Great Boughton and Huntington NCT

This is a list of places within about half an hour of Chester that cost nothing or very little. The area is particularly well supplied with country parks - many of which run special events at weekends and during school holidays. Most of the sites give plenty of opportunity to get wet and muddy.

Chester

• Grosvenor Park Victorian formal park with a play area. There are plenty of 'tame' squirrels and walks down to River Dee. A small railway runs through the park charging 30p for a child over 3. Cheapest ice creams from Chester Visitor Centre over the road!
• Caldy Nature Park, Caldy Valley Road, Huntington. Our local! A small nature park with a pond of hungry ducks. Plenty of cyclable paths and squirrels. Watch activities, organised by Cheshire Wildlife Trust, run during the school holidays and there is an annual countryside day and Halloween Walk. 
• Sandy Lane Playground, Sandy Lane, Chester. Play area with a paddling pool and ice creams during the summer. Right on the banks of the Dee.

Cheshire

• Cheshire Oaks Retail Outlet, Ellesmere Port, Junction 10 M53. Large under cover play area and two smaller ones. Lots of shops and a McDonalds on site, so not necessarily a freebie.
• Delamere Forest,signposted from A556(T). £1 car park charge at the visitors centre. Plenty of well marked paths, although it may be worth investing in a map from the visitors centre if you want to wander. Disabled walk way, suitable for buggies and bikes, starts at Baines Bridge, Ashton Road.
• Ice Cream Farm, sign posted from the A41. Free entry. You can see the cows being milked and there is a small shed of animals. There is a large choice of varieties of ice cream on sale, starting from 30p for a child's cone. Now has a soft play area.

North Wales

• Wepre Park and Ewloe Castle, Shotton off the A548. Children's play area with a walk through the woods to the ruined castle. The stream running through the woods is suitable for paddling in the summer. The visitors centre has hands on exhibits and runs activities through the year.
• Nant Mill, west of Wrexham off A525. Visitors centre, play area and a walk through the woods to a ford. Paddlable stream near the centre.
• Ty Mawr, Nr Llangollen off A539. Visitors centre and play ground. A few farm animals and walks down to the river. Good views of the valley and the railway viaduct.
• Loggerheads, Nr Mold off A494. Visitors centre. Winding walk up the escarpment, spot your car in the car park from the top! Views of Moel Famau from the top. Scavenger hunt available from the visitors centre.
• Flint Castle Follow signs for Flint from A55, and go throuh the town. Turn left along the coast road, and as you come our of the town turn right under the railway bridge. Some of the walls are a little 'hairy' but good for a bit of role play. Take wellies if you decide to go for a walk along the estuary!
• Basingwerk Abbey Next to Greenfields Park in Holywell. (follow signs for Heritage Park) The abbey is a ruin and free to get in. There is a very, very reasonable tea room next door.

Wirral

• Thurstaston Country Park At the end of the Wirral Country Way and cycle path. Visitors centre. Large grassy play area and walks down to the beach and along the cliffs. Good kite flying country.

Christina Watkins
Last Update:29.4.01
For more information contact GBH@clocsen.org