Meanwood Valley Urban Farm

Now forty years old, this 14-acre city farm provides Leeds residents with an opportunity to learn more about sustainable living and get involved with the rearing of animals and growing of vegetables. The whole family can connect with nature here, meeting the rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, pigs, sheep, cows, donkeys, hens and alpacas. There are also beehives, a pond and a hidden bird sanctuary to discover, along with a playground, a cafe and a shop that sells some of the produce grown here. At the heart of the farm is the EpiCenter – an exhibition and learning space that was built using environmentally-friendly materials and techniques, with compost toilets and a turf roof. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, children under 5 can join the Silverwood Adventures Forest Cubs on the farm for some outdoor free play. This welcoming forest school costs £6 per session and aims to support both parent and child mental health. You’ll be able to relax by a roaring fire with a hot drink and marshmallow-biscuit-sandwich here, or have an adventure led by your own little cub.

Admission prices: £3 (adult), 50p (child), under 2s free

Kirkstall Abbey

Sitting on the beautiful banks of the River Aire, Kirkstall Abbey is one of the country’s best preserved Cistercian monasteries. The abbey has a fascinating 800-year-long history, which you can learn about in its visitor centre or by taking a walk around the ruins. For those interested in more recent history, the Abbey House Museum explores life and childhood in Victorian era Leeds. Visitors can walk through a life-sized recreation of a Victorian shopping street or visit the poorer residential district of Abbey Fold. Children will be encouraged to think about how people washed their clothes, warmed their homes and entertained themselves depending on their income in these times. The museum also contains a brilliant display of old toys and games, which includes many iconic playthings that will leave the grown-ups feeling nostalgic. After visiting the abbey ruins and museum, families can then treat themselves to lunch at the Gatehouse Cafe and little ones can let off some steam on the play area.

Admission prices:

Kirkstall Abbey: £5.50 (adult), £2.75 (child), under 5s free

Abbey House Museum: £6.50 (adult), £3.15 (child), under 5s free

Swithens Farm and Play Barn 

If you’re looking for a day out that will really please a young animal lover, Swithens Farm and Play Barn combines all the fun of the farmyard with a huge indoor play area. This working farm in Rothwell, a village outside of Leeds, offers its visitors the opportunity to get hands on when it comes to looking after its four-legged residents. Here, you can find out more about animal care and husbandry by helping to feed the animals, which include cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, emus, meerkats, rabbits and guinea pigs. Those who are especially keen can even try a weekend ‘Farmer Experience’, during which they’ll be able to shadow a member of the Swithens team as they go about their day on the farm. Swithens Play Barn is ideal for rainy days and can be enjoyed by children up to ten years old. This colourful play area features ball pools, slides, swings and many other exciting pieces of apparatus that are sure to keep your child entertained while you sip a cup of coffee from the onsite cafe.

Admission prices:

Open Farm: £9 weekends, £7 weekdays (per adult or child)

Play Barn : £3 weekends, £2 weekdays (per child – adults enter the play barn free)

Leeds Treasure Hunt Trail

If you’re planning to explore a new city, or would like to get to know your hometown a little better this summer, Treasure Trails are an original and inexpensive way to do this. These family-friendly trails can be found all over the UK and are lots of fun for participants of all ages. In Leeds, you can become a detective and search for the clues needed to solve your mystery in the city’s yards and arcades. This treasure hunt is around 1.8 miles long and takes approximately 2 hours to complete. There are also two more wonderful Treasure Trails to discover in Leeds – City Centre Squares or Roundhay Park. A map for each trail can be downloaded from the Treasure Trails website, or printed and sent to your home for the same price plus postage.

Admission prices:

£9.99 per group

Have fun on a budget at one of Leeds’ great parks:

Roundhay Park

Located on the northern outskirts of Leeds, just three miles from the city centre, Roundhay Park is free to visit and boasts plenty to see and do. Spanning more than 700 acres, the park has woodland, lakes, streams and formal gardens to wander through, along with a skate park, sports pitches and well-equipped play areas. Parking is free at Roundhay and if you don’t feel like walking across the parkland you can catch the land train instead. The park has several stalls selling ice creams and cold drinks, as well as the Garden Room cafe at The Mansion, where you can enjoy a delicious afternoon tea in elegant surroundings. For an admission fee, you can also visit Roundhay’s Tropical World – a mini zoo that recreates the natural habitats found in the rainforest, mangroves and desert. Here, you can meet creatures such as butterflies, scorpions, tropical fish, meerkats, marmosets and even a slow loris. 

FREE

Golden Acre Park

The perfect place to spend a relaxed afternoon, Leeds’ Golden Acre Park has a scenic wildfowl lake to walk around, along with a leafy arboretum, cherry orchard and verdant landscaped gardens to explore. The park has two free car parks (off Otley Road and Arthington Road) and there’s also a wonderful cafe here with outdoor seating and public toilets. Golden Acre doesn’t have a play area but children will still have a great time here searching for bugs in the wildflower meadow or feeding the ducks on the pond. If you’d like to take a turn around the lake, the easy-to-follow circular route takes around 41 minutes to walk. Alternatively, you can extend your time here with a longer stroll through the woods.

FREE

Get active and enjoy a walk together: 

Meanwood Valley Trail

If you’re hoping to encourage your youngsters to stay active during their summer break, the Meanwood Valley Trail is an easy, 7-mile walking route that can be completed in one go or broken down into three shorter excursions. The valley – which is sometimes described as the ‘green artery’ of Leeds – brings the countryside into the heart of the city and has its own nature reserve. If you’re walking the full route, this starts by the statue of Henry Rowland Marsden on Woodhouse Moor. You’ll then travel up a series of residential streets before entering the valley, where you’ll pass Meanwood Valley Urban Farm on the other side of the road. Later, the trail heads into Meanwood itself and meanders through Scotland and Adel Woods and Headingley Golf Club on the way to its finish in Golden Acre Park. If you’d like to split the walk into shorter segments, it can be done in the following stages: Woodhouse Moor to Meanwood Park (2 miles), Meanwood Park to Seven Arches (2 miles) and Seven Arches to Golden Acre Park (3 miles).

FREE

Otley Chevin & Forest Park Circuit

Another scenic longer walk is the Otley Chevin and Forest Park Circuit. This 4 1/2 mile route is perfect for families with teens or older children who are keen on walking. The circuit takes 3-4 hours to complete and starts and ends at the Chevin Country Park on York Gate, which is home to a hotel, spa and woodland lodges. From here, it travels up Miller Lane and into Chevin Forest, where it follows the level surface of Chippendale Ride and passes the ruins of Keeper’s Cottage before looping around. On its return, this moderately difficult trail will take you across a stone bridge and through the site of an Iron Age settlement. You’ll then climb up to the Surprise View and can also see the Knotties Stone – a famous bronze age carved rock – on your way back to the hotel.

FREE

Yeadon Tarn

If you’re looking for a shorter stroll that can be taken with a pushchair or a toddler in tow, Yeadon Tarn may be just the place to head. This popular fishing and boating lake is encircled by a 0.7-mile tarmac path with a flat, even surface and no incline. This easy route starts and ends at the tarn’s free car park, where you’ll also find accessible toilets. As you follow the edge of the lake, you can immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery and escape from the hustle and bustle of Leeds for an hour or so. There’s plenty here to appeal to younger walkers too, including an ice cream van that visits regularly in the summer months, as well as a playpark and ducks to feed. As the tarn is close to Leeds Bradford Airport, you can also enjoy watching aeroplanes as they take off and come in to land.

FREE

Images- @https://www.facebook.com/KirkstallAbbey/photos, @gemwanderstheglobe, @meanwoodfarm