From floating aqua parks to Peppa Pig-inspired experiences,
there’s a host of new adventures to discover across EnglandFAMILY
TAKE IT OUTSIDE
Go wild in Cheshire
England’s second BeWILDerwood is set
to open on a 70-acre site in the grounds of
Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, on 23 May.
The £5m forest attraction is based on the
original theme park in Norfolk, itself the
brainchild of Tom Blofeld, author of A Boggle
at BeWILDerwood, and features sustainable
wooden play structures, aerial ropewalks,
climbing walls, balancing logs and muddled
mazes for all the family to run, whiz,
clamber or wobble on. Plus, there are loads of
activities too: from face-painting to arts and
crafts and storytelling. bewilderwood.co.uk
Make a splash on the Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight’s first outdoor floating
aqua park is set to open at Tapnell Farm this
May, measuring a sizeable 50 metres by 80
metres. The park has an inflatable course
with more than 20 obstacles joined together
to create a series of fun challenges designed
to suit varying standards of ability. A section
of the lake will also be kept obstacle-free
for some more classic aquatic pursuits,
such as kayaking, paddleboarding and free
swimming. tapnellfarm.com
Discover birdlife in Gloucestershire
As part of a project supported by the
Heritage Lottery Fund, 12 new visitor
attractions are opening in stages at
Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust on
the Severn Estuary, including The Estuary
Tower Hide, a fully accessible hide, which
opened at the end of 2019. A new open-air
Living Wetland Theatre and Waterscapes
Aviary will open from Easter 2020, followed
by the fully wheelchair-accessible Severn
Estuary Walkway and Mission Impossible;
the latter looks at the survival success story
of the world’s rarest goose. wwt.org.ukClimb trees in Yorkshire
Set within the grand surrounds of Castle
Howard near York, Skelf Island is a new
treetop adventure, just across the Great
Lake in the castle grounds. There’s no age
restriction on the activity, just the need
to be brave. Steely youngsters can expect
ingenious treetop nest structures connected
by rope bridges, slides, nets and climbing
equipment that guarantee a thrilling
adventure through the canopy.
castlehoward.co.ukCause for celebration in Sussex
This spring saw the opening of Rye Harbour
Nature Reserve’s new Discovery Centre in
East Sussex, which features an exciting
and innovative programme of activities,
education, training and conservation
projects to mark its 50th birthday. The
1,110-acre reserve is one of the most
biodiverse places in Britain, with 4,200
plant and animal species recorded, and
more than 200 rare or endangered bird and
mammal species. It’s also home to historic
buildings such as Henry VIII’s Camber
Castle. ryeharbourdiscoverycentre.org.uk...and 25 of the best, country-wide
Check out the new list of must-have
experiences for preschoolers and their
families inspired by Peppa Pig, part of a
new team-up with VisitEngland. The aim
is to help young families plan their next
adventure, with a children’s activity sheet
available to download focused on themes
such as The Seaside and The Great Outdoors.
These include activities such as going on
a steam train, rockpooling and building a
sandcastle. visitengland.com MARIA PIERI IMAGE: ANDREW KAHUMBU PHOTOGRAPHY28 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
SMART TRAVELLER28 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel