Gruffalo Adventures comes to Wakehurst this Easter holiday

The house and botanic gardens, located near Ardingly, will invite families to play the role of the Julia Donaldson book’s little brown mouse, following a specially curated trail through Wakehurst’s wild woodlands in pursuit of The Gruffalo.

The events will go through Wakehurst’s picturesque landscape, where visitors will encounter the characters of Fox, Owl, Snake and the Gruffalo.

Children will follow tracks and feathers on a map to solve clues and discover the secret world of animals.

They will learn about different habitats and the marks humans leave behind in a woodland ecosystem.

Interactive activities at each stop will let children see the world from the perspective of each animal character.

Brave explorers can even meet the Gruffalo himself in the form of a life-size wooden sculpture.

Children can don a lab coat and find out what Owl would eat and not be able to digest by dissecting real owl pellets from a local owl sanctuary in the Millennium Seed Bank, and The Gruffalo Crumble Easter Egg Hunt will see children searching for ingredients for a Gruffalo crumble, with a reward of Divine Chocolate mini eggs at the end.

While searching for the elusive Gruffalo, visitors will get the chance to explore Wakehurst’s extensive woodland while enjoying its unique landscape as it blooms in spring – magnolias will be out in the Water Gardens and swathes of daffodils will be found on the Mansion Lawn.

Children will also be able to climb, clamber and hop around Tree Trunk Trek, an adventurous log trail in Coates Wood with wooden stages to let imaginations run wild.

All the activities – except the easter egg hunt and owl pellet dissection (£4 each) – are free with entry to the gardens. A pop-up serving light snacks and refreshments will be available.

For more information click here.