A Great Day Out For the Kids in the UK This Summer - Markeaton Park, Derby and East Midlands

The summer holidays are on the horizon. The six weeks' school holiday can be the best of times, and the worst of times. If you are short of ideas for a day out with your precious siblings, there is a relatively unknown child magnet here in the east midlands.

MarkeatonPark- Mundy Play Centre for Under 16's

Markeaton Park is a very popular park with junior age children here in the East Midlands. It boasts the widest range of outdoor activities within the city of Derby.

Mundy Play Centre - The Main Attraction

Make your way into the Mundy Play Centre car park, either from the A38 Kedleston roundabout or from Markeaton Lane car park. The nearest entrance to the Mundy Centre is form Markeaton Lane car park. Park up and walk over a short bridge, over a small stream abudndant ducks, and you will be greeted by the donkey rides, a motorised mini car track, two bouncy castles, and the crazy golf. A good tip for you, is to buy a few tickets at a time from the kiosk in the middle of the Mundy centre because on a hot sunny day in peak summer time the queues can get very long. I speak from experience.

Further towards one end of the part find two traditional play areas with swings, slides and roundabouts. The smaller play area for the under 8's includes picnic tables. I've found this particularly useful as children have a short attention span to eating, when the swings and slides are beckoning. You can enjoy your lunch in this play area in peace while keeping a watchful eye on your little ones. The second play area, for older children, includes a web net climbing frame.

Car Parking

The main car park is just off the Markeaton roundabout end towards the far end of the park. If you bring a picnic I suggest you leave it in the car until you are ready to eat. This is a good excuse to buy a return ticket train ride on the light railway steam train, appropriately named the "Markeaton Lady".  The train ride is an approximate fifteen minutes round scenic trip, with two stops. You can embark from the Mundy Play Centre to go to the car park. Whilst enjoying the scenery we like to play, 'spot the squirrel'. There are many of them around the park and you can usually be observed scurrying around the grounds and scrambling into the trees, around the grounds. Enjoy your picnic on the acres of green grass in the park, or by the river where you can watch the rowing boats paddling up and down by the lake.

The Orangery Cafe

The Orangery café is set in the beautiful flower gardens of Markeaton Park. Sit inside or outside to enjoy a delicious assortment of toasties, rolls, pasties and children's anything with chips prepared on the premises.  It really is good place to go if you fancy a light snack.  The large mugs of hot chocolate are wonderfully sweet, and absolutely delicious with one of their cakes or gateaux.  Ice-creams, lollipops and candy floss can also be bought here.

After lunch make your way back to the canoes on the small lake inside the Mundy Centre. You may decide to feed the ducks along the way.    Afterwards you can cool down in the outside paddling pool. The little ice-cream kiosks dotted around the play area are forever popular.

We have had a lot of fun in the kids summer holidays at Markeaton Park. Oh, by the way, I forget to tell you, it's free to get in and parking is only £1.40 for 4 hours, or £2.80 up to 8 hours.