Where to break a car journey with a toddler in South Yorkshire?

[Lochroy]

Hello, we'll be making a long car journey on Saturday and wonder if anyone has ideas of where we could stop for a couple of hours for lunch around Sheffield or Doncaster? Ideally somewhere with some lovely grass we can let the toddler loose on!

Heading up the M1 then A1 so had planned to go M18, but could stick on M1 past Leeds.

We do have National Trust membership if anyone knows the places in that area.

I live in Sheffield but I would keep going a bit further and stop at Yorkshire sculpture park, as it's really close to the M1. Gorgeous place, great for a leg stretch, picnic and ice creams etc, you pay for parking which is about £12 all day or there's a 2 hr option I think too.

If you are going up the M1, I would suggest getting off at j36 and having a couple of hours at Cannon Hall Farm.
Plenty for a toddler to do and the restaurant is great!

If you check you national trust map/guidebook, they do have an estate which is right next to the M1 in that area, but can’t think of its name

Another vote for Cannon Hall. It isn't far from the motorway, although it is junction 37 you need not junction 36. If you just want green space without spending ££ to get into anything, just park down at the bottom near the garden centre and use the park. Parking is much cheaper than that at the Sculpture Park BTW.

These are all past the M18 turn off (not sure about the first one) but all close to the M1 and good for toddlers....

Wentworth Garden Centre is great - it's around jct 35/36 from memory, about 10 mins from the motorway. They've got a playground that's free and if you're willing to pay a few quid there's a little animal farm kind of bit with another awesome playground within it. Also a maze and plenty of green space if it's nice weather. There's also a nice cafe!

National Coal Mining museum is about 10 mins from jct 39. Free to get into, plenty to look at, a really lovely nature trail, about 1 mile long, perfect for a toddler.

Or, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 2 mins from jct 40. Expensive to park, but nice once you're in. Not loads for a toddler to 'do' as such but great to have a meander and lots to see.

South Yorkshire has a dearth of NT properties, but they have recently taken over Wentworth Castle Garden. I think for a toddler that Cannon Hall is the best option.

Yorkshire wildlife park is just off the m18, j3

I love YWP, but I think it merits more than a break in a car journey to make the most of it.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park - 2 mins from M1 J38
Blacker Hall Farm shop - amazing cafe and running about space with a few play things - 2 mins from M1 J39 towards Denby Dale
Pugneys Country Park - wall, lake, playground, ok cafe - 2 mins from M1 J39 into Wakefield
Locke Park (greasy spoon opposite) - 10 mins from M1 J37

Amazing, thank you, I'll get looking at these!

As so many have said Yorkshire sculpture park

Another for YSP.

The Yorkshire wildlife park is an amazing zoo. Definitely go if you have time to make a day of it.

Nostell Priory is a National Trust place in that area.

Pugneys has a really nice play area as well as the lake to walk round.

YSP is good but be prepared to spend a fortune in car parking fees (though entrance to the park is free).
Lots of outdoor space but I went the other week on a night-time thing and it just seemed to look run down. The Camellia House was all boarded up and the grass just looked a bit unkempt.

There is Locke Park in Barnsley as well as Worsborough Mill.

Clifton Park in Rotherham is also lovely. There's a water park there with fountains and paddling areas as well as a sandy play area, a big open space to walk around, a cafe, a free museum and a fairground type place (where you do have to pay for the rides).

Nostell Priory is NT and absolutely beautiful, I use my membership there and not far off the M1.

The others. YSP and Cannon Hall you will need to pay for.

Another vote for Yorkshire Sculpture Park, or Hardwick Hall is NT, just off J29 of M1 so slightly south of Sheffield but very lovely.

Hardwick Hall is fab. There's a wooded play trail to keep small people busy.
Rother Valley country park is off j31. £5 to park but there's a little train which takes you to a play area, ducks to feed, and boats or bikes to hire if you get adventurous! The cafe is cheap and cheerful, nothing fancy.

"Locke Park (greasy spoon opposite) - 10 mins from M1 J37"

Waves to BikeRunSki. The traffic makes it more like 20 minutes. Dodworth Road is very congested these days. The other suggestions are great though. The problem with the bottom end of the sculpture park is all the duck and goose poo on the grass.

Clifton Park is even further from the motorway, and tricky to find.