National Trust Locations: Wentworth Castle Gardens

As the Summer Holidays are here, we’re sharing another National Trust location for you to visit with your free family membership! We know that summer is a busy time for families with young children, but if you’re looking for something fun to do during the holidays, we have another fantastic recommendation for you.

Towards the south of Yorkshire, between Leeds and Sheffield, is Wentworth Castle Gardens, an idyllic location originally created for the privileged few but now fully open for the public to enjoy. The gardens are part of Stainborough Castle, which hosts some of the best picnic spots perfect for a warm summer day. With a formal garden and conservatory full of amazing plant life, wildlife, and acres of rolling parkland, this really is a beautiful place for your little ones to roam free. 

Wentworth Castle Gardens is the perfect place for adventure for any Muddy Boots Nursery child, with lots of activities fit for the whole family! Explore and conquer the castle, take on the kids adventure park, zoom down the zipline, and find all the secret hiding spots on the grounds. Throughout the holidays (23rd July - 31st August) you can explore the 5 play hubs around the garden for all kinds of active, messy and creative play, perfect for any child at Muddy Boots. They also host special events on selected days, so make sure to check out the activity schedule for free pop-up play days!

There’s plenty of green spaces to wander around at Wentworth, with a mix of formal gardens and woodland areas. There’s also all kinds of plants and wildlife to look out for which is perfect for budding explorers. The gardens are also equipped with a multi-sensory trail designed for people of all ages and abilities to explore the gardens.

If you or your little ones want to pick up a new skill, try Wentworth’s orienteering trails which are made with families in mind! There are a selection of different trails to choose from, making use of paths and trails throughout the garden that don’t require steps. In particular, the short course is 1km and suitable for all ages and fitness levels, so make sure to grab your orienteering packs for £3 or a map for £1 from the visitor reception. 

There is also an opportunity to tour the grand house through a selection of volunteer-led tours through Wentworth Castle, now Northern College. From grand staircases to intricate ceiling details, take a peek inside some of the house’s finest rooms for £8 per person. Under 5’s are included with an adult ticket, but the tour is mainly recommended for children 10+ as there are several staircases and some uneven flooring meaning prams may be limiting. If you are able to take a look around, it’s definitely worth seeing!

After a long day of adventuring, stop by the Log Barn Cafe for a bite to eat and a browse through their second hand bookshop. Here you’ll find a great selection of children’s books in the reading room above the cafe, perfect for sharing a new story together.

If you visit Wentworth Castle Gardens, or any of our other National Trust recommendations, this summer, make sure to share all the fun you have on Famly - we’d love to see what you get up to! 

Find Out More

To discover more amazing locations you can visit with your free membership, take a look at our National Trust blog series.

Don’t have your membership yet? Click here to find out how you can get your own membership by referring a family member or friend to one of our nurseries!