Recently won the prestigious GCA award for Best Destination Garden Centre in the Midlands Region for the second year running and, this year, was also voted in the top three in the entire UK.
Days Out With The Kids!
There’s lots of entertaining things to enjoy with your children in Rutland. We’ll keep your whole family busy, and active in the great outdoors, with plenty of things to do see and do.
Top 10 things to do with kids in Rutland
- Farmyard Fun; get hands on at Rutland Farm Park and Sacrewell Heritage Farm
- Get on your bike! There are various cycling options around Rutland Water plus Fineshade Wood have a fantastic cycling route and adventure playground
- Have an Adventure Play Area; with great options at Sykes Lane, Burghley House and Belvoir Castle, plus indoor play barn at Sacrewell.
- Get Close to Nature; laugh and learn at the Egleton and Lyndon sites at Rutland Water Nature Reserve
- Play Together; the One Way Out Escape Rooms in Oakham is a great activity for all generations to have fun together – or a fun group activity (minimum 8 years recommended)
- Laser Tag; run off steam at the edge of Rutland Water with Rumble Live Action Gaming for 6years+
- Trains & Diggers; explore the reclaimed quarry and railway at Rocks by Rail: The Living Ironstone Museum. Or head to Nene Valley Railway for more steamy’s and year round events!
- FREE FUN! Our free attractions in Oakham are Rutland County Museum and Oakham Castle where you can walk between the two and spend the day enjoying the exhibitions and child friendly activities, plus Cutts Close park (with skate park) is just over the castle walls, so more hours of fun there!
- Let loose at Rutland Water; either by getting on it or in it! enjoy a cool cruise on the Rutland Belle, get your adrenaline pumping on the Rutland Aqua Park, hire a SUP/kayak from Rutland Watersports Centre or relax on the inland beach at Sykes Lane
- Get Competitive with Mini Golf; The Dairy Barn have a fab farming themed mini golf course, and of course their own Ferneley’s Ice Creams are a great motivation! There’s also a fun mini golf course next to Rutland Water Visitor Centre at Sykes Lane.
Always check what events or courses are on; especially Rutland Water Nature Reserve and Barnsdale Gardens. View the list of Family Events here.
Around Rutland Water
Rutland Water’s Sykes Lane has a whole load of things on one site; an excellent children’s play area, fun adventure golf course for all the family, next to the visitor centre shop and refreshment kiosk. In Summer you can also enjoy a paddle and a play in the sand on our extraordinary inland beach on the shores of Rutland Water.
Between Sykes Lane and Whitwell you can burn off steam with a game of Laser Tag at Rumble Live Action Gaming!
Rutland Water’s Whitwell is where the action is with cycle hire, water sports, outdoor gym and Rutland Belle cruise, plus the thrilling Aqua Park Rutland during the warmer months which is one of the largest inflatable obstacle water courses in the UK! Tremendous fun that will definitely wear out the whole family. Children under 11 must be accompanied by an adult.
Learn to SUP canoe, kayak or enjoy the thrill of -driving a powerboat with Rutland Watersports, or hire a row boat for a gentle cruise around the creek.
Rutland Water Nature Reserve – has an exciting calendar of family events through the summer and school holidays, including Nature Detectives & the popular Osprey Family Fun.
Around the County (and just beyond!)
Barnsdale Gardens – a great place for all generations of the family, with 38 garden spaces to explore. A programme of ‘Summer Sundays’ events takes place every year, many of them family focused, such as ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ focusing on searching for insects, and family nature trails.
Rutland Farm Park – a stones throw from Rutland County Museum, head down to see the animals and enjoy the seasonal activities.
Burghley House – FREE Beastly Boring Burghley children’s guidebook packed with fun tales and puzzles with every child’s House and Gardens ticket purchased. Don’t miss the parkland & ‘Gardens of Surprises’ that offer a fun and exhilarating day out. The Sculpture Garden Classroom has a variety of activities including a Summer Minibeast Craft workshop and new for 2023 adventure play area.
Sacrewell Heritage Farm & Country Centre – just over the Rutland border, off the A47 towards Peterborough. You’ll find plenty of things to keep your family entertained here. Feed the animals, hop on a tractor, race around the kart track or learn about olden day farming practises. The little ones can make friends with Bluebell the rabbit, meet Beatrice the shire horse and George the lamb, and if that’s not enough, why not explore the straw bale maze, the bygone watermill and the indoor activity barn. There’s also The Stables Restaurant, indoor soft play and extensive farm shop.
Belvoir Castle Adventure Playground. Inspired by their iconic architecture and Belvoir’s past and present explorers, the playground covers four acres and features a giant timber castle, ship and towers ideal for children and teenagers of all ages. The castle itself is open to the public for certain days throughout the year, please check their website for full details. For lovers of the outdoors, there are many walks through the formal gardens on the castle terrace and into the woodland through the Japanese, Duchess’s and Hermit’s gardens.
Nene Valley Railway – the UK’s leading international steam attraction, based at Wansford Station. Experience the thrill of riding a steam engine on the Living Heritage Railway, learn about the railway’s history and explore the picturesque surroundings of the Nene Valley area.
Rocks By Rail – explore the reclaimed ironstone quarry with diesel and steam vehicles offering you a journey back in time.
Rumble Live Action Gaming – challenge your family and friends to laser tag on the shores of Rutland Water.
One Way Out Escape Rooms – with numerous games rooms on offer and different skill levels catered for, work as a team to solve puzzles and crack codes.
Par 3 Golf Courses – hire some clubs and try your hand at a par 3 course at Greetham Valley Golf Course and Rutland Water Golf Course. Both have driving ranges available to hone your skills too.
The Dairy Barn Cafe – Home of Ferneley’s Ice Cream, an adventure golf course, children’s play areas (indoor and out) and an amazing countryside setting, visitors can be sure of a warm welcome come rain or shine.
Rutland County Museum – join the excellent program of year round kids and family activities and plan ahead to take part during term time and school holidays, or enjoy the displays of agricultural machinery and interesting artefacts at any time of the year.
Oakham Castle – have fun events throughout the year to get involved with alongside the fascinating display of over 200 decorative horseshoes to admire, and the court room seating and old cell to explore.
Stay in Rutland & Experience Nearby Family Attractions
Twinlakes Park in Melton Mowbray is a wonderful family day out packed with acres of attractions, rides and indoor play centres for the whole family. Rides include The Buffalo Stampede, Gladiators Galleon and the Creepy Critters Reptile House. Open every day, the park offers season tickets and group discounts. www.twinlakespark.co.uk
The National Space Centre in Leicester is a great day out for the family and is the largest attraction in the UK dedicated to space. There are hours of discovery and interactive fun to be enjoyed at this excellent attraction. www.spacecentre.co.uk
Ganders Goat pride themselves on their green focused farming and production methods. Come Goat Walking on the farm, where they produce a range of Soap and Ice Cream from the goat milk.
14/04/2025
Join us for an exciting Easter adventure trail on the Lyndon Nature Reserve – the home of the Rutland Osprey! This family-friendly trail and walk is perfect for beginners and nature lovers of all ages. Wander along the nature reserve path, learning all about the Ospreys that call Rutland Water home.
Explore food, farming and the beautiful countryside on a visit to Sacrewell Heritage Farm and Country Centre. We have plenty to keep you entertained, with animals to meet, outdoor spaces to discover, a recently restored 18th century watermill and a large indoor soft play centre.
Rocks by Rail is an outdoor living museum covering 19 acres of reclaimed quarry and railway tracks to offer a journey back in time. Situated 4 miles from Oakham, explore fascinating nature trails, take a train trip, drive a classic loco and tour the workshop.
THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE IN SEVENTY MINUTES!
Highest Quality. Designed by original thinkers, beautifully built by skilled craftspeople.
Canoes, kayaks, SUP’s, katakanus and row boats are all hired on a first come first served basis from our Watersports Centre at Whitwell, we do not take prior bookings. You can also bring your own equipment to use with a launch permit.
Whatever your age or ability, we’ve got just the bike for you from hybrid and mountain bikes, to the latest electric bikes, tandems, gel saddle covers, helmets and kids’ bikes, tag-a-longs, child seats and buggies – all current season models from Specialized, replaced every year.
Featured Listings
Rumble Live Action Gaming, the award-winning live action gaming arena offering outdoor laser tag with state of the art equipment in beautiful woodlands, is now available at Rutland Water, in addition to its existing Grafham Water location.
Burghley is one of the largest and grandest houses of the first Elizabethan Age and offers a range of activities including;
A hidden gem in the countryside south of Rutland! Located between Stamford and Corby, Fineshade Wood provides a picturesque setting for your next family adventure.
Start Date: 01/01/2018
Rutland Farm Park, in Oakham, is a place for families, adults and schools to come and enjoy a fun day out. Children of all ages will be able to meet and learn all about our range of farm animals.
If you’re looking for where to don your cossie and do some lengths, this useful list should help…
The UK’s most exciting Aqua Park featuring the largest collection of bespoke big impact water obstacles at Rutland Water is open May through to September.
Experience the thrill of riding a steam engine, learn about the railway’s history and explore the picturesque surroundings of the Nene Valley area.
Tucked away off the Market Place in Oakham, and backing onto Cutts Close Park, there is also a cafe on the grounds (check separate opening times).
