A day trip to quirky Watermouth Castle
While on our camping holiday we’d had several recommendations from our camping buddies to visit Watermouth Castle. I was told it was a rather quirky and twee adventure park, great for younger primary school age children. I’m happy with quirky, so on our final full day, a group of us with younger children headed off to Watermouth.
Watermouth Castle is like a miniature theme park for kids, complete with purpose built castle, activities, rides, gnomes and historical museum pieces. All set in some beautiful gardens.
The entry cost is around £13 for adults and children over 92cm (under this height go free), but they do have seasonal offers. Look out for discount vouchers in tourist leaflets too.
To get into the park, you enter through the castle itself. In each room there are themed collections of items. From an Abba singing robot group to a kitchen with old working equipment.
There’s also a ‘turret’ of vacuum cleaners, and a room with a model railway and lots of other fairground style games All of them are available for visitors to play on, from old fashioned grabbers, to horse racing, to spooky twin dolls drinking their milk. You just need to keep feeding in 2ps and 10ps.
We skipped past the dungeons after N and N decided against going in, and whizzed through the castle and straight out to the courtyard. It was perfect timing because we were able to head straight into the water fountain light show. The show is every half hour for around 20 minutes. Ok, it’s not Las Vegas but it’s a lovely little show and certainly kept all of us entertained. It’s a fun light and music show complete with added patriotic flavour.
While waiting for our friends we stopped at the cafe for drinks and cake. I had a delicious scone and toppings, before both of us adults struggled to stay on the very slippy benches while the children played on the miniature carousel.
Every way you turn at Watermouth Castle you spot something new to see. A button to press, a display that pops out. At intervals in the courtyard a door opens and an animal band starts to play and sing. N loved spotting out the quirky displays hidden around the site.
The rides
Then it was onto the rides. They’re all great for pre-schoolers and upwards. N was in his element and they rushed from one ride to the next before stopping for a lunchtime picnic. All of the rides clearly state what height child can ride on their own, with an adult, or not ride at all. The 2 year olds in our group didn’t get to go on much at all which is a shame, but at least they didn’t have to pay.
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Alongside the rides, the activites are never ending. We had fun on the toboggan ride – I wasn’t sure N would do it, but he did. Although I should have held on to the GoPro* myself because he managed to turn it off!
Interactive activities
The cannon ball room was a big hit. Us adults didn’t get near the cannons, our job was to pick up balls.
Then there’s water games, musical ditties, fairground grabber games, mini golf and more. And despite how hot it was, the park was never full (and we didn’t have to queue for the toilets either).
With the hot weather ice creams were order of the day as were multiple slides down the ‘world’s longest tube slide’. A grand claim, and the children would agree how good it was.
We also enjoyed walking and exploring through the gardens. There’s plenty of water play areas within the gardens, perfect for summer days to keep children cool.
Our final stop off was a walk through Gnomeland. Yes, I said quirky and eccentric, and gnomes tick the odd box. But the children loved seeing them, and the gnome village. It just seems to fit well with the style of the park.
The day out at Watermouth Castle was great fun, perfect for young children with just as much there to amuse the adults.
Must dos:
- The toboggan ride
- The water fountain show
Watch outs:
- It’s hilly so be prepared for hard walking especially if you have a pushchair or very young child with you
- Give the children a certain pot of money on going in so they can change it and use it as they want to on the games. Otherwise you’ll be pestered throughout for more money.
Have you ever been to Watermouth Castle or anything like it?
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That does look very quirky but what a fun day out! N looks like he’s enjoying himself and I love the look of the water fountain light show, the rides and the gnome village. Those milk drinking dolls do look a bit creepy though! #CountryKids
Never been but it really does look so different and so much to see 😀 #countrykids
I so want to go here lol. It sounds like you all had a great time here too and your pictures are fabulous. Xx #countrykids
This looks like a wonderful little place to visit. Just the kind of place you youngest ones would absolute love #countrykids
Lovely place! So quirky and has a lot of cute items around! It sure is a nice site for kids to have an adventure =)
Thanks for commenting on my blog and I am sorry if its hard to comment. I am trying to check it out now.
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Ah, must have been a quirk. Tried on 2 posts over the last couple of days, but managed on one of them. Hopefully that’s it sorted now as never had an issue before. New ish laptop so having to set up lots of sign ins that were automatic before!
This looks like such a fun place to visit. I can believe the variety of activities available. How long were you at the castle? I agree with you, the dolls do look a bit creepy. #countrykids
We were there from about 10.30 to about 4.30. Much longer than I’d usually spend at a place.
What a great place, never heard of it but looks like a fab place to entertain kids #CountryKids
It’s brilliant fun. Definitely recommend it if you’re that way.
Looks like a fun, quirky place, I don’t think I have seen anything like it before but sounds like you all enjoyed it! 🙂 Can’t get over those creepy dolls haha but the cannon ball room looks brilliant! #countrykids
I was gutted in the cannonball room. It was being hogged by another group of kids and adults so only 3 of our kids got to have a go and none of the adults.
Oh nooo!! That is so annoying, what a shame!
I love castles where they have lots to do especially with little ones. Those dolls do looks very creepy though., I think I’d have thought about them just before falling asleep!
LOL, it was a very strange activity. You put your money in then raced another person to see which doll drank its milk the quickest. Very Hitchcock-esque!
I love the look of this place and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it before. When you mentioned the entry prices at the start I thought it was a little steep, however the more I read and saw the more I felt the price is justified. This looks like a really good day out with plenty of fun for children with just enough history and learning. I think even my kids would love that toboggan ride.
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
I always think cost for young kids places can be pricy, but for a full day out it was great. I didn’t even begrudge paying the price for me either – quite often for ‘kids’ places you pay to chaperone your kids and not get much out of it, but this was fun for everyone. (even if we took the mick out of the place all the time)
Quirky is a good word for it. Looks like someone had fun dreaming all this up. I can see how it would appeal to the younger children who love pressing every button they can. N’s smiling face, on the rides, says it all. #CountryKids
He loved it. And the rides were just perfect length of size for him too