Discovery Land at Priory Farm has a family nature trail with a difference and a great outdoors day out with the kids.
Set in 40 acres of beautiful Surrey countryside, the Discovery Land trails have been tailored. Throughout the walk there are various activities, houses to climb and educational books along the route. They are great because it means you never have a long walk without encountering something that keeps the kids interested.
Our favourite area was the music garden, Noah loved playing the guitar and singing (or more like shouting) his heart out. Isabella enjoyed the xylophone and hearing the different sounds they made when she used movement across them.
There were lots of balancing areas which incorporated the children walking along tree logs, wooden planks and wobbly bridges. My little daredevil was in her element- balancing her way along, and insisting “I can do it on my own mummy” We spent a lot of time here walking back and forth across the obstacle course.
At the top of the hill, you enter a little wood, in which the trees are labelled with their names (very educational), and there are many secrets to discover. They’ve built lots of little houses made of sticks, which may or may not be inhabited by faeries. There is a bumble bee area which is decorated beautifully with honeymoon designs, and plenty of bug hotels too.
Along the walk there are various books which hold lots of information relating to the insects and bugs you find across the trail. Beautifully crafted wooden structures will keep the children engaged, and prove a valuable learning tool. Noah and Isabella turned this into a race to see who could get to the books first.
Our favourite area was the castle, the children can use their imagination to become a Prince or Princess. Will they choose the underground tunnel to explore, run across the drawstring bridge, use the cannons to scare of trespasses or climb the tower to reach the top. There is so much for the children to explore here.
We decided to stop here for a well deserved rest and enjoy a picnic we brought along. Sitting on the top of the hill it was an in view across the Surrey Hills.
With so many different activities, wigwams, agility courses, tree houses to climb, and other exciting activities along the way – the children won’t even realise they are out on a walk. To them it’s one giant playground, endless amount of fun and a great place to explore.
For me, the highlight has to be the lake. Get the little ones to ring the bell on the landing stage, and the water literally teams with carp fighting each other to get to the food. The water becomes a churning mass of fish – it is quite astounding. It is so lovely to see the astonishment on the faces of the children.
After all that fresh air and fun, you’ll be ready for a sit down and a bite to eat! The Shepherd’s Hut Café offers a selection of delicious hot drinks, refreshments, sweet treats and ice-cream.
The fun we had at this attraction easily rivals that we’ve had at farm parks which charge four times more for entry. It is a unique place which has clearly had a huge amount of effort and love put into it. The result is a truly magical day out, with new things to discover around every corner.
