#devondaysout – The Bear Trail.
On Sunday we went to The Bear Trail in Cullompton for the first time.
Isabelle and I had been looking at the pictures on Facebook at all the mud-covered adults and children. She thought it was ‘awesome and I wondered what on earth I should wear!
I opted for gym gear and trainers to make running, jumping, and climbing possible.
At this point, I should mention that the day before we went it absolutely bucketed down so it was definitely going to be an extra muddy day!
I am usually the bag carrier! Daddy is usually the one who does the physical stuff whilst I look after the bags/coats/picnic, but this time I decided that we were all going to take part and have some fun.
Our Visit
The Bear Trail was easy to find and there was ample parking when we arrived.
The carpark overlooked the trail where all the equipment was laid out in a wide-open space with plenty of grass space in the middle, perfect for picnics.
Isabelle was very excited (and Daddy too) and were raring to go. When we arrived there were lots of cars arriving for a birthday party. All nicely dressed. Big mistake!
Inside the Bear Trail.
Aside from the trail itself, there is a barn with inside seating, a kiosk selling hot drinks, sandwiches, cakes as well as freshly made wood-fired pizzas, changing rooms, toilets, and a shower area.
There is also a play area for the littles with a sandpit, but there is no age limit on any of the equipment. The ethos is that if you think you can do it – give it a go. You know your own child’s capability.
Not forgetting in the far corner there is a pen with some alpaca and ponies which when you’re having fun could easily be overlooked, but we went over and gave the ponies a stroke.
The Trail
The trail has a selection of rope climbing frames, swing ropes, bridges, zip slides, tunnels, hay bales, stepping stones, tyres, and more, all with a huge puddle of muddy water either before, after or underneath.
Off we went, and at first, I think most people make some kind of attempt to stay out of the mud, but once you go in – you get stuck in. Isabelle had no hesitation and was a mud slick in minutes. Daddy closely followed whilst I lagged behind shop fresh clean.
After passing a fellow blogger who had got stuck in with her two boys I felt a bit of a wuss and with the help of Isabelle managed to get covered in mud. Squelchy feet and all.
You can go around the trail in order, but there were certain bits that we preferred so we made up our own route.
Some families set up picnics and had blankets and food laid out where the adults congregated and the kids were let loose to play. As it’s all open plan you can give the kids that bit of freedom.
We went around the trail for a good couple of hours before showering off and getting changed before being treated to a lovely lunch of a selection of wood-fired pizzas, cakes, and drinks.
About the Bear Trail
The trail set in Cullompton, Devon is about to celebrate its first birthday and was set in motion by Ben a former Army Man.
The trail is evolving and new obstacles are in the pipeline, as are better-changing facilities. We thought lockers were a good idea to eliminate the trips back to the car.
The trail is kept as basic as can be – no flashing lights, music, or bright colours. It’s all about getting outside and having good old-fashioned fun.
All the obstacles have safety nets but it’s very much up to the individual’s capability. Isabelle is six and was capable of taking part in every part of the trail and made the most of it.
It’s an all-weather day out. If it rains, you get muddier!
Info
The trail is open from 10 – 5pm. There are no time restrictions – you can stay all day.
Tickets are available at the entrance or online. If it’s the school holidays I would recommend booking beforehand to avoid disappointment.
Prices
Over 1 metre – £7.50
Under 1 metre – £4.50
Don’t wear your best clothes – they will get muddy.
Take spare clothes, shoes, towels and a bag to put all the muddy clothes in.
Food is available – the pizzas are awesome, but you can take your own. There are plenty of picnic tables and grassy areas to sit.
The Bear Trail Birthday Party’s – You can host a birthday party at the trail with different priced packages to suit your budget.
All in all we had a great day so The Bear Trail gets the thumbs up from us.
To celebrate their first birthday they are having a Colour Bomb Run where you will be showered with the colours of the rainbow as well as mud – This is taking place on 23rd July and booking is advisable.
For you lovely readers we can offer 5% off the usual ticket price if you book online. Just add the code: BLOG5 at the checkout.
Have fun.
Lisa x
It looks like such good fun. We really must pay it a visit. X
Looks like you had loads of fun. How do reckon a 3 year old would get on there? X
It was great. If your 3yo is capable of climbing and doesn’t mind getting muddy then yes it would definitely be worth a trip. We all did it together but some parents stood on the side and let their little ones get on with it x
This looks so much fun! (and very messy also) We have The Bear Trail on our ‘to do’ list so hopefully will venture there soon 🙂
You should definitely do it. I think next time we go we’ll take a huge picnic and camp out for the day x