Outdoor Activities in Preston

Households with an age gap. Open ground lets a nine-year-old run ahead while a toddler stops to look at things, and nobody has to keep their voice down. It also suits parents who want the option of leaving early, since walking back to the car asks nothing of anybody, while abandoning a booked session usually involves an awkward word with staff.

Ground, cover and plumbing. Nothing in the label describes path surfaces, whether a buggy will manage them, or whether the toilets stay unlocked once the visitor centre shuts. With young children those three decide how a damp afternoon goes, and every one has to come from the site itself.

Towards the five that have something built on them. Brockholes Nature Reserve and Hoghton Tower each give you a roof to wait under, so heavy rain pauses the day instead of ending it. Do not confuse that with a wet-weather venue, though. A room to shelter in is not an afternoon inside, and the gap becomes obvious very quickly with a cold child.

Working places rather than polished attractions. Turbary Woods and Bowland Wild Boar Park put children near animals without the walkways and queues of a zoo, which some families much prefer and others find a bit spare. Check what is open with the site before travelling, and put wellingtons in the car whatever the sky is doing when you leave.