Belton House
Summary
So hands down Belton House near, Grantham in Lincolnshire, is my favourite family day out location within an hour of home. And especially with kids, it ticks just about every box you could ask for in a ‘Things to do’ location and then some!
It’s part of the National Trust so if you’re members you can get into all parts for free, and even if not it’s reasonably priced. So what’s to love? Well pretty much all of it…
Things to do
- Kids outdoor play area It’s amazing! It has so much for kids young and old. Infact it’s one of those play areas that makes me want to abandon my children and go play on myself! (disclaimer: I would never be unlikely to do this). It takes you around 10 mins to walk from one end to the other without stopping and has everything from massive climbing forts to sandpits and digging equipment. As a kid I would have LOVED this place.
- Kids indoor soft play area Not content with having an awesome outdoor play area, if it’s wet or you just fancy a drink indoors you can do so here whilst little Gertrude is safely entertaining herself on the giant tree based soft play area. With a café onsite everyone’s a winner.
- House to explore As a lover of all things history, I’m one of those people who could wile away several hours in a NT house reading every board and seeking to extract every ounce of knowledge the poor NT volunteer knows about Sir Gadabout the Great’s favourite underpants (thanks Zog). Belton House is pretty standard in this regard but still worth a visit.
- Beautiful gardens I don’t care if you hate flowers and the sight of a well-manicured hedges makes you queasy, you won’t be able to help falling in love with the well maintained gardens, and easy walk up to the lake and back. Sometimes there’s even a croquet set out which you can play with (Though I’m not sure anyone actually knows the official croquet rules?!).
- Miniature railway Who doesn’t love a miniature railway? Well giant people maybe but for everyone else they’re awesome as you ride along feeling the wind in your hair (that’s “hair” singular for my Dad). It’s cheap too at just £1.50 per person in the 2019 season.
- A decent restaurant and multiple café’s I do love my food and it’s pretty standard fayre for a NT restaurant. It’s not too unreasonably priced and the food is usually good quality grub. There are two other café’s on site, one as described in the indoor soft play and the other at the outdoor soft play so you’re never too far away from that coffee fix… and possibly a cheeky sausage roll…and a kitkat.
- Extensive grounds. If countryside walks are your thing there’s loads to explore round the estate. You might even see a deer too (note: deer seeing is not guaranteed). Just outside the main house is a large green area (this being grass) which doubles up as a cricket pitch in summer. There’s nothing more relaxing that taking in some classic village cricket as you enjoy an icecream and like me secretly will that someone launches a massive ‘6’ into the giant upstairs bay windows…
2 Good / 2 Bad
- Amazing play area for kids of all ages (inc big people!)
- There’s so much to do, you could easily spend a full day here
- I stepped in some deer poo there once…
- Errrr.... that's it!
My Dadventure rating
5/5
Belton is a parents dream, the kids will be entertained for hours and there’s so much for grown up folks too. Don’t miss it!
Information
Website:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/belton-house
Address: Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 2LS
Phone: 01476 566116