Summer of Play at Calke Abbey

With a few weeks of school holidays left, join us for a Summer of Play at National Trust’s Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. The downpours of July haven’t put a dampener on the summer fun at Calke, with plenty of things for families of all ages and abilities to see and do whatever the weather!

Venture down to Calke Explore for an outdoor adventure. Nestled in a peaceful woodland, it’s the perfect place to get active this summer. Park at Calke Explore, with accessible parking available and visitor facilities nearby. Hit the Tramway Trail, a multi-use route suitable for walkers, cyclists, and mobility vehicles alike. Take in scenic views through woodland, farmland, pasture, and part of the historic horse-drawn tramway that linked Ticknall to Ashby. With the option of the full 10km trail or a 6km route, the Tramway Trail is the perfect place to visit this summer. Connect with nature and see how many birds you can spot in the bird hide along the boardwalk.

Head to the Walled Kitchen Gardens and discover the Garden of Imagination, jampacked with every flavour of play! The route to the gardens is down and up a slope along a gravel-surfaced path, with plenty of benches to perch on along the way. If you’re feeling a little weary, you can always get a lift to the gardens on the buggy. The Garden of Imagination is situated on grass in the large Kitchen Garden. Inside you’ll find a pop- up theatre, racing zone, sensory tunnel, puppet theatres and much more! With a refreshment pod chock full of ice cream, hot and cold drinks, and other snacks, it’s the perfect place for an afternoon of play.

Revisit another day to test out the old-fashioned play in the Stableyards. The Stableyards is located a short walk away from the Ticket Office. Dotted in and around the stables, you’ll find plenty of traditional games for the whole family. Enjoy a game of croquet, have a play with the giant dominos, build a ball slide or make your own music on the giant xylophone.

Visit neighbouring properties, Foremark and Staunton Harold, to create your own family fun. With plenty of open space, close to the accessible visitor facilities, load the car with your favourite games and enjoy an afternoon of racing, swing ball, or whatever else you can find in the garage. Foremark and Staunton Harold are also great spots for a family picnic. Lay down a blanket, take a seat at a picnic bench or set up by the car – and if you’re still feeling peckish, you can top up your picnic with a tasty treat from the café, which is open every day.

Visitor Operations and Experience Manager, Caroline Taylor says: ‘Even when the weather isn’t on our side, there’s still plenty of reasons to get outside and enjoy the summer holidays at Calke, Foremark and Staunton Harold. With so much choice you can’t do it all in a day, so we look forward to welcoming families here again and again, as they find new ways to have fun and create some wonderful memories of their adventures together. We’re also very grateful for the ongoing support of our visitors, as without them we wouldn’t be able to continue to care for these historically and environmentally important places.

National Trust Summer of Play is sponsored by Starling Bank.