Adventure Valley
Updated: Aug 4
Visit Adventure Valley
Adventure Valley is the North East's biggest family adventure park, set within the scenic grounds of Valley Farm on the outskirts of Durham. With over 50 attractions spread across indoor play zones, outdoor adventure areas and a working farmyard, it's built to fill a full day out whatever the weather, and regularly hosts seasonal events for Halloween, Christmas and Easter.
The lowdown:
Where: Union Hall Farm, Brasside, Durham, DH1 5SG (use DH1 5SA for the most accurate sat nav directions)
When: Open daily, 10am–5pm, with last admission one hour before closing. From April to November, the park is open seven days a week. From November to April, it's open five days a week and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Cost: All-inclusive entry is around £16.95 per person when booked online, with prices up to £17 on the door. Babies and one-year-olds go free. A handful of activities cost extra on top of general admission, including the adventure golf, the barrel train ride, the Roller Disco and pony rides. Booking online in advance is recommended, both to save money and to guarantee entry during busy periods.
Parking: Free on-site car parking. The park is wheelchair accessible throughout, including accessible toilets, though paths can be hilly in places. Wheelchairs are available to rent on site for £1. A direct bus service (the No.62) runs hourly from Durham city centre, departing from North Road Stand B.
Adventure Valley is genuinely vast, split across zones including the Undercover Farmyard, the three-storey, 18,000 sq ft indoor Wild West Play Town with slides, scramble nets and tubes, the Busy Bees Barn with its cowboy-themed air cannon arena and sandpit, and Action Creek outdoor play area with go-karts, tractor rides, jumping pillows, a zip wire and giant slides. Animal encounters include llamas, kune kune pigs, coatimundi, chipmunks and caracara birds, alongside daily Bird-O-Batics flying displays, gold panning, pony rides and sheep and goat racing for a bit of family competition. There's also a separate 18-hole Adventure Valley Golf course next door at Brasside, Durham's only dedicated adventure golf. Café Italia serves meals, pizzas and paninis on site, with picnic areas also available.
