A walk for the whole family at Moors Valley Country Park — The Ambling Path

Children will enjoy the tree top trail, the play trail, the miniature steam railway, the lake, the Zog trail and the playgrounds on this walk.

The Basics

Time: Leave a couple of hours at least for the play trail as children will want to stop and play at every opportunity.

Distance: About a mile

Terrain: Lightly gravelled and smooth paths

Pushchair: Yes

Dogs: Yes, but short leads for the play trail

Refreshments: Huge picnic area or Seasons Restaurant at the visitor centre

Toilets: Yes, at the visitor centre

Parking: Large amount of parking payable on exit (we paid £12.50 for four hours, maximum price for a day is £16) (Postcode: BH24 2ET - W3W: rebounded/care/imperious)

Dorset County Council and Forestry England manage over 800 acres of lakes, forest and heath at Moors Valley Country Park. It is one of the most popular days out in the southern counties and from the list of attractions below it is not hard to see why. What makes it all the more extraordinary is that much of what is on offer is for free, bar the cost of parking.

The Route

Moors Valley Country Park has miles of forest tracks to explore, as well as a lakeside walk. If you are coming with children, then their eyes are going to be firmly set on the play trail.

The play trail begins by the totem pole in front of the Go-Ape kiosk. Head under the wooden archway to begin. The whole trail is very clearly sign-posted with blue wooden posts and you can view the map here.
There are nine play structures along the trail and they really are incredible. Beautifully crafted from timber, each one is imaginatively designed around a theme such as an ants nest, a snake pit, a hawk or a crocodile swamp. Children will want to spend time at each one and there are always a number of benches for waiting grown ups to take the weight off their feet.
The whole trail is suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs apart from the tree top trail. This awesome 200m boardwalk will take you 5 metres up into the treetops where you can get a birds eye view of the forest floor below.

Other highlights of a visit to the country park include:

Two excellent play areas beside the visitor centre, one with a sandy base (free)
Mini motorized jeep hire (£5)
A lakeside trail and picnic area (free)
Gruffalo sculptures (free)
Zog trail (App is free to download, optional activity packs cost £4)
Segway and bike hire (costs vary)
New bee themed play structure (free)
Go Ape (costs vary)
Fitness and orienteering trails (free)
Lookout tower (free)
Miniature steam railway (Adult £5.15 return, child £3.55 return)
Golf course (costs vary)
Ranger den with hands on activities (free)
Hawk and owl handling walks (£50 adults, £70 couple, £15 children)

Find out about all these amazing activities here

Some of the above activities will cost you money, but the playgrounds and play trail are absolutely free. Parking is expensive, but considering the amount that is on offer for children here, it still works out at an incredibly good value day out. To make it even better value, if you arrive before 10:30 am and leave before 10:45 am on a Saturday or Sunday, parking is just £1.70 - and I will bet you will have much of the play equipment to yourselves!