Easter bonnet parades, duck races and egg-citing hunts for chocolate detectives are just some of the low or no-cost Easter events bobbing up on the coast this year. Visit englandscoast.com, the one-stop browse-and-book platform to find out what’s on!
Get little ears flapping and head down to Bridport in Dorset for the new Stampede by the Sea free interactive trail criss-crossing Bridport, West Bay and Lyme Regis, open from the 28th of March until the 27th of May. Throughout the Easter holidays families can download maps and track down more than 50 brilliantly coloured elephants, designed and painted by local artists.
Each elephant has a scannable QR code with special offers, activities and competitions to win attraction passes and much more. The trail is free, but visitors are encouraged to donate to Dorset-based charity Weldmar Hospicecare.
Also new and free, the Dorchester Roman Festival will offer thrilling Gladiator battles, re-enactments, mosaic-making and Roman dress-up. Set in the ancient Roman amphitheatre of Maumbury Rings, the Roman Festival takes place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th April, whisking participants back in time to gladiatorial combat and clashes, hands-on creative activities and the chance to explore local Roman archaeology and exhibits.
On the North Norfolk coast, Holkham Park Easter Trail at Holkham Hall, 5th – 17th April, invites all the family to grab their bunny ears and get cracking on the Easter egg hunt trail to decipher the code and track down all the trail boards. Explore outside and have fun hunting in the deer-filled grounds of this spectacular stately home. The trail is free but parking charges apply when in Holkham Park.
What better way to celebrate Easter than meeting new-born lambs? At Easter Adventure at Wroxham Barns, in Hoveton Norfolk, 5th – 21st April, visitors can witness lambs being born during an up-close experience in the lambing enclosure. Costing £12 per adult and child, visitors can stay all day until 5pm. An Easter Trail and plenty of creative activities are also available – and there’s even a rainy- day guarantee. You can also book to camp and ‘glamp’ here.
If you’re looking for an Easter egg-stravaganza for the whole family, get over to North Yorkshire’s Redcar Racecourse for a fun Easter Monday Raceday. Alongside the horse racing there’s bags of free entertainment in the Course Enclosure including bouncy castles, face-painting and a visit from the Easter Bunny.
Still in North Yorkshire, at the beautiful garden of Ormesby Hall, there’s wheel barrow racing, an egg and spoon race, Wellington boot throwing, seed planting and an Easter trail from Saturday 12th until Sunday 27th April. Prices are £3 per trail, which includes a trail sheet, bunny ears and chocolate egg. Then head to nearby South Gare beach to run off the sugar rush!
If you’re on the north east coast, make your way to Hartlepool’s Headland this Easter, 22th – 27th April, for free sports, games, crafts and a walking trail with a host of characters including Fish Annie and Rime of the Submerged Forest. Explore Hartlepool is also offering an activity pack full of free coastal activities. Whilst there, visit Hartlepool Marina, one of the most modern in Europe attracting hundreds of vessels, with scores of cosmopolitan bars, bistros and cafes – perfect for an Easter roast!
In the South East, Margate is within easy reach of London and makes for a great day out; this year join the Great Egg Case and Scavenger Hunt on Margate Main Sands hunting for clues of marine life on the shore. Look out for shark and ray egg cases and join in beach sand art with all equipment provided by the Thanet Coast Project. The event is free but book ahead, there’s a suggested donation of £2.50 per adult, with a child’s present included. Or head to Ramsgate’s Easter Handmade & Vintage Fair on 20th April for heaving stalls of tempting locally-made Easter treats.
In Devon, visit Pennywell farm for its Egg-stravaganza Trails and egg hunt all around the farm, leading to the Easter Bunny’s house and ending with a chocolate prize. There’s an enter-the-photo competition to win a hamper, have a go at guessing the weight of Easter Bunny’s Helpers, hunt the golden egg and much more!
Or hop over to the Easter Egg Trail at Babbacombe Model Village, which runs from now until April 13th, to hunt out colourful hidden eggs. Successful explorers will enjoy a small gift – while the nine-hole Crazy Golf course will ramp up the family’s competitive spirit. While you’re here, visit Greenway near Dartmouth, former holiday home of Agatha Christie, for the spectacular Festival of Blossom.
For more information on England’s Coast visit www.englandscoast.com/en
Some images supplied. Some images courtesy of unsplash.com and pexels.com
