Sizergh castle play trail

If you’re looking for a short but fun family walk in the south Lake District area then look no further than Sizergh Castle play trail. It’s just 1.5 miles long but it’s so much fun for kids. Find more fantastic Family walks Lake District here.

You might have heard that the trail closed in 2024 but it is now back open and better than ever! We revisited in June 2025 to test the new trail out. Some features of the trail have been replaced with some really lovely new additions such as magnifying glasses inserted into tree trunks, large wooden tunnels to climb through and lots of new rope and wood added.

It’s worth noting that this walk is not suitable for prams or pushchairs. There are several steep sections, narrow paths and the ground is a mix of rocky and muddy paths, there are also lots of tree roots.

Although it’s not an accessible walk it is suitable for young walkers. There is one steep climbing wall that our youngest couldn’t manage to climb down (she was 5 on our first visit) but there was a path around it to avoid it. We’ve been a few times now and my kids love it. It’s definitely one of the best wild play trails we’ve come across so far.

Where does the Sizergh Castle play trail start?

The start of the adventure trail is in the far corner of the carpark for Sizergh castle National Trust car park. Sizergh is not far from the M6 and is a great place to stop on your way in or out of the Lake District. You pass through Sizergh on your way to Lake Windermere.

Where to park for this Sizergh Castle wild play trail

The address for Sizergh castle is Sizergh, near Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 8DZ. Sizergh castle postcode for satnav is LA8 8DZ. It’s not far from the M6 and there is plenty of parking.

The car parking is free if you have National Trust membership and for non-members the current parking charges are

• 1 hour: £3.50
• 2 hours: £6.50
• 4 hours: £8
• All day: £9.50

You do not need to be a member of the National Trust to access this play trail. You only need to pay for parking as this play trail is not in the main National Trust grounds.

If you only want to do the play trail, you can do it in under an hour depending on how long you spend in the den building areas, trees swing, climbing wall and if you want a picnic. In which case 2 hours may be better.

You could also leave the car here and enjoy a lovely walk to Low Sizergh Barn farm trail to extend your walk. There is also a farm shop and cafe there filled with fresh produce. You can also enter the cafe at Sizergh castle without paying admission to the estate fees as it is in the car park.

Sizergh Castle National Trust

If you are National Trust member, it is worth exploring the castle and grounds. The walks around the beautiful gardens (including a kitchen garden) are perfect for prams and pushchairs too.

You can also explore the house too. There is no play area within the grounds. Only the wild play trail which we missed completely on our first visit since it is a little bit hidden away. Combining the play trail with the full National Trust garden and property makes a lovely day out.

Sizergh castle play trail

The Sizergh Castle wild trail starts in the corner of the overflow car park. This is in the opposite direction to the cafe and shop, through which you access the gardens and Sizergh castle. 

This is a short circular walk which is great for kids but can get muddy. It’s also hilly and narrow in places as well as lots of tree routes. It is far from ideal for pushchairs.

I’m not going to write step by step instructions for this walk as that would spoil the walk for you. Just need to find the archway entrance to the wild play trail and then follow the clues and arrows and the trail will guide you through the woods.

The clues are carved into wooden signs and are written in rhyme. My kids love reading these signs out which point you in the direction of the next section of the trail.

Very early on in the trail, you will find a fun climbing wall and then to get into the woods you need to either crawl through the tunnel or walk through the gap in the wall. Once you are in the woods there is a clear path to follow but I imagine it can get muddy in places. There are also steep sections and lots of tree roots to navigate.

Your kids though will love reading the clues, balancing on the logs and stepping over the log stepping stones and spotting the wooden sculptures including bats hanging from the trees in one area. The rope swing at the end is also great place to send a bit of time with older kids.

There are several dens built along the way and the end of the trail is a fantastic tree swing. There is also a large wooden picnic table here, perfect for a picnic. From here you then have to retrace a small part of the trail to get back to the car park.

There are numerous other walks around Sizergh Castle wider estate that you could then enjoy if you want to walk further and have a great family day out.

More nearby things to do

Find loads of fantastic Child-friendly attractions in the Lake District here.

Find full details of all the great Pram friendly walks Lake District here.

You’re not too far from Fell foot, another National Trust.

You may also like to drive a bit further to enjoy Grizedale forest walks.

Looking for a more challenging walk? This Gummer’s How walk is a great starter fell for families.

Another great walk for families that’s not too far away is High dam tarn. Read my guide to find out where to park and the full route details. This one doesn’t have any play features though but it is lovely.

Another place for great family food locally is Tebay services.

This is one of our favourite places to stop on the M6, find 9 more ideas here – Places to stop on the M6.

Find more National trust near the M6 here.

Find more Family walks North West here.

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