Easter adventures at National Trust Suffolk sites including Ickworth, Flatford, Sutton Hoo, Orford Ness and Melford Hall
With the Easter school holidays now in full swing, we are taking a look at some of the family-friendly spring adventures to be had with the National Trust in Suffolk.
From getting active in the great outdoors to spotting the signs of the season, there are activities at sites across the county.
Designed with families in mind, each National Trust Easter trail features activity stations and ends with a chocolate egg, or a vegan ‘free-from’ chocolate egg.
Easter egg trails cost £3 per child, plus normal National Trust admission/free admission for National Trust members.
Head to Ickworth Estate for an Easter adventure with a nature and spring-inspired Easter egg trail exploring the Albana and Geraldine’s Walks before taking part in 10 interactive activity stations (with a chocolate prize at the end).
Visitors can also guess the poo, spread their arms out wide and compare themselves to the wing span of birds of prey, have a go at welly wanging, head indoors to make Easter and spring-inspired crafts and discover what life was like for servants living and working at Ickworth in the hands-on basement experience.
Or, explore what the wider parkland has to offer on the multi-use trail.
Normal admission applies, free for National Trust members.
Orford Ness: Easter adventure, until Monday
Experience an Easter adventure on Suffolk’s secret coast. Visitors can record what they can see, smell and hear at Orford Ness, a former top secret military site now left to nature.
Activities include: helping the rangers to monitor the landscape by counting hares and Chinese Water Deer; identifying whose poo is whose; finding out more about the resident sheep by spinning some wool; heading out towards the shingle and its mysterious, lunar-like landscape; playing ‘pin the ear tag on the sheep’; building a tower; making a windmill and collecting a chocolate egg before returning to the mainland by boat.
Dunwich Heath and beach, until Monday
Enjoy time in the great outdoors at Dunwich Heath and beach this Easter weekend.
Visitors can measure their wingspan to find out which of Dunwich’s resident birds they are most like, take part in a game of pin the tail on the bunny, decipher facts from fiction in a nature-themed trivia quiz, race like a hare, make a pledge to nature and go wild with creative craft activities - before a bit of welly wanging.
Sutton Hoo: Travel back in time, Until April 14
Travel back in time this Easter with a family trip to Sutton Hoo. Helped by schools and community groups, there will be activities to keep little explorers busy over the holidays as the estate awakens for spring.
Visitors can measure the ship sculpture in the courtyard, try on a warrior’s helmet for size, get creative making an Anglo-Saxon beast, find the six hares hidden in Top Hat Wood and find out whether they are more like a kestrel or a buzzard - two birds of prey often spotted in the sky above the Royal Burial Ground, learn more about Anglo-Saxon textiles or build a den.
Then, collect a chocolate egg and finish the day at the adventure play area.
Flatford: Easter adventures in nature trail, until April 7
Experience Easter at Flatford and take in the views across the countryside with family time in the outdoors surrounded by golden daffodils and blossom. When finished, visitors can collect a chocolate egg before stopping by the riverside tea-room for a spot of lunch.
Car park admission plus £3 per trail, including a chocolate Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
Melford Hall: Easter adventures in nature trail, until April 7
A new Easter adventure is at Melford Hall this year, with visitors invited to chose between a trail in the gardens or take their dog along on a trail in open parkland, with fun activities along the way. When one (or both) trails have been completed participants can collect a chocolate egg before heading home.
Normal admission plus £3 per trail, including a chocolate Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
