Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Top 20 Easter days out
It’s easy to keep the kids busy this Easter... just make them work for all that chocolate on a great day out
ENGLAND 1 APRIL 9-23: FUN ON THE FARM
Head to the site of the legendary 1970 Isle of Wight festival and you’ll be greeted by the musical bleats of Tapnell Farm Park’s cute new arrivals. You can volunteer to feed the lambs and wallabies, give the goats a brush and watch the comical meerkats standing guard. At Easter weekend kids can hit the Egg Adventure Trail and solve the clues to claim a prize. ENTRANCE Adults £7, kids (2-16) £9, under-two free, family ticket from £29. tapnellfarm.com
2 APRIL 8 – MAY 14: BLUEBELL WALK
This is the time to go down to the woods in Arlington, East Sussex, and take a glorious walk from Bates Green Farm through 23 acres of ancient oak woodland carpeted with English bluebells and white wood anemones. Choose from seven trails across three working farms, including a mobility-friendly walk with seating every 150 metres (hire of mobility scooters is free).
ENTRANCE Adults £6, children £2.50, family ticket £15 (10am – 5pm). visiteastbourne.com/ bluebell-walk
3 APRIL 14: INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
Watch the birdies on Good Friday in the atmospheric setting of the South Lawn of the Bishop’s Palace in the heart of the city of Wells. The Raptor Foundation is putting on a day of fantastic medieval falconry with some brilliant flying and displays. ENTRANCE The show is included in the admission. Adults £7.99, children (5-18) £3.35. bishopspalace.org. uk
4 APRIL 13-16: TALL SHIPS
Drop anchor at Greenwich and see some of the world’s largest vessels arrive for the Rendez-Vous Tall Ships Regatta. Greenwich is also the home of London’s own Tall Ship, the tea clipper Cutty Sark. Families and their little sailors can get creative making artwork and crafts to take home. And on Sunday get ready to wave the Tall Ships on the splendid Parade on Sail down the Thames, heading for St Lawrence Bay in Quebec for celebrations marking Canada’s 150th anniversary (sailroyalgreenwich.co.uk). ENTRANCE From £12.15 adults, £6.30 children, under-fives free, family from £21.60. Includes Let’s Sail Away Big Build sessions rmg.co.uk/CuttySark
5 APRIL 1-17: KEW GARDENS
Easter means the Moomins will be coming out of hibernation and up for some Scandi mischief and fun in Kew’s stunning Royal Botanic Gardens. Follow the interactive Moomin trail to find plants that have mysteriously gone missing. Kids can try their hand at den building and lay out Kew’s giant table for a tea party. And on Easter
Sunday children will be able to get their hands on choccy treats. ENTRANCE Adults £15, kids £3.50. Festival included. kew.org
6 APRIL 8-23: A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
Get close to nature at the magical Wild Place Project. Ten miles outside Bristol, the wildlife park is home to animals from all over the world from wolves and hogs to cheetahs and zebras and the park’s newest residents, Gelada baboons. Wander through the enchanted woodland following the fairy door trail, make a wish and hang it on the magical wishing tree. Go on an adventure with Flynn the fairy to help him find his missing treasures.
ENTRANCE Adults £8, kids (2-14) £6.50, under-2s free. wildplace.org.uk
7 APRIL 15-17: ARUNDEL CASTLE
Find out who the Earl of Arundel is going to give his support to – King John or the Barons – in the Barons War raging at this West Sussex 11th century fortification. There will be a storyteller, weapons demos and battle tactics of the late 12 century, with falconry and archery. ENTRANCE From £11 adults, £10 kids (5-16). arundelcastle.org
8 APRIL 16: LEE VALLEY
You’re in for a splashing time at Lee Valley White Water Centre in Waltham Cross, Herts. The family can have a go at flat-water paddling and see Britain’s best canoeists battle it out for a place on Team GB in the European and World championships. There will be live music and an Easter egg hunt. From 2pm. ENTRANCE Free. gowhitewater.co.uk
9 APRIL 2-16: EASTER ON THE MOUNT
Land on this tiny island in Mount’s Bay off the Cornish coast and help build a giants bird’s nest on the Dairy Lawn. You can also make your own willow bird feeder and pick up bird-spotting tips. From 11am-4pm. ENTRANCE Castle: Adults £9, kids £4.50, family £22.50. Free for National Trust members. stmichaelsmount.co.uk
10 APRIL 1-17: EASTER EDEN
The home of the famous Biomes is planning a cracking Easter with colourful egg games and hunts across the Eden Project landscape. In the Mediterranean Biome, tale-tellers will be spinning yarns. Travel through clouds in the world’s biggest indoor rainforest thanks to the new aerial rope bridge. ENTRANCE From £22.50 adults, £12.60 children, underfives free, £62 family. edenproject.com
11 APRIL 14-17: SCARBOROUGH CASTLE
Go detective as you head through the imposing gatehouse of the 3,000-year-old Castle site on a quest to meet a character from the past. If you can crack the clues, there’s a chocolate reward. Enjoy the fantastic views from the top of the site.
ENTRANCE Adults £5.90 kids (5-15) £3.50 family £15.30, free for English Heritage members english-heritage.org.uk
SCOTLAND 12 APRIL 15-16: DUCK RACING
Get flapping for two days of exciting duck racing at the picturesque 19th century Barry Mill in Angus, which produced oatmeal until the 1980s. Besides the quacky races there’s a raft of activities including an egg-painting competition, an Easter bonnet parade and a treasure hunt. From 11am. ENTRANCE £6.50, family £16.50. nts.org.uk/Property/Barry-Mill
13 APRIL 1-17: EDINBURGH
The hunt is on at the Royal Botanic Garden for the missing secret ingredients for a yummy chocolate. And as the recipe has been invented by the Botanic Bunny, it’s choccy crazy. Complete the Easter Trail to bag your chocolate reward. ENTRANCE Garden admission is free. Glasshouse entry: from £4.95 adults, children (under 16) free. rbge.org.uk
14 APRIL 4-17: GLASGOW
Float over to Springfield Quay for an Easter Wonderland created from over 20,000 balloons. There’s a balloon-making workshop, along with an Easter egg hunt and a magic show. ENTRANCE £7.95, under-threes free, family £28. whatsonglasgow.co.uk
WALES 15 APRIL 14-17: PORTMEIRION
Drop in for tea with the Mad Hatter at Portmeirion Village on the Wales coast – famous as the setting for the cult 60s TV series The Prisoner. Drink magic potions at the fantasy afternoon tea in the village’s pretty piazza. On Easter Sunday you can join the parade before hunting for eggs in the village grounds. ENTRANCE Mad Hatter’s Tea Party costs £20. portmeirion-village.com
16 APRIL 1-20: PENRHYN CASTLE
This neo-Norman Castle in Gwynedd will be a hive of activity this Easter. Give Bunny a helping hand to claim a choccy gift. Find out about the Castle’s new bees and tuck in to some honey products in the café. There are fun trails to follow and learn about the Victorian kitchens.
ENTRANCE From £11.80 adults, kids £5.90, family £29.50. Event is free. nationaltrust.org.uk/penrhyn-castle
17 APRIL: SKOMER ISLAND
For a wild Easter, skip over to this spectacular island, just off the Pembrokeshire coast, a playground for countless birds, seals, porpoises and rabbits. April is a great time to watch the comical puffins and you might be lucky enough to spot dolphins. welshwildlife. org ENTRANCE Boat trip from Martin’s Haven to Skomer: £21 adults, £12 children (under 16), babies £7. pembrokeshire-islands.co.uk
IRELAND 18 APRIL 16: COUNTY ANTRIM
Stride out to Giant’s Causeway for a guided ramble along the trail down to the Giant Boot. The whole family can help plant wildflowers, indulge in some face-painting and get hands-on at the Jumping Clay crafts workshops. ENTRANCE From £10.50 adults, £5.25 kids, family £26. Event is free. nationaltrust.org.uk/ giants-causeway
19 APRIL 13-17: GALWAY
For a gourmet Easter head over to Galway’s Food Festival on the banks of the Corrib, with open-air markets, cooking demos, tours to artisan producers, foraging trips, wine and beer workshops. ENTRANCE Mostly free. galwaytourism.ie, ireland.com
20 APRIL 14-16: WALKING FESTIVAL
Put a spring in your step as you traverse the glorious mountains of County Mayo and Connemara on Westport’s Easter Walking Festival. The Croagh Patrick tour includes visits to Westport’s legendary pubs – for those well-earned pints of Guinness! ENTRANCE Guided walking tour from £32 per day. walkingguideireland.com, ireland.com