Things to do with children close to M5

[Calmomiletea]

Hi,
So I'm going to be travelling from Liverpool to Tavistock, Devon, next week with my husband and two children (4 and 2). The drive is around 5.5hrs according to Google maps, so I'm trying to find something we could stop off at after 3hrs approx of driving, heading south.

Does anyone know of any good national trust properties close to the M5 that have really good child friendly attractions (we have membership cards)?
Or is there anything else that would be particularly good, cheap and would help them to burn off some steam.

Slimbridge is great if the weather holds out. https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge/experience/explore-and-play
When our dc were young, we often stopped at Puxton Park or Weston Super Mere beach. Puxton is brilliant, but not cheap for a family of 4.

If you go off at junction 6 and drive along the bypass that runs parallel to the motorway (it’ll allow you to get back on the motorway at junction 7 once you’ve had your break), you’ll find Worcester Woods country park. It has a good sized play park, a nice cafe, a woodland walk or a walk around the fields and just loads of space for the kids to run around in - take a ball or a frisbee for them to chuck around. Totally free apart from whatever you buy at the cafe. If you don’t fancy food from the cafe, there’s a sort of services on the other side of the bypass with a pub and a KFC, etc.

Slimbridge was my first thought too.

I used to drive Leeds/Somerset on the M5 several times a year when the DC were little. Lovely MNers pointed me in the direction of Likey Hills Country Park which has acres and acres of running around space, playground, toilets and reasonably priced cafe. It's just where the M5/M42/M6 all meet. We stopped there on every journey for years.

National Trust wise Hanbury Hall is quite close to J5 and could definitely fill a few hours.

I love Slimbridge. It isn’t cheap for a one-off visit though.

How about Hanbury Hall NT near Bromsgrove? Or Avoncroft Museum near Bromsgrove but that also costs to get in (but is a lovely place).

Puxton park , just off junction 21. Big indoor and outdoor play, farm animals etc

Hanbury hall is very boring for children (I live practically next door). If you come off at M5 junction 5 there is a fantastic park at Wychbold (search map for Wychbold park or Wychbold school) it has slides built into a hill, zip wires and loads of stuff for small children including their own fenced off area. There is also a community orchard and a small woodland to walk in. Following that you can pop to Webbs of Wychbold which is a massive garden centre with 2 cafes and an icecream shop for refreshments and the loo ( or there is a McDonald’s further down the road).

Jump 123 softplay in Bristol is good, as is Slimbridge Wetlands centre (as mentioned by other posters above).

https://www.bristolzoo.org.uk the new Bristol Zoo just off Jn 17

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm near Bristol

Tyntesfield National trust near Bristol

There is a Dobbies garden centre off Junction 12. It has a soft play for the little ones but the service in the cafe is not great (see tripadvisor).

Or you could come off at Jcn 13 and drive five minutes to Frampton on Severn which is a very pretty village with easy parking. It doesn't have much in the way of amenities (2 pubs, over-priced shop) but it has a village green that they could run round (or attempt to - it's the longest village green in England!) There are ponds, too, for wildlife spotting.

I forgot to mention stopping at the Gloucester service station just before Jcn 12 for your picnic goodies. It's owned by the same people as the Tebay service station.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath-bristol/tyntesfield

Was going to say Tyntesfield also. Lots of land to run around in and burn of energy

Slimbridge is also nice

On the M5 for National Trust options you have Hanbury Hall as others have mentioned, Croome, which looks nice, Greyfriars house is in Worcester Town Centre, which has a lot of other options too. Worcester Woods is a good shout, I've been there a few times and it's lovely.

If you wanted a nice walk, the Malvern Hills are lovely too.

Another vote for Puxton park. Huge children's attraction just after Bristol

Gloucester services is actually lovely! Really nice play area, nice outdoor lake, lovely farm shop and really nice meals! Could just do that!

Oh yes, that is on my destination wishlist 😂

Leave them at the service station?

This thread is making me want to drive down the M5.

Thank you all for your input!! These are brilliant. The Gloucester Services sounds like an absolute must! 😆 I have everything saved on my Google maps and we will see how things go. I love the mumsnet community when it comes to planning hols! Thank you!!!

Puxton Park is just off the M5 at Weston super mare, it’s a farm park with indoor soft play (huge, suits up to 12+). Mine always loved it, I’d highly recommend 🙂