No excuse for ‘I’m bored’ with our cheap half-term days out
ENTERTAINING SAYS OUR WHAT’S-ON CORRESPONDENT
ITHE KIDS DOES NOT NEED TO BREAK THE BANK,
T’S the half-term holiday, which means one thing: children need entertaining. We know what it’s like – you don’t want to be heading off to expensive theme parks every day, writes Becky Jones. Fortunately, there are some brilliant places in the city and county where you can enjoy a free or cheap day out.
Take a look at our suggestions below:
ENJOY A WALK ROUND ONE OF OUR FANTASTIC PARKS
There’s a wealth of gorgeous parks in Leicestershire, including Bradgate Park, with dramatic rocky outcrops and gnarled old oak trees and the historic ruins of Bradgate House (home of nine-day queen Lady Jane Grey); Beacon Hill Country Park, made up of some of the oldest rocks (700 million years) in the world; and Abbey Park, situated just a mile outside of Leicester city centre and divided in two by the River Soar.
Entry to the parks is free, but you might need to pay for parking. Well, you can’t have everything!
VISIT LEICESTER MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY
Formerly known as New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, this city centre attraction offers a great free day out.
Galleries include Ancient Egypt, Dinosaurs, Wild Space, the Victorian Art Gallery, Arts and Crafts Gallery, Picasso Ceramics: The Attenborough Collection and Leicester’s internationally renowned German Expressionism collection.
Entry is free and you do not even need to book.
VISIT ABBEY PUMPING STATION, LEICESTER
Get hands-on with the history of science, industry, transport, health and hygiene at Abbey Pumping Station.
Sewage and hygiene were big problems in the Victorian city and Leicester had a big solution with its four magnificent beam engines, now restored to working condition.
You can also check out the museum’s collection of vintage vehicles, including buses, fire engines, a chip van and a hansom cab.
Entry is free, although there’s often a small charge for special events, and for a ride on the narrow gauge railway when it is running.
VISIT NEWARKE HOUSES MUSEUM, LEICESTER
There’s lots to discover here, including collections of toys from the beginning of the 1500s to the present day, a thought-provoking regimental collection and a recreated First World War trench.
There is also a 1950s street scene with its shops and pub where you can hear the stories of people who call Leicester their home.
Entry is free, except on event days.
TAKE A TRIP TO GORSE HILL CITY FARM, LEICESTER
Unlike the others on this page, this one isn’t free, unless you are aged two and under, but it’s still a good day out so we thought we’d sneak it on the list.
There are more than 100 animals to meet, from goats and donkeys to rabbits and guinea pigs.
Situated on a 20-acre site on the outskirts of Leicester, Gorse Hill is a registered charity, a working farm and community project which is dedicated to the welfare of its animals and to providing a fun and educational experience for all.
It costs £4.50 per adult, £2.50 per child, under-twos free. Book via:
gorsehillcityfarm.org.uk
PAY A VISIT TO MELTON CARNEGIE MUSEUM
Situated in the Carnegie Library, which was built by Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish-American philanthropist, visitors young and old can explore the history of Melton and the people who have made it their home.
Pork pies and stilton cheese are famous around the world and at the museum you can explore the history of these trades, and others including saddlery, shoemaking and tinsmithing.
Go back even further in time to see how the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Normans, Tudors, Georgians and Victorians would have lived in the area.
Entry to the museum is free.
VISIT CHARNWOOD MUSEUM
If the kids love to get interactive, this museum has plenty of exhibits to get stuck into.
Situated within the heart of Queen’s Park, in Loughborough, the museum features a wide range of exhibits which reflect local history and industries.
Visitors can handle rocks from Charnwood’s volcanic past, walk beneath the giant oak tree, investigate the 4,000-year-old burial of the
Cossington Boy, visit the Victorian grocers shop or zoom-in on a fly’s eye with the video microscope. Entry is free.
WALK ROUND FOXTON LOCKS
This is a beautiful spot for a wander by the canal, and gives children the opportunity to see the amazing grade II-listed locks.
The flight of 10 locks is the longest set of staircase locks in Britain.
It takes an average of 45 minutes for boats to travel the entire flight and on a busy day as many as 40 boats can make the trip, so chances are, you’ll be able to see at least one or two passing through.
Again, it’s free apart from the parking, which costs £3 per day at the long stay Top Lock car park and £3.50 for four hours at the short stay Bottom Lock car park.