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Your search for 'cheshire' which returned [40] result(s).
Simply Books
Simply Books is a lovely bookshop in the centre of Bramhall village, with a great child-friendly café. Downstairs is a small children's table with a selection of books, but upstairs is a big communal table that can seat about 10 children plus lots of comfy chairs with more books and activities. There is a Charlie and Lola themed menu for kids, and everything is freshly made and can be altered depending on your child's likes and dislikes. In general the choice includes a soup or sandwich, mini hot chocolate or juice, some fruit and a homemade cookie, all for £3.50. They ar...
Ned Yates
A lovely place to visit, especially on a sunny day, as the café has loads of outdoor seating right next to an enclosed children’s play area. This contains a couple of slides, swings and a wooden rocking horse, all on a bark-chipped surface. There is even a small croquet section on a patch of Astroturf! The café itself is large and airy with a sofa area and toys for the children to play with. There were plenty of mums and babies on the day I went, so I think it must be an unofficial local meeting place! The café serves really del...
Mums on Mats
After baby number two, my body was definitely in need of a MOT but having had a Caesarean, I was concerned not to push it too quickly; friends recommended Mums on Mats. This is a post-natal class which works on toning and strengthening your whole body, with particular attention given to regaining your pelvic floor and stomach muscles. What is extra special about this class is that you get to take your baby along too so you don’t need to worry about childcare either. So I rocked up for my first session. Instructor Maria (herself a mum of three) is absolutely terrific. She makes s...
Run of the Mill, Stockport
Run of the Mill is really well thought out. We especially like this play centre because it seems particularly geared towards the younger set and isn’t overwhelming like some of the others (despite the fact that it’s big – over 10,000 square feet). There are up and over climbs, leapfrog trampettes, wavy slides, an enclosed sports pitch, sky gliders, a giant ball zone and a junior traverse wall, amongst many other things! For toddlers, there is a sweet little vehicle area with various ride-ons as well as a specially designed playframe for under fours, which also includes a baby...
Lyme Park
Lyme Park is a stunning mansion house that closely resembles an extravagant Italianate palace surrounded by gardens, moorland and ancient deer park. It was used as the setting for the 1995 TV version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth. If you go hoping to see Mr Darcy appearing from the lake, prepare to be disappointed, but if you are looking for somewhere to take the children where they can run around in beautiful surroundings then Lyme Park fits the bill. It's an ideal venue for meeting friends with children, and is perfect for picnics. After paying t...
Blue Planet Aquarium
I went with a group of mums plus kids on a typical rainy day. The queue at the entrance was long but it did move fairly quickly. On bank holidays it would be wise to book ahead and fast track the queue. Entry is free for children under 95cm, otherwise a child price is £10.50, which does seem quite steep. It is a big aquarium, laid out over two floors with the majority being below ground. There is lift access to both floors but this is quite small, although it's meant to take four pushchairs. The centre piece to Blue Planet is the fantastic Aquatunnel - 70 metres of underwater tu...
Hills Miniature Railway
Run by South Stockport Model Engineering Society, this delightful railway can be found at Hills Garden Centre, just south of Knutsford. There's an authentic station shop where you collect your £1 ticket (this doubles up as a gift shop selling toy trains and accessories) and the train puffs its way around the perimeter of the garden centre, taking in the odd tunnel along the way. Also at Hills is a Toby Tram - a self-drive tram popular with younger children, and a nine-hole miniature golf course. There's a lovely café but it does get busy and isn't very big so get there ea...
Brookside Miniature Railway
We always have a fun time here - in fact it's always a struggle to drag the kids (and their dad) away from it at the end of the day! Brookside, located at a garden centre, has five locomotives - three steam engines and two diesel. The trains are located at their very own station, Brookside Central, which is a replica West Country station with authentic buildings, sidings, turntable and original signage on the miniature platform. Inside the waiting room (which doubles as a gift shop and museum), you purchase your ticket then it's all aboard! The train takes you on a half-mile ...
Anderton Boat Lift
The Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire is a spectacular feat of Victorian engineering and was the first of its kind in the world when it was built in 1875. It's a 50-foot vertical link between two waterways - the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal. It's hard to describe and do it justice but it makes for a brilliantly different day trip. You can choose a lift trip - where you sit on a large glass-topped boat that sails from its mooring into the lift cradle and you either go from top to bottom or vice versa. Alternatively you can take a river trip - a gentle one-hour cruise in the...
Anderton Boat Lift
The Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire is a spectacular feat of Victorian engineering and was the first of its kind in the world when it was built in 1875. It's a 50-foot vertical link between two waterways - the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal. It's hard to describe and do it justice but it makes for a brilliantly different day trip. You can choose a lift trip - where you sit on a large glass-topped boat that sails from its mooring into the lift cradle and you either go from top to bottom or vice versa. Alternatively you can take a river trip - a gentle one-hour cr...
Brookside Miniature Railway
We always have a fun time here - in fact it's always a struggle to drag the kids (and their dad) away from it at the end of the day! Brookside, located at a garden centre, has five locomotives - three steam engines and two diesel. The trains are located at their very own station, Brookside Central, which is a replica West Country station with authentic buildings, sidings, turntable and original signage on the miniature platform. Inside the waiting room (which doubles as a gift shop and museum), you purchase your ticket then it's all aboard! The train takes you on a half-mile ci...
Anderton Boat Lift
The Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire is a spectacular feat of Victorian engineering and was the first of its kind in the world when it was built in 1875. It's a 50-foot vertical link between two waterways - the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal. It's hard to describe and do it justice but it makes for a brilliantly different day trip. You can choose a lift trip - where you sit on a large glass-topped boat that sails from its mooring into the lift cradle and you either go from top to bottom or vice versa. Alternatively you can take a river trip - a gentle one-hour cr...
Brookside Miniature Railway
We always have a fun time here - in fact it's always a struggle to drag the kids (and their dad) away from it at the end of the day! Brookside, located at a garden centre, has five locomotives - three steam engines and two diesel. The trains are located at their very own station, Brookside Central, which is a replica West Country station with authentic buildings, sidings, turntable and original signage on the miniature platform. Inside the waiting room (which doubles as a gift shop and museum), you purchase your ticket then it's all aboard! The train takes you on a half-mile ci...
Hills Miniature Railway
Run by South Stockport Model Engineering Society, this delightful railway can be found at Hills Garden Centre, just south of Knutsford. There's an authentic station shop where you collect your £1 ticket (this doubles up as a gift shop selling toy trains and accessories) and the train puffs its way around the perimeter of the garden centre, taking in the odd tunnel along the way. Also at Hills is a Toby Tram - a self-drive tram popular with younger children, and a nine-hole miniature golf course. There's a lovely cafˇ but it does get busy and isn't very big so get there ea...
Anderton Boat Lift
www.andertonboatlift.co.uk...
Brookside Miniature Railway
www.brooksidegardencentre.com...
Hills Miniature Railway
www.hillsgardencentre.com...
The Roebuck
This Grade II listed country inn in Mobberley came highly recommended and following my visit, justly so. Having booked in advance, which we did easily enough on the day, we turned up with two rather irate and hungry children. Our waitress was wonderful; on seeing that our original table wasn’t in a brilliant place for the pram and highchair, she swiftly moved us to a better position. She also took our order quickly, brought bread out to pacify the children and the meal was delivered as promptly as possible. The food was excellent, with a kids’ selection and most o...
Plough and Flail
With pretty much an unbeatable setting and serving terrific food, the Plough and Flail is a lovely place to visit. Myself and two girlfriends plus children arrived on a scorching hot summer’s day. We were delighted to find a wonderful grassy outside seating area across the car park from the pub with a large wooden climbing frame on a bark-chipped surface. The boys got stuck in straightaway. Unfortunately, due to health and safety regulations, we were informed that the pub isn’t allowed to serve food or drinks in this area. This created a bit of a palaver, as we had to move...
Rhythm Time
This is a great musical interaction class, well thought out and designed to help a child’s development – it’s also fast-paced and really enjoyable for parents and babies alike! First of all there’s a bit of an introduction where everyone in the group says their baby’s name and how old they are. Then it was straight into the first song and shaking the maracas! The next musical interlude involved sliding the babies up and down mum’s knees whilst singing – they all adored it. As well as musical instruments, there are lots of props used throughout...
Lavender Barn, The
Set in the village of Dunham, these cute little tearooms are a great find. Inside is a wonderful hotchpotch of tables, all painted in shades of lavender. Outside is a lovely courtyard surrounded by grass and lavender beds. A word to the wise though - cars can park directly in front on the grass, and a little way off, slightly hidden, is an unfenced pond. The food is pretty basic: soup, sandwiches, salads and jackets, but everything is freshly made. The real appeal is the selection of cakes. The staff are friendly and the atmosphere relaxed, perfect for afternoon tea. Anything lavender...
Courtyard Coffee House and Penny-farthing Museum, The
Stuck for somewhere to go for lunch one day whilst visiting Knutsford, a local suggested The Courtyard Coffee House. I don't think we'd have found it otherwise, as it's tucked away in an inconspicuous spot off the main street. We were delighted to find a very cute, old-fashioned looking tearooms, which actually doubles up as a museum - it holds the world's largest collection of penny-farthings. These are all suspended from the ceiling so it's quite a spectacle! Not surprisingly on a Saturday afternoon, there was a large queue, but once we made it clear that we were happy to sit in the...
Walton Hall and Gardens
On a cold and icy day between Christmas and New Year we decided to venture out and get some fresh air. We headed over Warrington way to Walton Hall and Gardens; entrance to the gardens and the children's zoo is free and it is open every day. After parking in the pay and display, you head into the park via a bridge over the Bridgewater Canal - a very picturesque start. Once in, head left and this brings you to the children's playground and then on to the zoo. The playground is large and could do with a bit of modernisation but it does have a couple of great pieces from the 1970s! The z...
Lymm Dam
Driving around Cheshire one day we passed a sign for Lymm Dam so decided to take a detour. We parked on the road over the dam itself, although later we learned there was a car park just behind the church that overlooks the lake. There are two paths that take you on the mile or so circular route around the lake, one of which is wheelchair-friendly. We opted for the other one, which was perfectly easy going with three-year-old Max and five-year-old Lucas. If we'd had a pram, bar a few steps, I still think it would have been fine. As you walk, there are various diversions to keep the chi...
Alderley Edge
Alderley Edge is a National Trust woodland with an impressive sandstone escarpment (the Edge!) and spectacular views over Cheshire countryside to the Peak District. It's a place steeped in mystical folklore and the area is strongly associated with a wizard thought to be Merlin. We always have fun at Alderley Edge, with plenty of woodland tracks to explore and tree trunks to climb it's not surprising. We usually follow the wizard's walk, a 3.5-mile route taking in a number of landmarks featured in the legend of the wizard. Not for the faint-hearted is the 'thieves hole' - a very deep u...
Bents
Bents is rather like the Harrods of garden centres. It’s truly a destination garden centre – when I visited there were literally coach loads of people spilling in! If you’d not already gathered, Bents is huge. It’s got an enormous shopping section with concessions selling everything gift-wise from children’s clothes and toys to books and candles. Of course there’s also a huge array of plants and gardening associated merchandise to look at as well.The café is equally huge and the same can be said for the portions of food. ...
Willow Pool Garden Centre and Baron Antiques
To describe Willow Pool as eccentric is a bit of an understatement. The place is teeming with colour, plants, fountains and architectural reclamation, together with the odd Blackpool illumination, duck pond and pirate statue, which will delight little ones. A visit here is not complete without taking in the Tea Rooms. Be prepared to be spoilt for choice as to where to sit. Choose from one of the two indoor rooms, with roaring fires and stained glass windows, or on a warmer day sit al fresco under a wrought iron gazebo. Or better still, sit outside in your own thatched and heate...
Tatton Park
Tatton Park is one of Britain's great country house estates and it's on our doorstep. It's a fine neo-classical mansion set in 50 acres of beautiful gardens but admittedly not a major attraction for toddlers. Where Tatton comes into its own for the under fives is in what surrounds the house and garden. Its 1,000-acre parkland is home to deer, cattle and sheep and boasts a rare breeds farm, an adventure playground and even a land train. Tatton also hosts a heap of special events throughout the year. The day we went there was a selection of small fairground rides. We left the car in one...
Quarry Bank Mill and Styal Estate
Quarry Bank Mill is a great place to go on a rainy day and if it does turn out nice, the gardens are beautiful and the walk down by the River Bollin is easy for pushchairs and toddlers. There is a good play area at the start of the walk plus, as an added incentive, a small cafˇ selling ice lollies, cakes and cups of tea. Inside the mill, it is pretty impressive. You can't take a pram as you start at the top and wind your way down, but shoulder seats for babies and hip carriers for toddlers are available for a deposit of £5. These can be collected at the Mill entrance. There are ...
Norton Priory
I ended up at Norton Priory quite by accident but I am very glad I did. The approach is through a dull business park that is off putting, but once inside the grounds you will find a little haven of rural England. We were two families and a dog (who was allowed everywhere except the cafˇ and walled garden). We also had scooters in tow, which the staff were happy for us to take in. The children were initially drawn to the gift shop, which sold a selection of pocket money toys as well as more educational items. After persuading them there was more than a gift shop on offer we scooted thr...
Dunham Massey
Dunham Massey is a personal favourite for easy, enjoyable walks. The grounds of this country estate are beautiful - a stunning mix of parkland and maintained gardens (you have to pay extra to get into these unless you're a NT member). There are plenty of deer roaming free and you can get close for the children to have a good look. A moat surrounding the early Georgian house is full of ducks and swans to feed, whilst nearby rabbits hop around. I spent a lot of time here when my son was a baby as there are no steep hills and the wide paths make it ideal pushchair terrain. Now he is olde...
Arley Hall and Gardens
This is a great place to go with young children if you are a garden lover. We have visited both in summer and at Christmas and have found Arley a treasure trove for young and old alike. With the car parked, it's a short stroll along an impressive tree-lined avenue. On entering the estate via the gift shop, you'll find a cobbled stable yard bordered by the restaurant and toilet facilities. In the warmer months several tables are set out for eating here. The cobbles are a bit awkward with a pram but the rest of Arley is very accessible. Passing under the clock tower, which houses a bell...
Hullabaloo
We chanced upon this cute cafˇ on a shopping trip to Altrincham with our 18-month-old boys. It's fully organic serving great tasting food including sandwiches, salads, soups and platters. There's also a tempting range of homemade cakes and puddings - hard to resist. What made it stand out most was its child-friendly policy. The staff were brilliant with the boys and the children's menu was excellent, with things like houmus and pitta dippers for £3 and beans and cheese toasties for £2.85. There was room for pushchairs and a box of goodies for the children to dip into with ...
Fruitcake
I was intrigued when Fruitcake was recommended to me as a cafˇ designed absolutely with parents and children in mind. Situated next to Alderley Edge's main high street, Fruitcake is enormous, which on a Saturday lunchtime meant for us there was no problem getting a table, plenty of room for the children to spread out and no issue with getting our pram in. Great start. In one area of the cafˇ there's a plasma screen (showing Sky Sports when we were there, but apparently it's often kids telly!) and in front of this is a really generous area given over to the children. There were loads o...
Caffe Latte
Caffe Latte is unique on our list in that it is the only cafe we've come across that has an on-site creche facility. Aimed at children aged from two to 12 years old, the creche is open every day and you can just drop in without advance booking. You can leave your child for up to two hours while you either go shopping or relax with a coffee. This children's area is in a sound-proofed room off the cafe and is kitted out with a large table and chairs for activities such as painting and making hama beads. There is a television with movie choices and also toys and books for the younger one...
SplashZone
Housed at the entrance to Gulliver's World, from the outside SplashZone looks like nothing more than a grey industrial unit with a colourful tube slide snaking through it. But once inside it's a totally different story, best described as soft play meets water park, with loud disco music thrown in for good measure. The idea of the centre is that adults sit dry at tables or on sofas at the side and watch the children play on the equipment or on soft matting in a fenced wet zone. As there is no standing water, there is no requirement to swim. Our older children who are a little more inde...
Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope
In truth there's not much at Jodrell Bank for toddlers but it's such an extraordinary place, you should go anyway. It's only 10 minutes from Alderley Edge so after a walk in the woods why not pop in for a cup of tea and a quick scoot around the visitor centre (the gift shop is pretty good for children) before heading outside to marvel at the sheer spectacle that is Jodrell Bank. Your children will be agog each time the massive dish of the telescope makes one of its rotations. There is a children's playground suited to older children next to the car park and a 35-acre arboretum with va...
Stockley Farm
A visit to Stockley Farm starts from the moment you park your car. A tractor and trailer are waiting in the car park to transport you down to the farm. The drivers are happy to help you with a pushchair, and your little ones clamber up to sit on bales of hay. First off we hit the sheds to see the cows and calves, pigs, goats and lambs. We then moved on to the pets corner, where the boys enjoyed stroking baby rabbits, guinea pigs and chicks - I was amazed at how gentle they were. There is a brilliant sand pit with at least half a dozen mechanical diggers and loads of toys. There's also...
Home Farm at Tatton Park
Home Farm at Tatton Park With a neo-classical mansion and acres of stunning landscaped parkland as its backdrop, this pretty farm probably wins the award for best setting! There's a car park within Tatton Park grounds (charge for car entry to Tatton £4.50) and from here, the farm's about a five-minute walk. During most weekends and school holidays there's a Land Train running between the two. At the working farm children can feed the goats and hens, meet the pigs, cows, horses and donkeys, and take a peek inside a 1930s' cottage. It's not huge but very sweet and food is availabl...
Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre and Country Park
Cotebrook is located in the heart of Cheshire countryside - so the drive out alone is a pleasure. Winner of a best visitor attraction award in 2008, Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre is well-organised. There's plenty of parking at the front and after paying your entrance fee, signposts guide you during your visit. Firstly you come to the farmyard, stabling some of the 30 or so magnificent stallions, mares and foals together with other animals such as black pigs, sheep and hens. You can't feed the horses, but you can stroke them. Walk- ing on further there are paddocks and then larger field...
