Looking for some inspiration on how to spend the Easter break? Bored of the usual egg hunts? Contrary Life has compiled a round-up of alternative family friendly Easter events taking place this year, including an egg hunt with a difference, an inflatable space-themed park, and a fun and treat-filled afternoon tea…
Try an egg hunt with a twist in the New Forest
A Canoe Easter Egg Hunt at New Forest Activities
When: 31st March – 2nd April 2018
Where: New Forest Activities, Bailey’s Hard, Bailey’s Hard Lane, Beaulieu, Hampshire SO42 7YF
£: Costs £28 for adults, £22 for children and £88 for a family ticket (two adults and two children)
What is it?
Bored of the usual Easter egg hunts? Why not take a paddle along the Beaulieu River in a Canadian style canoe, for a hunt with a twist? Enjoy a fun-filled paddle with New Forest Activities and spend time taking in the scenery of the river before disembarking for an Easter egg hunt. Leave no leaf unturned as your little ones hunt for those hidden chocolate eggs. Then, depending on tides, you’ll either paddle or enjoy a beautiful scenic riverside walk back to base.
More info: www.newforestactivities.co.uk
Go underground with a glow in the dark hunt
A Glow in the Dark Egg Hunt in Cheddar (Image: www.cheddargorge.co.uk)
When: 24th March – 8th April 2018
Where: Gough’s Cave, Cheddar Gorge and Caves, The Cliffs, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3QF
£: Admission costs £16.95 (in advance) for adults and £12.70 (in advance) for children
What is it?
Not a fan of water? Then head to Gough’s Cave in Cheddar for another quirky egg hunt! This time, head underground to find clusters of magical, glow in the dark eggs that have appeared in all the nooks and crannies of the mysterious cave chambers. Visitors will receive a trail sheet and will have to crack the mystery code left by the Easter Bunny. Complete the trail and you’ll be rewarded with a tasty treat.
Keep your eyes peeled for Richard Gough’s magical golden egg. If you spot it, make sure you take a picture as proof and post it on social media using #CheddarEggHunt. Younger visitors will also have the opportunity to get creative in the Museum of Prehistory and make their own Easter decoration to take home.
More info: www.cheddargorge.co.uk/whats-on/glow-in-the-dark-egg-hunt
Follow the trail to find the artistic egg sculptures
When: 24th March – 2nd April 2018
Where: Lancaster City Centre, Lancashire
£: Free, donations welcome
What is it?
Our final pick of the unusual egg hunts this Easter, is Lancaster’s Big Beautiful Egg Hunt organised by CancerCare. This egg hunt will feature 13 hand-crafted egg sculptures by a range of artists and will allow families to follow a shop window trail around the City Centre. But don’t worry, you won’t miss out on the Easter chocolate, as all participants will be rewarded with a chocolate treat as well as the chance to win some other prizes.
More info: www.visitlancashire.com
Take an explorer challenge in Devon
When: 30th March – 13th April 2018, 11am – 3pm daily
Where: Cockington Visitor Centre, Cockington, Torquay
£: Costs £2 (Suitable for ages 4 – 11 years)
What is it?
If you fancy getting out and about, but want a change from an egg hunt, then Cockington Country Park may be just what you’re looking for. Head to the picturesque village of Cockington, near Torquay, and take on an Explorer Challenge. Families can collect a challenge pack from the Visitor Centre and set off on an adventure around the country park.
Cockington Country Park is a Green Flag Award winning park and a paradise for walkers, gardeners, nature lovers and families, offering a free green space to visit with woodland, parkland, ornamental gardens and lakes to enjoy.
More info: www.countryside-trust.org.uk
See one hundred horse-drawn vehicles in a traditional parade
Transport through the ages with the London Harness Horse Parade
When: 2nd April 2018 (Easter Monday), main parade 1pm
Where: South of England Centre, Ardingly, West Sussex
£: Admission costs £8 for adults and children go free
What is it?
For something completely different, head to Ardingly in West Sussex for the famous annual London Harness Horse Parade on Easter Monday. The parade has been a popular Easter spectacle for more than 100 years, and today it takes place in the purpose-built South of England Centre. The parade depicts transportation through the ages and includes a display of the earliest motor cars.
In addition to more than 100 horse-drawn vehicles, the parade will include vintage tractors, and historic and classic cars, allowing spectators to experience the progression from horse-drawn transport to mechanically propelled vehicles.
More info: www.lhhp.co.uk
Or take a classic bus ride in Cumbria
Classic coach rides at Cumbria Easter Rally
When: 31st March and 1st April 2018
Where: Brough and Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
£: Free (but a small donation for the bus rides is requested)
What is it?
Traditional vehicles will be popping up in the north of England too, as Cumbria Easter Rally, the UK’s biggest, free commercial vehicle rally celebrates its 20th anniversary. It will be held at locations in the Upper Eden Valley, in the Cumbrian North Pennines’ area of outstanding beauty, and the new extended Yorkshire Dales National Park (Westmorland Dales). It will feature well-preserved and lovingly restored buses, coaches, vintage wagons, lorries and vans, Land Rovers, military, utility vehicles, tractors and old pedal bikes; showcased across various sites in Kirkby Stephen and Brough, with visitors able to take classic bus rides between them.
The classic bus route will start at Kirkby Stephen station on the Settle-to-Carlisle Railway. This delightful Victorian station will be the gateway to the event with a display of the history of the station and railway courtesy of the Friends of the Settle-to-Carlisle Railway and will include a refreshment café. A highlight of this year’s event will be the road run through the fells, taking place on Saturday 31st March, with crowds expected to line the route of the Westmorland Dales for the evening procession.
There’ll also be a vintage fun fair and other activities for children, plus local artisan craft and food stalls.
More info: encountereden.com/easterrally
Enjoy a Georgian Easter with inventions and crafts
When: 3rd April 2018
Where: Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF
£: Costs £2 per child (suitable for children aged 5 – 11 years)
What is it?
Benjamin Franklin House in London was home to the Founding Father of the United States between 1757 and 1775. Dr Benjamin Franklin was a scientist, diplomat, philosopher and inventor, and this Easter visitors to his home can take part in a special Easter trail inspired by Franklin’s inventions and scientific work. There’ll also be traditional crafts for children to enjoy.
More info: www.eventbrite.com/e/family-day-georgian-easter-celebration
Unravel the mysteries of time at We The Curious
The Passage of Time explored at We The Curious
When: 24th March – 9th April 2018
Where: We The Curious, One Millennium Square, Anchor Road, Harbourside, Bristol BS1 5DB
£: Admission costs £15.30 for adults and £9.90 for children
What is it?
And if science is your thing, We The Curious will be launching a new series of activities and events, all designed around the theme of The Passage of Time, asking questions about the changes we go through in life. Are clocks the only things which tell the time? What if we could design our own time telling devices? How does time affect our feelings and senses?
Launching on the weekend that the clocks go forward (24th March), visitors will be invited to explore the concept of time through fun experiments, conversations, storytelling, stargazing shows and a bit of playful mischief.
We The Curious will be showing Notes on Blindness, a thought-provoking and award-winning short film; looking at how time affects our cosmos, both what we can see now and what we might see in the future; as well as looking at the wonders of fermentation in the Kitchen and exploring brassicas in the Greenhouse. You’ll also be able to take part in the Memorials to Change activity in the Studio and enjoy exploring a collection of stories from people across Bristol in a part storytelling session, part museum-style guided tour.
More info: www.wethecurious.org
Bounce around at a space-themed inflatable park
Soon to open, InflataSpace in Newcastle
When: Open daily from March 2018
Where: InflataSpace, Benfield Business Park, Benfield Road Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE6 4NQ
£: Admission costs £12 (for a one hour session)
What is it?
If you’ve got a lot of energy to burn off this Easter, then you are in luck! A huge inflatable theme park is set to open this month in the North East. InflataSpace will be the biggest permanent indoor inflatable theme park in the UK and the first in the area.
The park will be space-themed and visitors can expect to enjoy sliding down extreme rocket drop slides, bouncing on giant inflatable planets, suiting up in inflatable sumo wrestling rings and taking on the gladiator podium challenge with battle sticks and more.
Alongside InflataSpace, the site will boast a Clip N Climb climbing centre and a Fun Shack children’s indoor play centre, all located within the Benfield Business Park, next to the Walkergate Metro station.
More info: www.inflataspace.co.uk
Eat Snozzcumber Sandwiches at a Roald Dahl afternoon tea
When: 31st March 2018
Where: The Cakery, 58 Market Street, New Mills, High Peak, Derbyshire SK22 4AA
£: Tickets cost £5.98 (Adult menu costs £14.95 and children’s menu costs £11.95)
What is it?
If you’re looking for a quirky Easter treat, then why not try a Roald Dahl themed afternoon tea at The Cakery in New Mills? This fun and imaginative tea will feature themed delights such as Snozzcumber Sandwiches, Bruce Bogtrotter’s Fudge Cake, James’ Peach Cobbler, Wonka’s Cupcake, Mrs Twitts’ Mud Pie and Fizzy Lifting Drink. There’s a special menu for adults and one for children, so all will be catered for.
More info: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/roald-dahl-afternoon-tea-tickets and www.facebook.com/thecakerynewmills
Indulge in a Willy Wonka eat-a-long screening
When: 1st & 2nd April 2018
Where: Tyneside Cinema, 10 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6QG
£: Tickets cost £19.75 for adults and £17.75 for children, and include a Wonka Treat Box:
What is it?
And if you are a fan of Roald Dahl, then Tyneside Cinema has just the screening for you! This Easter they’ll be hosting a Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Eat-a-long Screening. This unique film experience will enable visitors to enjoy home-made edible treats at special moments during the show.
The classic 1971 film adaptation of Willy Wonka will feature cues during the film when it’s time to open each mystery treat box. The interactive screening is perfect for sweet-toothed children and adults alike.
More info: www.tynesidecinema.co.uk
Watch Miniature Pig Racing at Pennywell
When: 30th March – 15th April 2018
Where: Pennywell Farm, Buckfastleigh, Devon
£: Admission costs £14.95 for adults and £11.95 for children
What is it?
Head down to the farm for some alternative Easter fun at Pennywell, as families watch miniature pig racing and join in with Easter-themed games, including traditional egg rolling and guess the weight of the Easter bunny. There’ll be a range of entertainers putting on shows, as well as the chance to meet some cute spring animals such as lambs and chicks.
More info: www.pennywellfarm.co.uk
Take a fairytale woodland walk in Staffordshire
A woodland walk character at the National Forest Adventure Farm
When: 26th March – 11th April 2018
Where: National Forest Adventure Farm, Tatenhill, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire DE13 9SJ
£: Admission costs £12.50 for adults and children, £10 for concessions and children under 2 years go free.
What is it?
If life on the farm sounds good, then you might like to take a trip to the National Forest Adventure Farm in Tatenhill this Easter. The Staffordshire farm aims to throw a one of a kind Easter themed event and this year’s will include a fairytale woodland where visitors can go off in search of the Easter bunny’s woodland retreat. The woodland walk begins with an Easter Eggspress tractor ride and will follow a trail to the bunny’s home with live actors dressed as woodland creatures entertaining visitors along the way.
The event will allow a rare glimpse of the farm’s 67 acre woodland, which isn’t accessible any other time of the year. The farm’s woodland area was created in 2002 as part of its commitment to the National Forest and saw 28,000 trees planted on the site.
The farm also has 170 ewes due to give birth over the Easter period, with visitors invited to watch as staff deliver the lambs and have a go at feeding the new-born lambs.
More info: www.adventurefarm.co.uk