| Raby Castle | Open Daily, 11am - 4pm |
| Walled Gardens and Deer Park | Open Daily, 10am - 4pm |
| The Plotters’ Forest Adventure Playground | Open Daily, 10am - 4pm |
| The Vinery Café | Open Daily, 10am - 5pm |
| The Coach House Shop & Exhibition | Open Daily, 10am - 4.30pm |
| The Garage Café - Hot Chocolates, Drinks and Snacks | 21st February - 1st March, 11am - 4pm |
An all-inclusive day out for families.
Family Explorer includes:
Family Explorer (2 adults & 2 children): £60.00 Online £65 Onsite
To ensure you get the best price, we highly recommend pre-booking online.
The Plotters’ Forest, Park and Gardens includes:
Adult | £15.00, Concession (60+) | £14.00 | Children (4–15 years) £12.00 |Under 4s Free
Family (2 adults & 2 children) | £51.00 | Online Pre-booked Price £50.00
To ensure you get the best price, we highly recommend pre-booking online.
Buggy Park: Secure buggy parking near the entrance for hands-free exploration
The Plotters’ Pantry: Relax with coffee and cake on the deck overlooking the forest
Baby Changing: Convenient facilities close to the playground
Disabled Toilet: Accessible toilets for all visitors
Free Parking: Ample free parking, including disabled spaces
Book your family adventure at this top children’s outdoor play area in Durham today!
Discover The Plotters’ Forest — An Immersive Outdoor Playground
Nestled within a magical Christmas Tree Plantation at Raby Castle, The Plotters’ Forest is the perfect family adventure playground for children to experience the joys and benefits of outdoor play in County Durham through a variety of interactive games and activities.
Here, ‘close to nature’ truly comes to life. Built around existing trees and natural clearings, the children’s adventure playground equipment is crafted from sustainable materials and seamlessly woven into the forest environment. With larch cladding sourced from our own sustainably managed woodland and colors inspired by the forest’s rich palette, every detail respects and celebrates nature, making it one of the best things to do with kids in Durham.
We believe that nurturing a connection with the outdoors inspires children to be resilient, curious, and courageous. In a world increasingly dominated by screens and safety concerns, The Plotters’ Forest outdoor playground offers a magical setting where children—and their imaginations—can run wild in a safe, natural environment.
Planning an inspiring school trip or looking for memorable children’s birthday party ideas in Durham?
Get in touch with us at admin@raby.co.uk to find out more about hosting your next event in this unique family-friendly outdoor play space at Raby Castle.
Enter through the towering gateway and dive into a dense woodland play area where adventure awaits. Wander along ground-level forest trails, then climb to sky-high walkways and towers in this unique outdoor adventure playground for families.
Become part of a world of magic and mischief: bang out rhythms on outdoor musical instruments, match pairs on the giant memory game, strike your best Plotters’ Portrait pose, or spin the signposts into playful chaos. It’s the perfect spot for interactive play and outdoor fun with kids in County Durham.
Visitors of all ages will love exploring sky-high turrets, treetop tunnels, and the stargazing deck before sliding back down to earth. Whisper secrets through the Talking Tubes or spy through the Mischief Mirrors.
For little rebels, a dedicated toddler play area features mini turrets, climbing structures, a child-sized slide, and a chalkboard for drawing secret squiggles — ideal for young adventurers aged 4–12.
For centuries, Raby Castle has been home to bold characters who changed history – and those who weren’t quite so lucky. Will you be a Plucky Plotter or a Rotten Rebel? Find out in The Plotters’ Forest – one of the most exciting family days out in County Durham.
Host your next birthday party or group event with exclusive hire of The Plotters’ Forest — a magical woodland playground full of sky-high turrets, treetop tunnels, and exciting adventure for kids.
Celebrate with your guests at The Plotters’ Pantry rooftop deck for refreshments and more fun.
“I just wanted to write and say thank you for a wonderful party. Amelie and her friends had an amazing time. A big thank you to Daisy and Diane who were brilliant. They were both a great help in making the party run smoothly.” – Caroline
To find out more and make an enquiry please email admin@raby.co.uk
“Becoming a member gave our family so many wonderful weekends together. The Plotters’ Forest is a favourite for the kids!”
– Emma T, Member since 2022
We went for the first time with our toddler for a Halloween Walk at plotters forest. We also took in the walled garden, deer park and glasshouse cafe while there, but not the castle. We were blown away by the place! It was beautiful, amazing views and well laid out. And lots to do too. Food in the cafe was reasonably priced and very tasty. We will definitely be back,
– James B., Local Member
Absolutely brilliant! We came in June and just returned in August (without the dog) so we could go in plotters forest and the castle. It did not disappoint! We had such a brilliant day and would highly recommend! Our children are nearly 2 and nearly 5 and they had a blast!!
– Stephanie P., Local Member
Plotters' Forest FAQs
Tickets for The Plotters’ Forest are available to purchase here.
We recommend purchasing tickets for The Plotters’ Forest online in advance as we cannot guarantee availability on site.
Our Plotters’ Forest, Park and Gardens Tickets give you access to a 2 hour play session in The Plotters’ Forest and all day access (10am -4pm) in The Walled Gardens and The Deer Park. If you would also like to visit Raby Castle you can add this on during your booking process.
Please note, the castle is open seasonally between March – October.
The Plotters’ Forest is set on a hillside within natural woodland, with some uneven ground and steps. However, a wooden boardwalk, which reaches the top of the playground is accessible by wheelchair and pushchair allowing visitors to enjoy interactive games on the first level.
The Plotters’ Forest has been designed to allow enjoyment and engagement at the boardwalk level for those visitors with mobility issues however you cannot access some play equipment at the upper level. We were mindful to install several interactive items at boardwalk level to make the experience as accessible as possible, including musical chimes, peeky portrait, pairs games, talking tubes and mischief mirrors. The play equipment is only part of the attraction of this wonderful place. The way the accessible boardwalk weaves throughout the pine trees allows for a very special sensory experience, just the smell and colour of this fabulous forest towering above you makes it a very magical place and one which stimulates both wellbeing and imaginative play.
Raby Memberships that were purchased before April 2022 do not admit visitors to The Plotters’ Forest. However, all Raby Members are able to upgrade their Membership to include The Plotters’ Forest.
For visitors who would like to buy an Raby Membership for the first time, there is an option on our ticketing platform referenced ‘Raby Membership with The Plotters’ Forest‘.
A Plotters’ Forest Raby Membership offers visitors the following benefits for a whole year:
Please note a Raby Membership excludes entry into special events.
At Raby Castle we have a ‘try before you buy’ system, meaning if you have bought day tickets and have decided you would like to buy an Annual Pass you can purchase this on the day. Your day admission cost will be deducted from the Annual Pass price.
Alternatively, you can buy a Raby Annual Pass in advance using our online ticketing system.
A Plotters’ Forest Annual Pass offers visitors the following benefits for a whole year:
Please note a Raby Membership excludes entry into special events.
The Plotters’ Forest is an adventure play area that has been designed for children, therefore adults with no accompanying children will not be permitted into The Plotters’ Forest. There are many other areas of Raby Castle you can explore instead.
This is an unsupervised play area. All Plotters and Rebels must be accompanied by supervising adult (we have coffee at the top!)
Entry into The Plotters’ Forest starts from your allocated time slot which is 2 hours. The Plotters’ Forest tickets include access into The Walled Gardens and Deer Park anytime between 10am – 4pm with a complimentary children’s trail.
Upgrades to visit Raby Castle are available online and on the day, subject to availability. Please note, the castle is open seasonally between March – October.
To ensure our little visitors are kept safe, we don’t allow dogs inside The Plotters’ Forest and Raby Castle. Dogs are allowed in The Walled Gardens, Deer Park, Coach House Shop and The Vinery as long as they are kept on leads.
Only guide dogs are permitted into Raby Castle and The Plotters’ Forest.
The Plotters’ Forest has been designed to cater for a mixed range of ages and abilities and contains elements of risk. The recommended age for children is between 4 – 12 years. The majority of the equipment is designed to be moderately challenging.
Adults should supervise younger children carefully. Adults should also be comfortable that the risks contained are suitable for the abilities of their children before allowing them to play. Big people decide. Only you know the abilities and limitations of the children in your care. Please keep an eye on them and make sure they’re playing safely.
There is a small dedicated area for under 4’s toddler’s play.
If you book the 3pm allocated time slot you have access to The Plotters’ Forest until 5pm.
Entry into The Plotters’ Forest is at your allocated time slot. Once you have left you can enjoy The Walled Gardens, Deer Park and other areas of Raby Castle. You will not be able to re-enter.
We have designated picnic area located behind the Coach Parking with benches and tables. Picnics are not allowed in The Plotters’ Forest. Refreshments are available at The Plotters’ Pantry, The Vinery and our takeaway stations around site.
The Plotters’ Forest has been designed around discovery, intrigue and challenge around our Christmas Tree plantation with historical features throughout including the Neville Gateway, the Plotters’ Spire, towers and forts inspired by the castle’s history. Other elements include plotters’ talking tubes, peaky portrait, rebels xylophone, mischief mirrors, giant memory game, plotters’ slide, rebels run, toddlers play, sky-high tunnels, treetop tunnels and so much more. Another key element of The Plotters’ Forest is outdoor play reaping the benefits of playing in nature including sensory play, creativity, imagination and wellbeing.
We recommend two hours of play, all tickets allow access to The Walled Gardens and the 200-acre deer park with scenic views of the castle and wildlife. Throughout the holiday periods, we have the added bonus of seasonal trails. There is also the opportunity to upgrade your ticket to include a visit inside the castle to view the superb collections and room exterior.
Please note this is not a tree tops high ropes course.
We would recommend the 3pm time slot during the weekdays for children who enjoy quieter times.