hidden woods
ENTRY
from £20
WHERE
Bath
What it’s like
Fire lighting, den building and campfire cooking in real woodland outside Bath, whatever's in the forecast.
Out at Farleigh Wood, a few miles south of Bath, kids get stuck into proper forest school stuff: building dens, lighting fires, cooking on the campfire and weaving willow. There's a mud kitchen, rope swing, hammocks and nets to play between sessions, plus games like treasure hunts and Capture the Flag. It's led by full-time Forest School and Play Leaders with first aid training, so the fire lighting and knife-adjacent crafts (clay creatures, catapults) are properly supervised.
The site is honest that this runs in most weather, not just the sunny days, and they mean it. You'll need wellies, waterproof trousers and jacket, a warm hat and gloves, long trousers rather than jeans, and a water bottle. That's the trade-off for a site with large group shelters and fire pits rather than an indoor fallback, and it's fair enough given what they're offering, but it does mean checking the kit list properly before you go rather than turning up in school shoes.
Birthday parties run at weekends year-round: £300 covers 2.5 hours for up to 15 children, with extra kids at £20 each up to a maximum of 18. Marshmallows on sticks come as part of the party activity and you're welcome to bring other food along, though there's a Thursday deadline for getting consent forms back before a weekend party. There's a wooden Treebog composting toilet on site near Base Camp, which the site is fairly proud of, view included.
Getting there is by car; there's no public transport nearby given the rural spot off the A36 near Farleigh Hungerford, so factor that into the day.
Facilities
Need to know
- Getting there by bus or train
- Due to rural location, no public transport links in close proximity to the site
- Parties
- Birthday parties at weekends year-round
- Consent forms for weekend birthday parties are due back by the Thursday before
- Bring your own food for parties beyond the marshmallows they provide
- No public transport nearby, so you're driving in
- Events are paid in full at booking, with a refund or alternative date if it's genuinely called off for weather
Plan your visit
How much does a birthday party cost?
£300 for 2.5 hours with up to 15 children, then £20 for each extra child up to a maximum of 18.
What do we need to bring or wear?
Wellies, boot socks, long trousers (not jeans), warm layers, waterproof jacket and trousers, a hat and gloves, and a water bottle. This isn't a wet-weather-cancelled kind of place, so dress for it.
Does it run if the weather's bad?
Sessions carry on unless Hidden Woods decides conditions are unsafe, with group shelters and fire pits for shelter. If they do call it off, you get an alternative date or a full refund.
Is there parking or public transport?
There's no public transport nearby given the rural location off the A36, so you'll want to drive.
Are there toilets on site?
Yes, a wooden Treebog composting toilet near Base Camp. The site reckons it's got a nice view.
What paperwork do we need to sort before a party?
Booking and consent forms are provided for birthday parties, and they need to be back by the Thursday before a weekend party.
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