A new adventure play attraction, featuring a multi-level tower with tall spires and ‘pepper pot’ roof, is due to be unveiled at Burghley House and Gardens in the spring of 2023.
Inspired by the history and architecture of the grand Elizabethan house – on the outskirts of the Georgian stone town of Stamford, in Lincolnshire – the new playground will feature walkways, bridges, and lookout towers.
Burghley has worked with world-class designers, CAP.Co Adventure Play, which specialise in creating narrative-led play experiences to complement their surroundings, to deliver a bespoke attraction in a woodland area near the Sculpture Garden.
Taking its lead from the distinctive architecture of Burghley, one of England’s greatest Elizabethan houses, the centrepiece of the new attraction will be a multi-level play tower featuring three impressive tall spires with ‘pepper pot’ roof detailing, while other features include a maze of walkways and bridges, drop slides, crawl tunnels, lookout towers, balancing trails, and percussive play.
Alongside the new attraction – designed to capture the imaginations of children from toddler age up – will be a refreshment kiosk and visitor toilets.
Being built in an area of the grounds that up until now has been closed to the public, the new attraction’s design also aims to preserve and enhance its woodland setting. The construction phase has been planned to protect the natural environment as far as possible, while extensive planting schemes are also integral to the design.
More new-look visitor facilities will also be unveiled at Burghley for the new season.
A new more accessible, all-weather car park, is scheduled to open in Spring 2023, increasing parking capacity with 365 car parking bays in a main car park and a further 370 bays in a green overflow area. The new car park will remain free of parking fees and have CCTV for security, electric vehicle charging points and an area for coaches. Disabled parking will remain in its current location.
Along with improving the visitor experience, conservation and preservation of Burghley’s historic Parkland has also been a key factor in the decision to relocate the car park from its current location, where tree roots are being damaged from compaction of soil caused by vehicles. The new car park will reduce the impact on trees and allow the area to recover and return to its natural landscape.
During the construction stage of both projects, the Park, restaurant, café and shop will remain open as usual.
For more details, visit www.burghley.co.uk