Adventure Valley
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Durham
What it’s like
A big outdoor day of ponies, tortoises, net climbs and bouncy pillows just outside Durham, with soft play for when the rain wins.
There's a proper mix here between farm and adventure park. Kids can groom a pony, meet Bertie the tortoise, poke about in the reptile room or wander the lake and spot the black swans, then go and hurl themselves at the Giant Net Climb or the Bouncy Pillows once they've had enough of the animals. Talon Towers and Water Wars sound like the bits an eight-year-old will bang on about in the car home, and there's a Wild West Play Town and Adventure Golf to fill in the gaps. Tractor rides and the Valley Express add a bit of sit-down time for smaller legs.
Term time it's weekends only, 10am to 5pm, and shut on Tuesdays and Wednesdays outside that, which catches people out if they're planning a random Thursday visit. Come the school holidays or July to September it opens every day, which is when it makes most sense to go if you've got any flexibility. Tickets have to be booked online in advance rather than on the gate, so this isn't one for a spur of the moment trip.
Worth knowing before you hand over pocket money: some of the attractions are coin-operated and sit outside general admission, so budget for a bit extra once you're in. The café does pizzas and jacket potatoes with a kids' menu, and there are picnic areas too, though you can't eat your own food in the café itself since it's allergen controlled. There's an indoor soft play area, Play Town, for when the weather turns, plus a newer inclusive play structure if you need something calmer than the net climb.
Birthday parties run from £21.95 a child and get you the party room, food, a party bag, a host and full park access for the two hours, with one free adult ticket per child. Farmyard, Roller Disco, Unicorn and Dinosaur themes are all on offer, which covers most requests a six-year-old is likely to make.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Toddlers to older kids, with animals for the little ones and net climbs for the rest
- Booking
- Pre-booking online required to manage guest numbers
- Food
- Café in the main soft play area serving pizzas, jacket potatoes, children's menu, hot and cold beverages
- Picnics
- Indoor and outdoor picnic areas
- Getting there by bus or train
- Accessible via Durham Bus Station
- Parties
- Party packages from £21.95 per child including party room, themed party bags, food and dessert, party host, 1 free adult entry per child
- Worth knowing
- Book online in advance to save on tickets
- Book tickets online ahead of your visit, there's no booking on arrival
- Term time it's Saturday and Sunday only, so plan around that if you're off midweek
- Some rides are coin-operated on top of general admission, worth having change handy
- Your own food can go in the picnic areas but not in the café itself
Plan your visit
Do we need to book tickets in advance?
Book online before you go. It's how they manage numbers, so there's no just turning up on the day.
What are the opening hours?
Weekends only, 10am to 5pm, during term time, and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In the school holidays and from July to September it's open every day.
Is there indoor stuff if it rains?
Play Town soft play area is indoors, plus there's a new inclusive play structure if you need a change of pace from the outdoor climbing.
Can we bring a picnic?
There are indoor and outdoor picnic spots for your own food. You can't eat it in the café though, that space is kept allergen controlled.
What's the café like?
Pizzas, jacket potatoes and a children's menu, with hot and cold drinks. It's in the main soft play building.
Are all the attractions included in the ticket price?
Most are, but some are coin-operated and cost extra on top of general admission, so keep a bit of change spare.
How do birthday parties work?
From £21.95 a child, with the party room, food, a bag, a host and two hours of full park access, plus one free adult per child. Themes include Farmyard, Roller Disco, Unicorn and Dinosaur.
Is it accessible for wheelchairs and buggies?
They describe the park as accessible and have a new inclusive play structure, which suggests they've put some thought into it beyond the minimum.
Do you offer discounts for school trips or groups?
Yes, there are discounted group rates for schools and larger parties.
How do we get there and is there public transport?
It's out on the edge of Durham at Union Hall Farm, Brasside, and it's also reachable from Durham Bus Station if you're not driving.
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