www.southnorthants.gov.uk Explore Family Fun in South

1 ©National Trust Images/John Millar Images/John ©National Trust ©National Trust Images/John Millar Images/John ©National Trust Cameron Commission/Isobel ©Forestry

Contents Get Out & About Annual Events Get Out & About 2 is packed with interesting Annual Events 3 and fun things to do for the whole family. This guide April August The Big Outdoors 4 provides lots of ideas to help you keep your children • Racecourse, • Blakesley Agricultural Show Great Places to Walk 6 entertained at weekends, bank holidays and during Easter Family Fun Day • Blisworth Canal Festival Animal Connections 8 school holidays. We hope you find it useful when • Stoke Bruerne, Pirate Weekend Happy Holidays 10 May planning your next family outing. • Towcester’s Annual Duck Race Where to Play 12 • Lois Weedon and Weston Love Learning 13 The district has miles and miles of ancient , May Day Fayre September Eating & Shopping 14 country footpaths and canals just waiting to be • Battle of Edgecote Moor June explored; village playgrounds, soft play centres Tournament and Re-enactment • Carnival Key and children’s farms that will keep the young ones • Harpole Scarecrow Festival • Brackley Soap Box Derby entertained for hours; child-friendly historic houses, • Stoke Bruerne, Village at War Dog-friendly • Stoke Bruerne, Gala Weekend museums and landscaped gardens; and fun packed Free entry • Scarecrow Festival October activity programmes at our leisure centres and Picnics • Towcester Mid-Summer • Deanshanger Feast libraries. Refreshments Music Festival November WC Toilets The activities included in the guide are suitable July • Silverstone Bonfire for children up to the age of around 12, although Shop • Brackley Music Festival many of the things listed are also suitable for older December Wet weather • Grafton Regis History Fayre children. Check websites of individual organisations, • Stoke Bruerne, Illuminated towns and villages for up-to-date information about Boat Procession and Carols opening times and events.

Seasonal events are held in most towns, villages and at the venues listed in this guide. Our villages also have a rich tradition of church fetes, allotment shows and festivals. For further information, go to the ‘What’s On’ section at www.southnorthants.gov.uk. Northants Touring Arts puts on a range of high quality family events in village and town halls, including storytelling, theatre, music, dance and comedy. www.northantstouringarts.co.uk

2 3 ©/Isobel Cameron Commission/Isobel ©Forestry Cameron Commission/Isobel ©Forestry

Being a largely rural district, South Northamptonshire is a Salcey great place for the kids to spend time outside, playing in the www.forestry.gov.uk/salceyforest fresh air, walking, cycling and seeing the wildlife. One of the highlights of this former royal hunting forest is Salcey’s famous Tree Top Walk. Rising to about 15 metres with an Forests and Woodland 18 metre viewing platform, it looks out over more than 1000 acres of , Evenley Gardens including 500-year-old . The activities www.evenleywoodgarden.co.uk here are endless – cycling and horse riding, A 60-acre private woodland garden dog walking, den building, pram push, known for its lovely displays of spring and wildlife spotting and nature trails with a summer flowers. There’s plenty of space Forest Ranger. There’s also an enclosed to run around on the wide grassy paths, natural wood play area and seasonal events little streams and bridges (perfect for Hazelborough and such as a Halloween trail, Myths and Magic poohsticks!), birds, butterflies and ducks Bucknell walk and a Christmas festival. Open all year. on the pond. Open weekends and some www.forestry.gov.uk WC

bank holidays from February to the end Clearly marked footpaths are suitable of October. for buggies. There are piles of logs for WC climbing on, beautiful springtime displays

of bluebells, cowslips, primroses and violets Cameron Commission/Isobel ©Forestry and lots of wildlife. Open all year.

Whittlewood Forest www.wakefieldfarmshop.co.uk A 15 to 20 minute circular walk through the ancient Whittlewood Forest starting at Wakefield Country Courtyard shopping centre. Wildlife includes barking deer, rabbits, hares, foxes, woodpeckers and a large variety of other birds. No dogs allowed. The woodland walk is accessible from April to October. ©Forestry Commission/Isobel Cameron Commission/Isobel ©Forestry

4 5 Great Places to Walk Cameron Commission/Isobel ©Forestry

South Northamptonshire Boddington Reservoir Silverstone Brook, Towcester The Water Meadows and Bury has many miles of easily Situated close to Byfield and set in rolling www.towcester-tc.gov.uk Mount, Towcester countryside, this 72 acre reservoir is popular A landscaped footpath, with a separate www.towcester-tc.gov.uk accessible and well-marked with local fishing and sailing clubs. It is cycle route part of the way, from Towcester Grade II listed water meadows covering public rights of way, including suitable for walking and buggies as it has Leisure Centre through the centre of town 33 acres of parkland, woods and grass. a solid footpath around much of the out to the and Water Meadows. There are three waterways, the River Tove, sections of the long distance perimeter. Open all year. Open all year. the Mill Stream and Silverstone Brook and footpaths, The Midshires, lots of wildlife, including 70 species of birds, butterflies, bats and bees. Adjacent Grafton and Knightly Way. Grand Union and Canals is Bury Mount, the site of a 12th century www.canalrivertrust.org.uk Norman motte, which is great for climbing Bell Garden A seventeen and a half mile stretch of the and cycling. A wide stone path dissected by Centre, Towcester passes through South an historic time line, winds its way to the www.bellplantation.co.uk Northamptonshire, starting at Cosgrove in top from which you can look out over the Adjacent to the garden centre is a specially the south, ending near in the roof tops of Towcester and watch the cows landscaped, 35-acre dog walk with grass north. There is a well-maintained footpath grazing in the Water Meadows. Paths are footpaths, woodland, activity areas, jumping along the entire route with bridges, locks and suitable for buggies and bikes. Open all year. and tunnelling. Open all year. marinas at regular intervals and plenty of

WC family-friendly pubs. There’s also lots to see,

including the ten metre Iron Trunk Aqueduct at Cosgrove, various species of flora and fauna, brightly painted narrowboats and the busy canal village of Stoke Bruerne. You can take a boat trip, or hire your own boat at Blisworth, Cosgrove and Stoke Bruerne. Details of walks are available on A short but pretty section of the St James Lake Brackley individual village websites (for a list, go to www.southnorthants.gov.uk). also passes through the district at Aynho in www.brackleynorthants-tc.gov.uk Excellent free walking guides for Brackley the south west. A man-made lake, rich in wildlife, with bats, and a number of villages detail circular butterflies, dragonflies and birds. The path walks through the local countryside. is suitable for pushchairs and bikes. Open These are available to download at all year. For full information about all there is to see and www.southnorthants.gov.uk and to pick do along our canal network, see the South up from Brackley Information Centre in Northamptonshire Canal Guide, which is available to the Courtyard Mews, libraries, local download at www.southnorthants.gov.uk, or to pick shops and cafés. A similar guide for up at local canal venues, shops and attractions. Towcester is in production.

6 7 Animal connections

Kids love getting close to Catanger Llamas Old Dairy Farm Centre Rookery Open Farm animals and here in www.llamatrekking.co.uk www.old-dairy-farm-centre.co.uk www.rookeryopenfarm.com Llamas make great walking companions A highlight of the year is lambing weekends Providing a safe environment for kids to learn South Northamptonshire, through the peaceful South in March and April (a small charge is made about animals, this working commercial farm we have lots of animals for Northamptonshire countryside. The new for going into the lambing sheds). Year- introduces them to many farm and domestic visitor centre shows how their fibre is used, round, young visitors will enjoy seeing the animals. Lambing and calving takes place them to get close to! with a working rug loom and spinning ducks, Mable and Daffy, two Kune-Kune from mid-March to the end of April; there is wheel. Private parties and catering can also pigs, sheep, cockerels, hens, budgerigars, a a large pets’ corner and incubator hatching; Ashby Gardens be arranged. Catanger’s llamas have been parakeet and cats. Various family-friendly plus chickens, ducks, pigmy goats, pigs Farmyard featured in various TV shows and films, from events are held here. Suitable for all ages. and horses. There are extensive indoor soft www.castleashbygardens.co.uk Blue Peter to the Horrible Histories. Suitable Open all year. play and outdoor play areas, with farmyard for children from the age of eight. They must bouncy , tractors, sand pit, go-karts, WC The beautiful setting of Castle Ashby be accompanied by an adult and bookings mini combine harvester, climbing frames, Gardens is home to a children’s farmyard, must be made in advance. Open all year. swings, slides and Daisy the milkable cow! where you’ll find pigs, sheep, goats, guinea Special events include a Reptile Roadshow WC pigs, rabbits, a Shetland pony, a donkey, and sheep shearing displays. Suitable for all rescue animals and rare breeds. There is a ages. Open mid-March to late October. See children’s play area and each year on Easter Limes Farm page 12 for details about the indoor soft play Sunday, an Easter Egg hunt and a Pumpkin www.limesfarm.com areas. Children under two go free. hunt on the nearest Sunday to Halloween. A farm shop and restaurant situated in a WC Suitable for all ages. The farmyard is open converted barn on a working farm. There is during the summer only. Gardens open a large family-friendly picnic area, lake and all year. rustic play area. In the spring, children can WC feed the new-born lambs and might also see

calves and a donkey. Annual events include an Easter Egg Hunt and Halloween Hunt. Suitable for all ages. Open all year (closed Mondays).

WC

8 9 ©National Trust Images/John Millar Images/John ©National Trust Happy holidays Millar Images/John ©National Trust

Always wondering how you can entertain the kids at weekends, Stowe House Sulgrave Manor bank holidays, half term and during the school holidays? Try one of www.stowehouse.org www.sulgravemanor.org.uk A visitor attraction since the 18th century, The ancestral home of George Washington, the district’s child-friendly historic houses, gardens, or museums, Stowe House offers children’s activities and Sulgrave Manor offers a wide range of all of which have family activity programmes and events. craft sessions during the school holidays. indoor and outdoor activities and seasonal In term time there are seasonal and topical events especially for children, including themed trails on the normal tours. There are 16th century tours of the manor house on Canon’s Ashby also regular ‘children go free’ promotions. Saturdays, and on Family Bank Holiday www.nationaltrust.org.uk Activities and trails are suitable for children Mondays meeting Mr Washington, dressing An Elizabethan manor house set in beautiful aged four to ten years. Access is via the up in period costumes and writing with a gardens and parkland. A new Lion Trail New Inn entrance to Stowe Gardens. quill pen. They can also do brass rubbings, traces the lions of the Dryden family crest Open all year. detective trails, games and history quizzes. through the house and garden, while the There’s plenty of room to run around in WC family Tracker Pack takes you around the the garden, play traditional games, go on park, paddock and church using divining seasonal and nature trails to find lost sheep, rods and a compass. Seasonal events Stowe Landscaped Gardens Herbie the hedgehog and Cyril squirrel’s include an Easter egg trail, Halloween www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stowe store of acorns and a Ladybird hunt for the tours and special Christmas activities. With 250 acres of gardens, 40 monuments very young. You can claim a free badge Suitable for children from the age of five. and temples, two lakes, a river, woodland Stoke Bruerne CANAL MUSEUM when you download a children’s ‘I Spy’ Open Saturday to Wednesday from March to and expanses of grass, Stowe is like a very www.stokebruernecanalmuseum.org.uk sheet before visiting. Suitable for children October; Fridays through the summer; and big, exciting back garden. An explorer’s map The Grand Union Canal flows through the from the age of about 5 to 11. Open April to weekends in November and December. shows the best places to roll down a hill, centre of this picturesque village. The October, also half terms, Easter and bank climb a tree, hunt for bugs and fly a kite. holiday Mondays. WC museum has colourful displays showing There are activity packs, colouring sheets all aspects of life on the water, a children’s and based on the original three 18th century WC

trail and a place for them to dress up in walks of Vice, Virtue and Liberty, three traditional canal costume. They’ll also enjoy children’s walks - Goodies, Baddies and a boat ride to the mouth of the Blisworth Heroes. The café hosts Toddler Tuesdays, Tunnel. Several annual events are held here. morning play sessions with toys, books and See page three for details. Suitable for seasonal activities. You can download a children from the age of around five. April story about Grenville Bear and his exploits to October, the Museum is open daily. From at Stowe from the website. Suitable for all November to March, it is open Wednesday to ages. Open all year. Sunday. WC WC

©National Trust Images/John Millar Images/John ©National Trust

10 11 Where to Play Love learning

BRACKLEY have pocket parks with play and exercise Leisure Centres Sport, Play, Leisure and Arts Humphries Drive playground at the bottom equipment and nature trails. Throughout www.southnorthantsleisure.com Holiday Activities - SPLAT of Pavillons Way is a modern playground the year, village halls and adjacent playing Brackley and Towcester Leisure Centres www.southnorthants.gov.uk/SPLAT with innovative equipment that is suitable fields are the venue for a range of activities offer term time and school holiday Organised by South Northamptonshire for slightly older children. In the centre of for the young, including sports, theatre, activities for children from six months up, Council, SPLAT is aimed at children town, The National Trust Park has a separate music and dance. You will find further including dance, football, cricket, from five to 16 years. Activities include modern adventure play area for children information on individual village websites, gymnastics, roller hockey and trampolining. Olympic track and field games, ball games, of up to ten years, including a roundabout, a list of which can be found in the ‘Visiting’ They also hold kids’ camps, Heely’s Disco badminton, basketball, cricket, general trampoline, swings and seesaw. There is section at www.southnorthants.gov.uk. Nights and Mighty Atom soft play sessions. sports coaching, water sports, outdoor also plenty of grass for running around and Both have 25 metre swimming pools with pursuits, climbing, performing arts and craft picnic benches. family and toddler sessions, inflatables, activities. Summer holidays only. floats and music. Towcester also has a wave machine with Wave Rave music sessions and Soft Play flume ride. Crèche facilities are available Libraries TOWCESTER at both. The Recreation Ground in Islington Road is a Mighty Atoms at Brackley and www.northamptonshire.gov.uk Towcester Leisure Centres WC http://brackleylibrary.blogspot.com large open space that is ideal for sports and games. A traditional playground has modern www.southnorthantsleisure.com www.brackleylibrary.childrencentre.org equipment, including climbing frames, slide Perfect for little ones over eight months, Pudding Pie Cookery School Libraries at Brackley, Deanshanger, and raised tunnel. There is also a purpose these soft play sessions in the main sports www.puddingpie.co.uk Middleton Cheney, Roade and Towcester built skateboard park. For older children hall allow them to interact with other Children’s cookery classes are open to have a great range of term time and there is an adventure playground near children and develop coordination and children from the age of four, or you and school holiday activities for children Sandyhome Road. balance through play. Open all year. your family can learn about food together of all ages. The programme includes theatrical events, treasure hunts, WC on a family cookery class. Classes give the kids a chance to get stuck in, try things for science and crafts sessions, Rhymetime, themselves and learn about ingredients. storytelling and book clubs. Brackley’s VILLAGES Rookery Open Farm Sure Start Children’s Centres also offers The village communities of South www.rookeryopenfarm.com Courses held on selected dates throughout the year. free activities for parents-to-be and Northamptonshire offer a safe and family- Situated in the Playbarn is a vast, purpose children up to five years old. friendly environment with lots of space WC built, four-tier soft play area, with tube WC for outdoor play and adventure. Being slides, punch bags, rollers, stepping stones, surrounded by open countryside, woods ramps and spider nets. There is also a and farm land that is dotted with small toddlers’ soft play area for children under rivers and streams, there are plenty of the age of four. Open mid-March to late opportunities for den making, hide and October. seek, poohsticks and kite flying. Traditional WC playgrounds have swings, slides and climbing frames, while many villages also

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placemats, trivial pursuit Canon’s Ashby Ashby A43 Weston smaller sizes and a ‘Smaller Brackley Weston Halse Halse Tusmore Tusmore games and a Diners Express Helmdon Sulgrave Sulgrave Sulgrave Manor Manor www.oldhallbooks.com Badby Brackley Brackley Pinkney Appetites Menu’ for tiny Pinkney

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This guide has been produced by South Northamptonshire Council as one of a number of initiatives to encourage tourism in the district, with the active participation of the businesses mentioned. Every care has been taken by South Northamptonshire Council to ensure that all the information contained in this document is accurate and up to date at the time of printing and that all relevant establishments have been included. No responsibility or liability can be taken by the Council for any errors or omissions, or for any inconvenience caused after the guide has gone to press. Please send comments, corrections, or recommendations for other businesses that might be suitable to include in a future edition of this guide to: Strategic Planning and the Economy, South Northamptonshire Council, The Forum, Moat Lane, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 6AD

South Northamptonshire Council reserves all editorial rights. May 2015/All rights reserved. This guide has been produced on behalf of South Northamptonshire Council by Redworks PR and Marketing, www.redworks.co.uk, 01869 810 443 and Downes Design, 07787 506 405. Front cover image of Visitors at Stowe Landscape Gardens, ©National Trust Images/John Millar Photographers: Adrian Colwell, Simon Murdoch, Bill Needham and James Rudd. Selected photographs with kind permission of The Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne, Castle Ashby Garden, Catanger Llamas, Forestry Commission, Medieval Siege Society, National Trust, Pudding Pie Cookery School, Rookery Farm, Stowe House and Sulgrave Manor.

South Northamptonshire Council, The Forum, Moat Lane, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 6AD [email protected] www.southnorthants.gov.uk