Soft archery and Pokémon: Summer of Play at Lanhydrock

The school holidays have a way of swallowing whole days, and a wet Cornish afternoon can swallow a parent’s patience with them. Lanhydrock has an answer. The National Trust estate near Bodmin has filled its summer with something different to try every day, from soft archery on the lawn to a Pokémon trail winding through the grounds, and most of it happens outdoors with the Victorian house and gardens as the backdrop.

What is on at Summer of Play

Summer of Play is the National Trust‘s programme of drop-in family activities running across the estate. The idea is that there is a reason to come back more than once, because the line-up shifts through the week rather than repeating the same thing every day.

Soft archery lets younger visitors take aim on the Tennis Court Lawn. There is storytime in the Servants’ Hall, Sunday crafts, nature sessions run outdoors, plus lawn games and open family play in the parkland. Most of the activities sit within the usual daytime opening hours, so they slot into a normal visit rather than needing a separate trip.

For families working out whether it suits a toddler or an older child, the mix is broad enough to cover both. The quieter storytelling and craft sessions sit alongside the more active archery and games, and the gardens and wider parkland give everyone room to run about in between.

Pokémon lands across the estate

The summer is backed by Pokémon, and that brings two things to Lanhydrock. The first is the Pokémon Trading Card Game Mega Evolution Trail, running throughout the summer, which sends families on a route around the grounds to follow. The second is Pokémon GO, live across the estate, turning a walk through the parkland into something to explore on a phone as you go.

It is the kind of hook that gets reluctant walkers out of the car. A child chasing a trail tends to cover more ground than one being told to enjoy the view, and Lanhydrock has plenty of ground to cover.

Planning a visit

Dates, times and the full activity list are on the Lanhydrock events page, which is worth a look before you set off because individual activities run on their own days through the season. Normal admission and National Trust membership rules apply for entry to the estate.

Summer of Play runs through the school break, so there is time to fit in more than one visit, and the programme is built on the assumption that you will.

📷Credit: National Trust Images /Annapurna Mellor