A supersized adventure, a steam train ride and the chance to meet a bunny on a carrot throne – just some of the egg-citing things in store at Devon attractions this Easter, as CHRISSY HARRIS discovers when she chooses 8 of the best to enjoy
1. As egg hunts go, this one is going to be huge. RHS Rosemoor has just upped the ante this Easter with a cracking collection of colourful giant eggs, hidden throughout the garden.
Children and their families will feel as though they’ve shrunk into a miniature world when they make their way around the trail, looking out for these supersized bright and cheerful creations, presumably left by one gigantic bunny.
This big dose of Easter fun is just one of the many events taking place at Devon’s attractions this month.
Our theme parks, gardens, museums and more have really gone to town this year, making up for lost Easter fun.
The plan is to put a spring in everyone’s step, with plenty of egg hunts, bunnies and, of course, chocolate treats.
Emma Thomson, Rosemoor’s head of site, says Easter is a great time to visit. “Not only is there the opportunity for young explorers to have fun and earn a delicious PLAYin CHOC treat on the Giant Egg Hunt, but there’s so much to see as the garden springs to life,” she says.
“There are thousands of tulips and daffodils in flower and cherry trees bedecked with beautiful blossom throughout, and our woodlands are ablaze with rhododendrons, camellias, magnolias and azaleas all putting on their spring display.”
2. At the Milky Way Adventure Park in Higher Clovelly, North Devon, they’ve set up an entire Easter Bunny grotto, complete with carrot throne and a team of ‘eggsperts’, responsible for producing the entire world’s chocolate eggs.
Visitors will be asked to enter their crazy world, after going through the ‘good egg’ and ‘bad egg’ sorting machine before being taken on a magical trip down a rabbit warren.
“We really do try to go that extra mile at Easter,” says Milky Way partner Tara Stanbury. “We’re not just talking a few bits of bunting. Our Easter Bunny HQ is a really special experience and this year there’s an extra themed room with a series of fun games and activities for families to enjoy before they meet the Bunny and receive their egg.”
The Easter Grotto has been a fun addition to the park for more than five years but the new improvements - which were ready for Easter 2020 - had to be abandoned when covid hit.
This year, everyone is determined that the popular show, which runs from April 9th to 22nd, will not only go ahead but will be bigger and better than ever.
“We’re really excited,” says Tara (surely, she means egg-cited). “We can’t wait for families to come and enjoy it at last!”
To book your tickets, see here.
More Easter adventures
3. Woodlands Theme Park Devon is also hosting at Easter Grotto (April 9 to 24) which promises to be a journey through a land of chocolate heaven.
4. In Clovelly, North Devon, young visitors will be given a village map and asked to look out for the Easter chicks, perched up and down the famous cobbled high street (April 4 to 18)
5. Enjoying a roaring good time at Crealy, near Exeter. The attraction has organised an ‘Eggo-Saurus Dino Hunt’ event (April 9 to 24), where visitors have to find the dinosaur eggs hidden across the park. Participants will be given a prehistoric map and will be asked to tick off all the locations, before claiming a prize.
6. Down in South Devon, they’ve got a very special visitor arriving this year. Thomas the Tank Engine will be making an appearance this month, ready to take passengers on a trip through the beautiful countryside.
South Devon Railway is hosting the event, which takes place between April 15 and 18. Visitors will be able to take a train ride with Thomas between Buckfastleigh and Totnes Riverside stations. There will also be a magic show and a miniature railway.
7. If you’re looking for a fresh air and fun kind of day, pay a visit to Haldon Forest Park, near Exeter. They’ve recently launched a new adventure trail around the park, based on the much-loved children’s book, Superworm, by Julia Donaldson.
Visitors can discover the small but mighty creatures in the and learn about other minibeasts in the forest. The new self-led trail features brightly illustrated panels and a pack full of activities.
8. At Coldharbour Mill, Uffculme, get ready for a Mad Hatter’s Craft tea party and egg hunt on April 18. Coldharbour is one of the oldest woollen mills in the UK, having been in continuous production since 1797.
Easter visitors will be able to see the 19th century engines in action as they hunt for eggs, cleverly hidden by the resident March Hare.
Members working together
All of the places mentioned are members of the Devon Association of Tourist Attractions (DATA).
The not-for-profit group represents the county’s best visitor attractions. To become a member, an organisation has to go through a tough inspection process and maintain certain quality standards. The 37 DATA members include adrenaline-packed theme parks, animal encounters, historic houses and gardens, museums, steam railways, boats and trams.
