Julia Donaldson Zog Trail at Delamere Forest

Julia Donaldson Zog Trail at Delamere Forest

No comments

New for 2023 at Delamere Forest is the Julia Donaldson Zog trail. The Zog trail is based on the popular Julia Donaldson children’s picture book Zog. We have done a few of the Julia Donaldson trails at Delamere over the years and they are very popular and lots of fun. 

What To Expect At The Zog Trail, Delamere Forest, CW8 2HZ

The first thing to point out is that the Zog trail is a completely different route to previous trails. If you have done the Gruffalo trail and the Superworm trail then you may be pleased to know this trail takes you in the opposite direction. Starting at the new and revamped Delamere Cafe and Visitor Centre the trail takes you on a path through the car park and up through the forest. 

There is a trail pack to purchase from the visitor centre for £4. You do not need to purchase the pack to enjoy the trail however it does contain a craft bag to colour in, dragon wings to decorate and wear, Zog glasses, stickers, trail leaflet, pencil and crayon.  

Once you are on the trail there are opportunities for you to interact with the activity boards. Here you have to do mini challenges such as flap your wings like a bird, or talk about what you smell. Here you can then use the golden star stickers every time you do the activity. You can also use your Zog glasses to find a hidden word on each board then rearrange the letters to spell out a word!

Along the trail there are many opportunities for you to go off the beaten track and explore the woods. There are lots of open spaces with logs to walk across, bugs to find and dens to be made. 

The trail takes approximately 40 to 60 minutes however this will depend on how fast or slow you take it. If you head into the woods, enjoy a picnic and do the activities it could easily fill 2-3 hours. 

Whilst there is no cost for the Zog Trail, Delamere Forest is part of Forestry England and therefore there are car parking charges applicable. There are a few car parks around the forest however the purpose built car park next to the visitor centre and cafe is huge and I would recommend it.

The new visitor centre and cafe was built during 2020 and is a huge improvement on the old centre. There is a huge toilet block, cafe with indoor and outdoor seating and visitor centre. There is a wide range of hot and cold meals, snacks, cakes and ice cream. 

You can also access a range of walking trails close to the visitor centre. If you fancy heading up in to the trees you can also visit the Go Ape Tree top Challenge. 

We have visited Delamere Forest many times over the years and it was once home to the Gruffalo Trail and The Gruffalo Orienteering Trail. However the Gruffalo statue is now in need of repair and restoration due to weather damage and wear and tear. The Gruffalo statue has now been removed and I do hope it will return one day.

You can join in with the Zog trail at the following

Alice Holt

Bedgebury Pinetum

Beechenhurst

Cannock Chase

Cardinham Woods

Dalby Forest

Delamere Forest

Fineshade Wood

Gisburn Forest

Grizedale Forest

Guisborough Forest

Haldon Forest Park

Hamsterley Forest

Haughmond Hill

Hicks Lodge

High Lodge

Jeskyns

Kielder Forest

Moors Valley Country Park

Salcey Forest

Sherwood Pines

Thames Chase

Wendover Woods

Westonbirt Arboretum

Whinlatter Forset

Wyre

You can find out more information about the trails here.

Have you visited any of the Julia Donaldson trails? Let us know.

Michelle

READ THESE POSTS NEXT

JULIA DONALDSON SUPERWORM TRAIL AT DELAMERE FOREST

ZOG AT WARWICK CASTLE

WHERE TO SPOT THE GRUFFALO IN THE UK

- If you enjoyed this post leave us a comment.

-  Like us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and follow us on our adventures.

- If you have visited any of the attractions mentioned in this post share photos with us on our socials. 

- If this post has helped you in anyway you can Buy Us A Virtual Coffee to say thanks.

- If you would like to work with us please visit on Work With Us page for more details

Read More

Julia Donaldson Superworm Trail at Delamere Forest

Julia Donaldson Superworm Trail at Delamere Forest

No comments

New for 2022 at Delamere Forest is the Julia Donaldson Superworm trail. The Superworm trail is based on the popular Julia Donaldson children’s picture book Superworm. These trails are really popular and are a lovely way to take you on an adventure through the forest.

What To Expect At The Superworm Trail, Delamere Forest, CW8 2HZ

The Superworm trail takes you on a path through the forest on the lookout for six Superworm activity boards. Each activity board represents an animal from the Superworm story. You will find out the animals super power, a variety of different facts and an activity for you to complete. 

There is a trail pack to purchase from the visitor centre for £3.50. You do not need to purchase the pack to enjoy the trail however it does contain a mask, fact cards for the animals along the trail, an activity booklet and crayon. The activity booklet has an exclusive activity you can complete along the trail. 

There are lots of 'Gruffalo' statues still in place along the trail such as the mouse, owl and fox.

Along the trail there are many opportunities for you to go off the beaten track and explore the woods. There are lots of open spaces with logs to walk across, bugs to find and dens to be made. 

There are benches along the way to enjoy a picnic or just a rest. 

The trail takes approximately 40 to 60 minutes however this will depend on how fast or slow you take it. If you head into the woods, enjoy a picnic and do the activities it could easily fill 2-3 hours. 

Whilst there is no cost for the Superworm Trail, Delamere Forest is part of Forestry England and therefore there are car parking charges applicable. There are a few car parks around the forest however the purpose built car park next to the visitor centre and cafe is huge and I would recommend it.

The new visitor centre and cafe was built during 2020 and is a huge improvement on the old centre. There is a huge toilet block, cafe with indoor and outdoor seating and visitor centre. There is a wide range of hot and cold meals, snacks, cakes and ice cream. 

You can also access a range of walking trails close to the visitor centre. If you fancy heading up in to the trees you can also visit the Go Ape Tree top Challenge. 

We have visited Delamere Forest many times over the years and it was once home to the Gruffalo Trail and The Gruffalo Orienteering Trail. However the Gruffalo statue is now in need of repair and restoration due to weather damage and wear and tear. The Gruffalo statue has now been removed but it has made way for the Superworm trail which I know will be popular amongst fans of the book and short film.

You can join in with the Superworm trail at the following

Alice Holt

Bedgebury Pinetum

Beechenhurst

Cannock Chase

Cardinham Woods

Dalby Forest

Delamere Forest

Fineshade Wood

Gisburn Forest

Grizedale Forest

Guisborough Forest

Haldon Forest Park

Hamsterley Forest

Haughmond Hill

Hicks Lodge

High Lodge

Jeskyns

Kielder Forest

Moors Valley Country Park

Salcey Forest

Sherwood Pines

Thames Chase

Wendover Woods

Westonbirt Arboretum

Whinlatter Forset

Wyre

Have you visited any of the Julia Donaldson trails? Leave us a comment below and let us know.

 You can always keep up to date with us on our socials, give us a like on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or if this post has helped you you can Buy Us A Virtual Coffee to say thanks.

Michelle

Read More

Go Ape At Delamere Forest

Go Ape At Delamere Forest

No comments

Little J has been asking us for weeks if we could book to do Go Ape. Obviously with the situation at the moment we have been putting it off however over the past few weeks we have been out and about more so last week we booked to go on a Tree Top Adventure at Go Ape, Delamere Forest. 

We pre booked our tickets online which is advisable as it was almost full. The timed slot we chose was the only one that day that could accommodate us all. 

We arrived about 15 minutes before our time and were quickly checked in, given our wristbands and shown the way to the Tree Top Adventure Course. 

The Tree Top Adventure Course is suitable for both adults and children and lasts 1 hour. 

Staff lay out harnesses on the floor for your party and ask you to step in to them however they were on hand to help if needed. Once the boys were in their harnesses they were shown the demo area for a safety briefing. 

The demo area is a small platform which gives you an idea on how to walk with your harness attached at all times. The boys were told that there is no more than one adult and one child allowed on an obstacle at any one time and only 3 people on each podium in between the obstacles. 

There are two courses within the tree top adventure. Course 1 and Course 2, you can choose to do either or both depending on how much time you have left. 

Once the safety briefing was done they were free to head up in to the trees. They chose course 1 first. I stayed safe on the ground below watching them as they took on the obstacles. It is actually really high but they looked liked they were having lots of fun. 

You are advised to wear gloves. We brought our own. Its protection for your hands as you are attached to a metal wire which you glide your safety harness belt across as you move. 

The course took them approx 15 minutes and at the end there is a zip wire that brings them back to the ground. This was definitely a highlight. 

You can go around the courses as many times as you want within your 1 hour time slot. Course 1 is a little tricky at times but they loved it. Little J was unsure about course 2 as it has more wobbly obstacles so they stuck with course 1, maybe next time!

I wasn't worried about little J being up so high as I knew he had his brother and dad up there with him to help if he needed it. While they were up there a young boy with his brother started to cry, he wanted to get down however you can't once you are up there you have to keep going. 

A member of staff was soon up next to him and was really good with him encouraging him to keep going and finish the course with the staff member behind him. 

For those seeking adventure at new heights, tree activities offer not just excitement but also a great workout in nature. However, managing trees on your property can be more challenging. Whether it’s storm damage, overgrown branches, or general maintenance, ensuring that trees are safely handled is essential. If you’re in Texas and have large trees to manage, exploring professional services like tree removal in San Antonio can ensure both safety and property aesthetics are maintained.  

If you are spectating there are plenty of benches underneath the course for you to sit at. With regards to social distancing it was quite hard on the ground as people were walking around, watching and taking photographs of their children or family but as long as you try your best then you should be okay.

After the boys had finished their harnesses were popped over the fence and sprayed with anti bac.

The Tree Top Adventure course cost us £19 each for both adults and children. Time slots run every 15 minutes from 10am-4:15pm

It is worth noting that Go Ape, Delamere Forest has it's own car park and you pay at a machine. It only takes cash, there are no card payments. 

There is a toilet block in the car park however this was closed. The nearest toilets were in the Station cafe about 5 minutes walk away however to use the toilets you do have to be a paying customer. We bought some take out drinks after using the toilets.  

The boys had a great time and I would definitely recommend it.

Go Ape have a range of courses and sites throughout the UK. Have a read about the Go Ape Treetop Challenge at Bedgebury

********************************************************************************

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways.

Leave us a comment below and let us know about your visit 

Visit our Out and About section for more days out ideas

Like us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Buy Us A Virtual Coffee

Share This Post With Friends Who May Also Find It Useful. 

Michelle

Read More

Exploring Cheshire This Summer

Exploring Cheshire This Summer

No comments

The Summer Holidays is one of my favourite times of year. I get the whole school holidays off with the boys and together we love planning all the things we want to get up to. Days out is usually top of the list as we love being out and about and this Summer we are going to be #ExploringCheshire. We are so lucky to live close to Cheshire as we get to experience all the fantastic things to do and see.

Read More