Whitegate Way
Six miles of flat, straight former railway line from Winsford out to Cuddington, shared by walkers, cyclists and riders. The surfaced accessible stretch starts at Whitegate Station, which has toilets and a cafe.
Days out with the kids in Winsford
1 place in Winsford, Cheshire, 1 of which cost nothing. Everything below is within easy reach if you live locally.
1 in Winsford1 free
You can get six miles out of Winsford to Cuddington without meeting a hill or a car, which is the whole appeal of Whitegate Way, an old railway line flattened into a straight free path. Park at Whitegate Station, where there are toilets and a car park, and turn back whenever the legs give out. It is shared with cyclists and horse riders, so it is not somewhere to let a small one wander down the middle. Nothing else in Winsford is on the site yet.
Places in Winsford
Also worth the drive
Not in Winsford, but close enough for a day out.
Dinosaur Trail at Bents
A prehistoric trail winding through a garden centre, with interactive bits along the way. Under-2s free, and there's a café and indoor shelter if the weather turns.
Walton Hall & Gardens
The reliable default: gardens, a children's zoo, a big playground and plenty of room to run. Pay for parking, nothing else.
Jungle Parc
High ropes and treetop courses in the grounds at Walton Hall. Reviewers rate the value, but frame it as one for the bigger, braver kids.
Free Summer in Warrington
Inflatables in Old Market Square every day, plus a rotating Wednesday programme across the parks and a Thursday session in Time Square. No tickets, no booking, just turn up.
Gulliver's World
A theme park deliberately built for ages 2 to 13 rather than teenagers, so both of them can ride most of it. The classic full-day option on your doorstep.
Apple Jacks Adventure Farm
Farm animals, outdoor play and indoor barns, so a wet forecast doesn't cancel the day. Well matched to the 3-8 age range.
Giggles Play Mill
Two-tier soft play frame, low climbing wall, pirate ship, crawl tubes and a bouncy slide, plus Messy Monday and sensory sessions during the week.
Jellybeans Play Centre
Bigger than the average soft play: multi-level frame, a spooky room, an astro slide, a climbing wall, two mini bowling lanes and a slot racing track. The bowling is what makes it work when you have a toddler and a seven-year-old to keep happy at once.