National Trust has opened Old Lodge play area at Dyrham Park after a revamp, just in time for the school holidays. The popular family spot, which sits in the middle of 270 acres of parkland, has been closed since the start of the pandemic and now boasts brand new equipment, a cafe, ice cream kiosk and toilets.
Parents can now take their children to explore stepping logs, play kitchens, balance beams, a log tunnel and hoopla board, as well as a mixture of garden games, perfect for summer days out. What's more, the much-loved full-sized blue and red tractors are still in their place.
National Trust says that this is just the first phase of play equipment, with a second due in the autumn. Meanwhile, the cafe and kiosk have been created in restored historic farm buildings and retain a rustic feel while including some eye-catching design features, such as copper cladding around the cafe serving counter and refectory seating.
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The kiosk is selling ice creams and sorbets, including a guest flavour which will change each week - plus two plant-based varieties. The cafe will serve up a full range of hot and cold drinks, hot pasties and toasties, sandwiches, cakes and bakes, which you can sit and enjoy on seating both indoors and outdoors - picnic benches, both undercover and outside, are also dotted around for those who have packed their own picnics.
Visitor Operations and Experience Manager, Ann Fiddler said: "We’re delighted to be opening the play area again after a long gap. The play facilities are subtly sectioned into ages and offer a brilliant opportunity for children and young people to play outdoors in a natural setting.
"With improved toilets and a great new café and ice cream kiosk created in the original historic farm buildings, we think it’s a win-win. This is the first phase of play equipment with more coming in the autumn, but we wanted visitors to be able to use the area as soon as possible, especially as it’s the school holidays.
"Come along for an ice cream, run around or have a coffee; we’d love to know what you think."
As well as the new facilities at Old Lodge, there are activities daily at Dyrham Park until Sunday, September 4. On the theme of ‘come out and play’, these include nine different physical challenges spread around the site to get pulses racing, such as keeping your balance, hitting the target and hop, skip and jump.
Nature explorer sessions are also running twice daily on Tuesdays and Thursdays until the end of August.
It was funded by a £172,000 grant
The work at Old Lodge was funded by a £172,000 grant from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) as well as a loan that will be paid back through additional income generated by the new facilities. It’s part of a site-wide project to revitalise Dyrham Park, known as Dyrham Park Rework’d.
As part of the project, parkland paths have been put in to provide all-weather walking routes for visitors and the majority of these are now open. Garden gates have been restored and work will soon start on the creation of a historic-style garden parterre.
Some of the rooms in the house are complete, including the Great Hall with its stunning wood grained walls made to look like the original oak. Conservation and decorative works are progressing in other parts of the house to bring back a more authentic taste of the late 1600s.
More of the newly decorated and conserved rooms will reopen over the coming months as work is completed. A newly opened exhibition in rooms never before open to the public is open daily, providing a fascinating insight into the world of the late 17th century when the Dyrham Park we see today was created for William Blathwayt.
It highlights how Blathwayt’s roles weaved into historic events and linked him to famous figures of the time. The tea-room, kiosks, shop and second-hand bookshop are open daily and there are volunteer-led tours of the parkland and garden running on selected days – visitors should check the website or on arrival for details and timings.
Dyrham Park, including Old Lodge play area, is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm. The new café is open from 10.30am until 4pm and the kiosk will stay open an extra half an hour until 4.30pm. The exhibition is open from 11am to 3.30pm and the selection of house rooms open between 12pm and 4pm.
You can find out more here.
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