can choose a time slot that suits you. We went at 2pm and stayed in the farm until 5pm.

The attractions inside are pay as you play however we chose to buy a play pass online before we arrived. This cost us £15 per pass and allowed us to access the attractions inside at a discounted rate. Our play pass had 5 credits on so instead of paying £4.50 on the day per attraction it had only cost us £3.

Tree house at the Ice Cream farm

Tree house at the Ice Cream farm

boy crawling through a tunnel

Daisys garden


Once inside you have access to Daisy's Garden which is included in your entrance fee of £1. This is a lovely play area with lots of different play equipment for the children. 

There is a large treehouse with rope ladders and slide. A selection of in the ground trampolines. Balance beams and tunnels. Rope swings and lots more. 

In-between attractions it was a great place to let the kids play in whilst we waited for the next. 

strawberry falls

boy playing mini golf

boy playing mini golf


Strawberry Falls golf was a lot of fun and is probably the main attraction at the farm. There were 12 mini golf type holes on the course.

We had to book this attraction using the virtual queuing system. It was quick and easy to book your time slot and meant we didn't have to queue. 

Each player pays £4.50 or uses a credit from their play pass. You are given a scorecard, golf club and ball. Make your way around the course weaving in an out of lots of decorative yummy treats.

boy and dad looking for gems


Gemstone Cove was lots of fun. You are given a small sieve and a mesh bag and then you are ready to go and find some gems. 

All you need to do is dig in the sand and water and then sieve it out and see what you've found. 

We found lots of stones of all different colours. 

Again this costs £4.50 per person or 1 credit from a play pass. We were asked to keep to a time limit of 20 minutes. 

two boys on a quad bike


SilverCone costs just £1 and you do need a £1 coin to put in the slot of the quad. You can then drive your quad around the track and straight to the finish line

boy looking at a bouncy castle


Unfortunately we couldn't play on the marshmallow mound as little J has broken his finger so he just watched as his cousins had a turn. It's a huge inflatable bouncy pillow and they have a smaller one for little ones too.

The marshmallow mound costs £4.50 or 1 credit from a play pass. You are given a timed slot to return to the marshmallow mound and the children have a limited time bouncing.

There were a few attractions we didn't do including Rocky Road. This is another self drive attraction. The inside play attractions where closed due to restrictions and we also didn't see the farm this time. 

picnic area


There is a lovely picnic area too which we will remember for next time. 

We finished the day with Ice Cream. There are over 50 flavours to choose from. 

boy looking at ice cream flavours


The ice cream parlour usually has an indoor seating area however due to restrictions it was closed. There are places to sit around the play area though if you wanted to sit whilst eating.

boy bouncing on a trampoline

boy on a trampoline

Ice Cream Farm

Ice Cream Farm
We had a lovely day at the farm and would definitely recommend it. Pre booking tickets online meant it wasn't too busy and it felt safe. The virtual queuing system also meant less waiting times at the attractions too. 

We can't wait to go again. 

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways.

Comments - I love reading your opinions and thoughts - Have you visited the Ice Cream Farm? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought.

Growing my social media is something I work hard on. If you would like to follow us - Like us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram

If you have found this post or our blog useful you can say thanks by - Buying Us A Virtual Coffee

If you think a friend of family member would like this post - Tap the share button below.

Michelle
Read More
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