Industry News
Popular woodland adventure playground to increase in size
A popular adventure playground will be increasing in size to provide families with more to discover.
Almost as if stepping into Narnia, the trees will part to reveal the Hidden Forest, set across over an acre of magical woodland, where a secluded playscape is waiting for young adventurers to discover.
The Plotters’ Forest, woven within a Christmas tree plantation at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens, is opening access to a new section of woodland to the north with the works scheduled to be completed in time for the summer holidays from Monday 13th July.
The extension will reveal a route into The Hidden Forest, which will feature an informal ground level trail that gently climbs the hillside and a series of play moments that encourage exploration, interaction, movement and discovery along the way.
Exciting challenges along the new pathway are designed to encourage adventure, friendship and bravery. Families will be able to travel along the path and begin their quest by completing a series of play experiences and installations, including a cascade wall which has been designed for all ages to enjoy.
Larger installations include a stilt walk and balance beam for little explorers to practice their physical skills, as well as parallel bars and a double swing with both a toddler and regular swing seat for multi-age use.
Claire Jones, head of leisure and tourism at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens said: “Thousands of families have spent countless hours having fun in The Plotters’ Forest since it opened in 2022 and the adventure playground has proved to be immensely popular with visitors from near and far.
“We hope that revealing a route into The Hidden Forest will ignite young imaginations as they realise the new playscape was always there, hidden amongst the magic of the trees. The forest setting evokes a sense of wonder and invites children to explore, imagine and connect with nature through play, whilst helping each other through the fun but challenging obstacles on the way. We hope to draw out qualities of kindness and support from little ones, whilst also encouraging bravery in their exploration of a new, hidden world.”
Raby Castle, Park and Gardens has enlisted world-class playground designers CAP.CO (Creating Adventurous Places Ltd) to design The Hidden Forest, following their work on the original Plotters’ Forest.
Simon Egan, project development fella at CAP.CO said: “It’s been a great experience coming back to Raby and enhancing the playground even further with The Hidden Forest. We’ve focused on how our play design can instil themes of friendship, bravery and teamwork.
“We’ve used natural timber throughout to create a tactile experience, and a sense of connection with the existing structures that complements the forest’s stunning palette.”
The Plotters’ Forest is a place where children can reap the benefits of outdoor play using a range of interactive games. The playground already features ground-level forest trails, high walkways and towers, outdoor musical instruments, a giant memory game, spinning signposts, treetop tunnels, talking tubes, a slide and Mischief Mirrors to explore. There’s also a dedicated toddler area with mini turrets, climbing equipment, a slide and a chalkboard too.
Freddie Egan, head of creative at CAP.CO, added: “The Plotters’ Forest was the first time we’d been challenged to design a play space in such dense woodland and working across a steep slope was also unique to us. By utilising the existing site attributes, we created an amazing, naturally sensory, play experience and something which we’re immensely proud of.”
Raby’s Family Explorer ticket, which provides access to everything at the lifestyle destination including The Plotters’ Forest, the new Hidden Forest and an exclusive immersive experience in the Riding School known as the Hidden Garden, is £65.80 for two adults and two children when booked online in advance until Tuesday 1st September.