Family fun at Nostell
Nostell is the perfect place for a family adventure. Spend some time zipping though the trees in the woodland play area, visit the wildlife on the lake, cycle through the woodland or build a den. Whatever you do when you visit, here's what to expect from your family day out.
Half-Term Family Trail: Sabine’s Marvellous Medicine
Saturday 15 – Sunday 23 February
Step into the enchanting world of Sabine’s Marvellous Medicine this February half-term at Nostell. Discover the curious remedies of Sabine Winn, who lived here centuries ago, and explore how plants and herbs were once used to create magical mixtures to keep people happy and healthy. Along the way, you’ll create your very own marvellous concoction as you wander through the gardens and woodland.
Follow Sabine’s Marvellous Medicine Trail
Gather your trail sheet and set off on a journey to uncover the secrets of Sabine’s herbal recipes. Along the way, you’ll collect “ingredients” for your own marvellous mixture by answering fun quiz questions and stopping at trail boards full of curious facts about nature’s remedies.
Can you guess what Sabine used rosemary for? Or what wildflower sheep can’t resist snacking on? You’ll even uncover some of her strangest remedies, like poisonous foxglove ear drops.
By the end of the trail, you’ll have all the ingredients to create your very own imaginary potion—perfect for curing colds, giving sheep super strength, or helping you remember all your homework!
Explore, Play, and Discover
Alongside your potion-making adventure, don’t miss these half-term highlights:
- Snowdrop magic: Wander through carpets of snowdrops blooming in the ancient woodland and garden—perfect for a family photo.
- Woodland playground fun: Swing, climb, and slide in the woodland playground, where kids can burn off energy and enjoy the fresh February air.
- Spot the signs of spring: Keep your eyes peeled for birds, bumblebees, and other signs of nature waking up after winter.
Potion-maker’s workshop
End your day by getting hands-on in the craft room. Mix and match dried herbs like lavender, rosemary, and mint to create your very own “magic potion bag” to take home. Add a name to your potion and imagine its magical powers—whether it’s for sweet dreams, super strength, or a burst of energy on rainy days.
All-weather adventure
Rain or shine, Sabine’s Marvellous Medicine Trail is perfect for a family adventure. Wrap up warm, grab your boots (it will be muddy!) and enjoy a day of fun and discovery in Nostell’s beautiful garden and woodland.
Playground adventures and nature exploring
- Jump, swing and slide in the woodland adventure play area. Feel the wind in your hair as you zoom between the trees on the zip wire - it's a whopping 30 metres long
- Head down to Joiner's Wood in the parkland to discover wild play and den building
- Go nature exploring and spot the resident wildlife, including swans, herons and geese
- Take an easy stoll down to the middle lake, following accessible route markers for mobility scooters, wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Explore the parkland on two wheels
Bring your bikes and enjoy a traffic-free adventure on one of our family-friendly woodland cycle trails. Head out into the parkland along the Carriageway path and up to Obelisk Lodge. You can turn left for the green trail, which is great for little legs, or right to whizz around a few more twists and turns on the blue trail. Both sections are for bikes only and are approximately 1km long. Find out more.
Adventure play area, wild play and den building
Unleash your wild ones in the woodland adventure play area in the gardens. Smaller children can climb and hide out in the wendy house on stilts and make their escape down the slide, get dizzy in the wonky spinners, balance on the wobble boards and swing the day away in the bucket swing. Older adventurers can test their adventurous spirit to climb the tower and abseil back down, charge around the rope bridges and wobble paths, bounce to new heights on the cantilever swing and zip through the trees on the 30-metre zip wire.
Wild play and den building in Joiner's Wood
Head into Joiner's Wood in the parkland and discover the new wild play area in the clearing in the heart of the woodland. This area has been created by Nostell rangers using natural materials. Test out your balance on the log walks, leap from stump to stump, weave though the maze and climb on the back of the wooden horses. Take your picnic down and spend time relaxing under the trees whilst young adventurers get creative with den building.
Planning for a rainy day?
Avoid a passing shower with a swift retreat into the second-hand book shop or cosy up with a hot drink or sweet treat in the cafe.
The playground is under the woodland canopy which offers some shelter but, of couse, you can just bring your wellies and enjoy a good old splash in the puddles and stomp in the mud.
Planning your family visit
- The main car park is around 800 metres from the main entrance
- There are baby-changing facilities and toilets in the courtyard
- There are accessible paths and you'll find mostly even terrain in the gardens but, some of the parkland paths can be uneven and muddy in wet weather so pushchairs might struggle
- Bikes and scooters are welcome in the parkland but we ask that you leave all bikes, trikes, balls and scooters at the garden entrance
- If you have a dog, you might find this information useful.
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Things to see in the gardens at Nostell
Discover edible delights in the kitchen garden, unwind beside the orangery or escape to the menagerie garden before exploring the winding paths of the pleasure grounds.
Visiting Nostell with your dog
Nostell is a two pawprint rated place. Find out how to make the most of your visit to Nostell with your dog and why you and your canine friend will enjoy taking in the Yorkshire air here.
Eating and shopping at Nostell
Visit the Courtyard Café with its range of seasonal treats, then head to the National Trust shop, where there’s a range of products inspired by the places we care for.