Tony West
Family-friendly days out
Get closer to nature as a family
A visit to one of our nature reserves is a perfect way to spend family time together whilst exploring the great outdoors in our beautiful region.
We also hold regular family-friendly events and activities all year round at many of our reserves, so that children of all ages can learn, play and have fun whilst getting closer to nature.
Whether it's a pram walk through the woods, a guided family nature walk, bug hunting, den building or orienteering, there's something for everyone to enjoy!
The Hive at Moss Bank Park
Based within Bolton’s iconic Moss Bank Park, The Hive offers a unique space, made up of a series of gardens adorned with natural play equipment.
Designed with pre-schoolers and the under sevens in mind, The Hive encourages young people to make lasting connections with nature through creative play.
Family-friendly events
Whether you're looking for an exciting outdoor adventure during the school holidays or wanting to help your little ones learn more about nature, there are family-friendly events all year round which are suitable for children of various ages.
Outdoor play area
Our natural adventure play area at Brockholes Nature Reserve will thrill children of all ages, including a climbing forest and a zip wire.
Upcoming family-friendly events
Breakfast with Santa at The Café at Moss Bank Park - 21st December 2024
Santa's Grotto at Moss Bank Park Café - 21st December 2024
Frequently asked questions
Where do your events take place?
Our family-friendly events and activities take place at our nature reserves all over the region! Take a look at all of our upcoming events here to find out what's on near you.
Do I need to book onto your events?
This does vary. Most of our events, although not all, do require that you book your place in order to attend. This can be done online in just a few clicks.
Some events have a small cost for tickets, whereas others are free to attend and you'll just need to book your space.
Take a look at our upcoming events and click into a specific event to find out more about how to book.
What ages are your activities suitable for?
Many of our regular events and activities are tailored towards children of specific age groups. For example, Nature Tots sessions are suitable for ages 15 months – 5 years; Nature Kids sessions are designed for children from ages 5 - 10; and The Hive is designed with the under sevens in mind.
These are just a few examples; why not take a look at our full events calendar to browse our upcoming family-friendly events and plan your next day out!
Do you have baby changing facilities?
We have baby changing facilities at Brockholes Nature Reserve (next to Kestrel Kitchen), Mere Sands Wood café, and the café at Moss Bank Park next door to The Hive.
Is there somewhere we can stop for food and drink?
At Brockholes, we have our restaurant Kestrel Kitchen (open on weekends and school holidays), and our café Peckish (open 7 days a week).
At Mere Sands Wood, we have our café which is open seven days a week.
At The Hive, we have the Café at Moss Bank Park which is open seven days a week.
Learn more about our places to eat and drink here.
Are your nature reserves pram-friendly?
Our larger nature reserves, where most of our events take place, have paths that are pram, pushchair and wheelchair-friendly. However some of our smaller reserves do not have suitable footpaths. If you're looking to visit a particular reserve, take a look at our list of places to visit to learn more about accessibility at each reserve.
Brockholes
There is a selection of walking trails that are suitable for pushchairs, wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.
The kissing gates are accessible for smaller wheelchairs. There is a vehicle access gate next to all kissing gates on surfaced paths - if you use a large mobility vehicle or pushchair you can obtain a key to these gates.
Mere Sands Wood
95% of paths are suitable for wheelchairs and prams (shortcut through the pine wood is not suitable for wheelchairs). Six hides, the viewing platform and Visitor Centre are fully accessible.
The Hive
Our activities at The Hive take place on very uneven terrain. The car park, entrance and café next door are all pram-friendly, and there will be a place to park your buggies if taking part in one of our events. Please be aware however, that you will need to carry your little one(s) over unsurfaced paths when taking part in the activities themselves.
Can I bring along my dog?
Many of our reserves are dog-friendly, whereas some, including Brockholes, are dog-free zones.
Dogs are beloved companions and part of the family, but to wildlife they’re a big and scary predator. Asking you to keep your dog on a lead at our dog-friendly reserves, and keeping some of our nature reserves solely for wildlife, ensures that the creatures living there are free from disturbance.
Make sure to check our full list of dog-friendly nature reserves here so that you can plan your next day out with your four-legged family members!