Whistlestop Valley — Attraction in Kirklees

This place is a real hidden gem. We've just visited here for my son's 6th birthday on a Saturday in July and it was absolutely great. Very laid back, easygoing day, and not too busy at all. We visited with four boys who were all aged 6 to 4. I'd say they were the perfect ages as they thoroughly enjoyed every element of the day. We started out on the bouncy pillow, which they pretty much had to themselves at 11.45 when we first arrived. This massive inflatable is under cover, so it's a great option for if it rains. Luckily we had glorious sunshine all day. We then had a picnic on some tables outside on the grass and then went on the playground. This playground is medieval themed and is definitely a cut above most outdoor playgrounds I've been to. It features castles and towers, tunnels and bridges, which the boys loved. I feel that the whole place is geared towards imaginative play, which I think is great as the boys got stuck in playing Bowser's Castle straight away. The thing I really that really impressed me about the playground was the very bouncy floor. It was very spongy and also clean, so really ideal for little ones charging about. We then moved onto the peddle carts. Wow! what a hit these were. The boys absolutely loved them. This area has been really nicely done, with a great road layout and lovely wooden buildings, including a filling station with electric style charges for the carts. We got onto the carts straight away and the boys were able to stay on as long as they liked as there was no queue. I'd say there were maybe 8 carts in total so there may be queues on busier days. We did a round of crazy golf, which again was empty. The boys enjoyed making up their own rules and hitting the balls through the tunnels. We did a couple of rides on the mini train which was fun and then we went on the bigger train to Shelley. The staff on the train are so enthusiastic, it really made it special. The scenery on the trip is beautiful and there are lots of things to see. There's a long tunnel and a point were two trains pass so plenty of action! When we got to Shelley station we enjoyed ice creams from the dessert parlour and then the boys played on the playground whilst my husband and I enjoyed the incredible views over Shelley. It was so tranquil and chilled, it was such a welcome change from all the usual chaos you get at kids places. Again, another great playground geared up for imaginative play as the the play equipment looks like trains. There is also a little sand pit and another smaller playground under the canopy of trees. They have cleverly placed tables next to playgrounds here so grown ups can sit down and enjoy a drink whilst the kids play. We then went back on the train and then managed to get a last 40 minutes on the peddle carts again before it closed. The toilets were all clean and all the staff we encountered were helpful and friendly. There were also a couple of indoor play areas which were full of great toys for cooler or rainy days, but we didn't go in those as the weather was great. We are going back again for a Bluey day in August, so it will be interesting to see what it is like when it's a bit busier. It felt like really good value, and we had plenty to do to fill the whole day. We had a magical and memorable time, I would highly...

We visited on a weekday during the summer holiday with our 2 year old grandson. Living in Greater Manchester we had a bit of a drive to get here (an hour and fifteen minutes, which, with a 2 year old is plenty) so were hoping it works prove to be worth the journey. We weren't disappointed. We had the best day. We chose Whistlestop Valley because our grandson, like a lot of 2 year olds is train-obsessed (thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine). We paid around £15 per adult and our little one was free. This turned out to be incredible good value. There is a little train ride within the park which our grandson loved and we all rode at least ten times, we had a game of crazy golf and rode the steam train which is 25 minutes each way. At the other end of the line was a children's entertainer who was really good with the little ones. On our return we ate in the cafe (the only slight disappointment. At least three items that we requested, they'd run out of - they were busy so can't complain too much). All the staff, without fail, were really friendly. The gentlemen operating the miniature train in the park deserve a special mention. They were lovely with everyone and even when our grandson wasn't riding the train, they waved to him every time they drove past. It really was just a lovely day out. We will definitely be returning, probably for one of their special events. For what is included in the price it is really good value for money. There is easily enough to entertain little ones for...

So... yeah we couldn't have picked a worse day to go to Whistlestop Valley. Heavy rain on and off for the majority of the day. 😅

Anyway if your child/children love trains this an amazing place to go.

Split into 2 areas the main area has a cafe w/gift shop with a toy train whizzing round a track up above. At the back door of the gift shop is the train station (we'll get back to that later).

Also in the main area is a: miniature train track, fairground rides, a full sized train carriage for parties, an indoor play area (train themed of course) a train and castle themed play area, inflatable pillow, crazy golf and a pedal kart area. A decent variety of things for children to do.

Back to the train station, the train ride takes about 20-25 minutes to get to the other end of the track. You pass through some amazing countryside views and you go into a tunnel as well. My family really enjoyed it, I felt like a big kid honestly 😂.

Anyway once the train ride ends you end up at the second area of Whistlestop Valley. It's a smaller area but has a train themed play area, small cafe, plenty of seating, a DVD screening room with books as well (Hey Duggee was playing so of course our kids were glued to it for a bit) and toilet facilities.

Despite the absolutely dreadful weather there was still plenty for our kids to do and to play with.

I'd highly recommend going here rain or shine, we will certainly be going back again in future, hopefully when one of the special events are...