For the family

Families who enjoy a day of discovery will find
hours of fun at Martin Mere.

Fill your lungs with fresh air, stretch your legs and see what you can discover.

Enjoy exploring, playing, feeding and getting up-close to some of nature’s most wonderful wildlife. We've 800 acres of adventure to flutter hearts, home to thousands of rare birds; cheeky otters; an all-star cast of pretty pink flamingos and a group of white storks to mention a few.

Wild Walk

Wild Walk in autumn winter

Head over to Wild Walk where you can balance on beams as you explore the reedy ramble and immerse yourself in nature as you explore this natural area and fine wobbly bridges, stepping stones and you can’t really miss one of the largest bug hotels in the world! A fantastic place for relaxing, playing and looking for insects and wild flowers.

Outdoor adventures

Wild Walk

Head to our stepping stones, den building or outdoor play area; from zip wire screams and scramble net laughs to treehouse trailblazing, our huge adventure playground is a total rush for ages 3 to 12.

Pond dipping (April to September)

Pond dipping

At the weekends and during the school holidays between 1.30pm and 3pm, delve into our ponds and see what creatures are lurking beneath in a pond dipping session. Can you find the slippery newts or dinosaur like dragonfly nymphs in this free activity? No booking is required to take part.

Talks and feeds

otter_asian_short_claw.jpg

At 11.30am and 2.30pm every day, we feed our Asian short clawed otters, Penny and Kenai. The otter feed includes a talk and you can get up close to the otters to get some amazing photos. Head to the greater flamingos at 1:30pm and learn all about this flamboyant bird. Find out more about talks and feeds.

For little ones

Crafts for children

The craft room is open every weekend and each day of the school holidays from 12-3pm (winter) and 1-4pm (summer), offering selection of paid for crafts from £1.50 to £3.50.

Every Wednesday in term time, bring your little one to a fun and interactive story time, sing along, crafts and outdoor play (weather dependent) at Toddler Wednesdays. The play may include pond dipping, egg box scavenger hunts, find the frogs, build a den for your teddy bear and much more. Session starts at 10.30am and there is no need to book.

Canoe safari

Canoe safari

Grab a paddle and take to the water in our award winning canoe safari. Embark on the canoe via a self-service jetty and set off your watery adventure searching for moorhens, mallards, fish, water voles and the illusive kingfisher. Open every day from April until September, and half-term and weekends in October. You do not need to book in advance and the minimum height for children is 1m. There is an extra charge for this attraction, payable via a card machine at the canoe lodge.

Food and Drink

Coffee machine

Take a break from your adventure and head to our Mere Side Café for delicious breakfast and lunch and a selection of cake, tea and coffee.

Want to bring your own picnic? Our pintail room will be open on weekends and half term for you to eat your picnic and we have a number of picnic tables located around the centre.

Useful information for families

  • All of our pathways on site are buggy friendly, you will be able to explore all of the grounds seeing our amazing wildlife up close
  • Just ask at our admissions desk if there is anything you need – from a sewing kit, cycle puncture kit, wipes, sanitary products to directions to the nearest electric charging point, our team are here to help.
  • Our Mere Side café has a good selection of children’s hot and cold lunches. Water refills are available as well as a bottler warmer on request and a microwave to warm up baby food. We also have spare bowls and spoons just in case, just ask at the till point.
  • Picnic benches are located around the grounds and there is a kiosk by the canoe safari, open at weekends and holidays serving soft scoop ice cream, drinks and snacks
  • Guided boat tours are available for children under the age of 5 (height restriction on canoes) and the boat can also accommodate wheelchairs. You can book this in advance online via the canoe safari experience page.
  • There are changing facilities located in the café and by the play area. There is a hoist and adjustable height changing table located in the main building.
  • Pocket money items in our shop include marbles and stationery items
  • We have sensory bags available from the admissions desk, which include fidget toys, ear defenders, binoculars and bird tick lists. These require a £15 deposit which is refunded once the bag is returned.
  • In our craft room, we have cushioned trays available for wheelchair users or anyone who would struggle to sit at a lower table.

For further information on our accessibility and quiet times, please visit our accessibility page.

Plan your visit

Now you know a bit more about what to expect, find your way here, along with other important information.

Plan your visit