When you hear the name Thornbridge Hall Gardens, you may be thinking more of private events, glorious weddings and corporate events for this grade ii stately home and english gardens, but you are very much mistaken………
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Thornbridge Hall Gardens For Kids Review – A Must For Little Ones
If you have read about our favourite Monsal Head Walk With Kids article, you will know this is how we found the hidden gem of Thornbridge Hall Gardens this year in the heart of the Peak District National Park. If you haven’t heard of it, you won’t be alone, as so many of our readers have emailed us to say they had had the best day and never knew about it before we mentioned it on our MMB Magazine Instagram account!
But if you have young kids to tweens, it’s a must-trip and will soon become one of your summer favourites! And dont forget to check out the Thornbridge Brewery too!
MMB Magazine Approved
This is a garden with a difference and one that encourages the little ones to play and laugh and explore. There are so many reasons why I am giving our first ever MMB Magazine Approved badge seal of approval, but this seriously will become your go-to staple in summer if you have little ones.
Quackers Cafe And Duck Filled Fountains And More
So many quirky features, including a rubber duck fountain, extensive gardens, outdoor games, a Koi pond and an animal petting area, not to mention the Quackers cafe!
The cafe is great and lots of choice for little ones and you and great prices.
Whats Is Thornbridge Hall Gardens
From the 12th century to the late 18th century, Thornbridge Hall was the seat of the Longsdon family, however since 2002, Thornbridge Hall has been owned by Jim and Emma Harrison, owners of Thornbridge Brewery, which is worth a visit in itself; the pizzas are excellent as is the beer! This is a garden with a difference and one that encourages the little ones to play and laugh and explore.
There are so many reasons why I am giving our first ever MMB Magazine Approved badge seal of approval, but this seriously will become your go-to staple in summer if you have little ones.
How do I get to Thornbridge Hall & Gardens?
You can reach Thornbridge Hall Gardens by car, where they have onsite parking, or if you are on the Monsal Trail, it’s an easy turn-off. The new open-top Peak Sightseer bus service now stops at Hassop station, a private railway station that’s closed, so you can easily walk for a good 10 minutes to get to Thiornbridge by foot; also very easy with a pushchair as flat and a straight walk so you can let the kids run on ahead while in sight. Keep an eye out for the bikes, though!
Use what3words///gather.mango.tank to get to Thornbridge Hall Gardens.
Make sure to join the mailing lists for updates on the exciting stuff at Thornbridge Hall Gardens and other great venues in Derbyshire. We will add all the events to our What’s on MMB Magazine for Children guides.
Thornbridge Hall Gardens For Kids Review
You know it will be a place the kids love as soon as you step on the duck pedestrian crossing! Eliza is a duck-mad toddler, so this was hit from start to finish. If you arrive by car, you go through the rolling hills of the peak district and drive up a long path past the cows and ducks to the private free car park.
As you arrive, you walk up to the entrance of the Thornbridge Estate and go through the new Quackers café. The cafe is excellent; you might even hear someone playing the piano! We had some hot drinks for the adults and homemade sausage rolls, duck biscuits and cold drinks for the children. You can not take your picnic onsite, so be aware. Prices are reasonable as well. You do not need to pay to enter the small holding or Quakers cafe area.
To enter the Thornbridge Hall Gardens
As you walk through the indoor seating, you come out to the fresh air and see the areas of the gardens ahead of you. Trust me, the kids will immediately see the fountain and want to beeline for it! Kimi and Eliza played basketball, which is fab as you can even lower the net for the little ones to have a go. You will have to walk through the shop area to buy your tickets for the main entrance to the gardens. I recommend buying your tickets online as this will save you 20%, but make sure you book before 9 am on your visit, or you will need to pay the total price at the gate.
Entry Fees for Thornbridge Hall Gardens
Adult (17yrs plus) if bought online £5.60
Child 3 – 16yrs if bought online £2.60
Under three years – Free
The Annual Play Date Pass allows unlimited access to the gardens during term time on weekdays for one adult and up to 2 children at £25
You also get a fab nature trail for the children to search for all the items as you play and walk around the garden trails and explore the areas of the garden. We had a great time finding them all, searching for the right statue amongst the numerous statues, and finding Koi Lake a great little extra for your first trip. Some statues came from Clumber Park and Chatsworth, while some were gifts from the Greek Government!
You can also buy a duck-catching net at the ticket desk; we have been twice now, so we took the nets back from our first visit, and they had no issue with this. The kids ran off ahead once we got through the unique plant section. There is so much for them to do, and even some sun tents put up to keep you in the shade.
- Heading straight to the tubular bells, they found this hilarious as they created their symphony!
- The ultimate rubber ducks fountain; it was a hot day, and some of the children took a quick dip while the others were scooping them with their nets
- Eliza and Kimi tried the tractors and racing cars.
- Kimi tried his hand at some archery and kept himself entertained.
- Eliza headed off to the sandpit, mud kitchen, and willow tunnels. Kimi soon joined her, and they played for ages.
- Kimi found a friend to play badminton over the badminton nets and some swingball.
- Along with fun feeding the animals at the small holding.
The kids were so excited to walk around, and the Gardens Thornbridge does not disappoint, even if you’re not a big garden lover! I loved the scented terrace and series of garden rooms, as did the kid’s beautiful gardens with a twist. Kimi fell in love with the secret library, and I must admit, on a beautiful summer’s day, it was the most peaceful spot; it felt like something out of the Shire from Lord of the Rings. They hid in the grottos and ran under the arches.
If it’s a rainy day why dont you check out our list of the Top 8 Soft Plays In Chesterfield
#Thornbridge Hall Gardens