The Singing Ringing Tree
A wind-powered steel sculpture on the moor above Burnley that hums when the weather blows, with a view worth the short climb. It is a half-hour stop, not a day out, so pair it with a walk or Towneley Hall.
Gawthorpe Hall
- Cost
- Grounds free, hall adults £7, under-18s free
- Ages
- 2 to 12
- Where
- Burnley, Lancashire
- Weather
- Mostly outdoors
- Booking
- Just turn up
Gawthorpe is a tall, square Jacobean house built for the Shuttleworth family around 1600, owned by the National Trust and run by Lancashire County Council's museum service. The house is the grown-up bit. For children the draw is outside: formal gardens with views of the river, woodland walks across the estate and a natural play area in the trees. The gardens and woodland cost nothing, and parking is free.
Going into the hall costs adults £7, and children up to 18 go free with an adult, so a family look round is cheaper than most soft plays. It is three floors with steps between rooms and no lift, which matters if you are carrying a toddler or pushing a pram. The hall opens Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm, with last entry at 4.15pm, and the season ends on 1 November.
The cafe, Mooch Gawthorpe, sits in the cobbled courtyard with the toilets and baby change. In October it opens weekends only because of roof repairs, so weekday visits need a flask. Half-term brings spooky crafts on 28 October and a Halloween Trail on Saturday 31 October. One for the history fans: in the 2018 drought the outline of the old Victorian garden reappeared on the front lawn.
What it costs: Gardens and woodland free. Hall: adults £7, children up to 18 free with an adult, National Trust members free (charges may apply for events). Guided tours £8. Free parking.
Know before you go
- The hall is open Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 5pm (last entry 4.15pm), until 1 November 2026. Monday and Tuesday visits are grounds only.
- Through October the cafe opens weekends only, 10am to 3pm, because of roof repairs. Pack a picnic for a weekday visit.
- Half-term: spooky crafts on 28 October (12pm to 4pm) and a Halloween Trail on 31 October (12pm to 3pm).
Seasonal: Hall open April to 1 November. Check before travelling.
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