Family holiday fun in North Yorkshire: the heart and Yorkshire Dales

At Rudding Holiday Park near Harrogate, you can book a week’s stay in a self-catering cottage or lodge nestled in this fifty-acre site. Make the most of the onsite facilities when you’re not out and about exploring North Yorkshire, including a heated outdoor swimming pool and adventure playground.

The nearby Deer House family pub is perfect for an evening meal, and you can also listen to live music or take part in the pub quiz.

Summer adventures are in full swing at Stockeld Park. Enjoy live entertainments with magicians, singers and music to get children up and dancing. Join in games and meet Scout the mascot. Walk through the Enchanted Forest, complete Scout’s Summer Trail and spend time in the play areas. Can you find your way around the maze and complete the missing song lyrics.

Head to the Playhive for indoor play or explore the site from the land train. With lots of places to eat you can keep everyone fueled up and keep going all day long.

Try building a den in the wilderness area and climb trees as you explore the gardens and parkland. Complete the summer family trail where you can step into the servant’s shoes and spin the wheel for a good or bad day to find out what servants' lives were like. This is great interactive family fun taking in the garden, hall and laundry. The trail is age appropriate with three different ways to complete it. Adults can join in too.

Activity days for children include crafting and nature games plus outdoor storytelling on 11 and 25 August.

Spend the afternoon exploring the gardens. Ride on the miniature railway and play in the Tarantella water jets – perfect on a hot day. Children of all ages can have fun in the adventure playground with swings, climbing frames and an aerial slide and older children can take a pedalo out on the lake. Look at the teddy bear and dolls house displays and enjoy lunch and an ice cream.

Follow the sculpture trail with lots of sculptures in different styles. Spot them in the gardens, woodland and orchard.

Welcome to a land of fairies where you can see if you can solve the clues to unlock the gate to Two Stone Wishes Village. Discover the giant’s storytelling chair, spot the fairy houses and count all the fairies and pixies.

Look out for the rainbow castle and the secret gold mine, too, and there are age-related clue sheets to complete as you walk the trail. Children can then have even more fun zooming around on go karts and enjoying the play area.

Note: tickets must be booked in advance 

Go on an underground adventure where you can discover caverns filled with sparkle and magic. Follow the self-guided trail as you explore 300-million years of history and look out for the amazing rock formations covered in crystals. Children can complete the free fossil quiz or fairy trail or pan for gems.

Enjoy lunch or a drink and some yummy cake in the Time Cafe where there’s a great kids’ menu. Finish your day in the gift shop and buy a fossil or some gemstones to take home with you as a reminder of your day.

Step back in history as you explore the historic abbey ruins. Children can play hide and seek among the ruins or dress up as a monk on a family guided tour and learn about how the monks lived. The water garden and deer park are great for a picnic.

Join in with the family activities happening over the summer holidays as part of the Summer of Play event where children can try archery or race on space hoppers.

Learn circus skills including plate spinning and juggling every Tuesday until the end of August.