Visiting Tyntesfield National Trust, near Bristol
For long car journeys, we’ve developed a new tried and tested approach to surviving – at least one proper stop along the way. And with so many National Trust properties around the country, that has become our default setting.
review visit/contains affiliate links*
I can guarantee decent food (and cake!), toilets and somewhere for Minnie to run around before I strap her back into the car. The only downside is a slight lingering guilt that I’m not giving these fabulous places the time they deserve.
It’s worked well for us at Packwood House as well as Stourhead. So for our mammoth drive to Cornwall, I picked Tyntesfield National Trust near Bristol to break out journey.
We only had two and a half hours, including lunch (with a three-year-old who’s not renowned as a fast eater) so it was a speedy tour of the grounds.
If you want to see the house, there are limited tickets available so while there would have been no problem on a cloudy day in March if we’d had longer, it would be worth arriving early in busy months (or booking online).
We did have a quick look at the map, which had a rather fabulous array of rooms from the boudoir to the butler’s various pantries, so I’d have been intrigued to wander round the Victorian Gothic Revival property with its private chapel.
As it was, after refuelling in the cafe (before the entrance itself), we headed to the Tyntesfield play area and sculpture trail in the woods, regretfully declining to follow the sign to the house ‘via Paradise’.
From the planning notice on show, there are big ideas to add to this – a ship, crow’s nest rigging and various other structures to climb on are planned for the Tyntesfield play area.
For now, the adventure playground still has a range of beams to clamber up, monkey bars – which Minnie insisted I demonstrate (I haven’t improved with age!) – and a suspended cage shaped like a bird, with wooden eggs below.
As you head back down the hill towards the house, there are a few carved wooden beasts and giant bees around a nest, plus a small wooden house with a fireman’s pole.
Lastly a giant ear, letting you can hear people speaking into a box a short distance away.
Then a quick scramble down the hill to reach the formal gardens. The roses must be lovely in summer, although we had to content ourselves with daffodils in the grass and some ‘mushroom trees’, topiary holly bushes shaped to look like mini mushrooms. Or possibly umbrellas.
Passing the piggery (now home to various green energy equipment, but no pigs) and we were back to our starting point. Minnie looked almost relieved at the idea of sitting down again…
For more things to do in Bristol with kids, check out my top picks
Need to know: Tyntesfield National Trust with kids
Tickets costs from £18 for adults and £9 for children to the whole property including the house (excluding Gift Aid). Book on the website.
Under-fives are free, plus there are family tickets available from £27. It’s free to members. Parking costs £3 in winter, £5 otherwise.
There’s a separate play area in the Orchard as well as play barns in the Upper Courtyard, along with the woodland trails and several different walks.
The grounds are open from 10am with last entry at 5pm, the house from 10.30am to 3.30pm and the cafe from 10.30-5pm.
Disclosure: Entry was courtesy of the National Trust. All opinions and decisions to whizz round speedily are my own. Contains affiliate links: any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission.
Images copyright MummyTravels
LIKED THIS? SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER
We are lucky to be surrounded by national trust properties and the playgrounds are always unique, creative and sit well in the natural setting. Great day out or stopping point.
They are wonderful aren’t they – it astonishes me how many there are, and always so good for a visit.
Haha Cathy, this is exactly where we stopped on our our way to Cornwall the other summer ! Weather was nice and sunny, they had a vintage car show and we had a lovely picnic with our 8 months old 🙂 Similarly, we spent a couple of hours but could have been an amazing entire day out for all of us, National Trust have fabulous properties & staff !
Great minds! It was definitely chillier than I’d have liked but I csn imagine it’s beautiful in summer.
We have a few national trust places nearby I think we need to visit them a bit more often. I do love looking around these kind of places and they are fab for little walks.
There’s always so much to do – we’ve had some fantastic days out, but they’re great for a quick visit as well.
It certainly looks a beautiful property to visit. We have NT membership and really love exploring the different properties x
I think the membership is fantastic, there are always lots of great days out but I love being able to pop in somewhere for a few hours as well.
What a truly stunning place to visit, shame it’s just that little bit too far for me
Worth remembering if you find yourself driving down the M5! I suspect it would be even better on a sunny day too.
The National Trust have got some absolutely beautiful places which I am sure I am still yet to discover x
They do seem to have endless lovely places to visit.
This place looks great, I love the giant ear where you can here what people say in a nearby box. L would find that really funny! I think its great that under fives are free, I need to take advantage before he gets too old and we have t o pay for everything!
That was a really fun touch. And definitely, take advantage now – I’m already finding a few attractions where over-threes cost which comes as a surprise so love that National Trust is free for under-fives.
I love National Trust properties. They have so many amazing places to visit x
They do, don’t they – always one just where you need one!
We love National Trust places – we visited our local one today! Great idea for a stop over – this one looks great – my daughter is in Uni in Bristol so we will have to plan a visit. Kaz x
Same here – I’m steadily working my way through all those within about an hour of our home (plus any we go past). This would be ideal from Bristol too.