In summary
Based near Saffron Walden, Essex, and located opposite the picturesque Audley End House and Gardens, this attraction is a charming 1.5 mile miniature train ride through woodland, where families can also explore an elf and fairy walk, and little ones can run their legs off in an adventure playground.
When do we visit?
I visited with my sons Odhran, 8, and Reuben, 5, on a warm and sunny Monday during the Easter holidays. Audley End Miniature Railway is closed from the end of December until mid March and only open for special events on select dates in October, November and December. For the Halloween and Christmas events temporary structures may be in place. But generally speaking, this is an outdoor attraction and doesn't offer a rainy day guarantee. So if rain spoils your day, you won't be refunded or receive a discount off a return visit. Therefore, you may want to check the weather forecast before booking your visit. And if you are visiting during the wetter and colder months be sure to wear warm waterproofs and walking boots or wellies. The sun was shining during our Spring visit and it was lovely being able to relax at one of the picnic tables, while keeping an eye on the kids as they ran around the playground.
What is there to see and do?
A miniature train
The miniature train is the main attraction. It's a 1.5 mile ride through lovely woodland. When we visited for the special event at Easter, the ride took about half an hour. The staff were all friendly and stirred up excitement in the kids before we set off. The ride itself was a relaxing journey for all ages. There was loads to spot along the way, as they'd created these fantastic temporary structures filled with flowers, Easter eggs and dressed up bunnies, so it felt like watching the bunnies in their day-to-day woodland life as we passed on through. The train stopped off in an enclosed structure for a wonderful little show with the Easter Bunny and his woodland friends. You stay on the train and watch the performance from your seat. The boys were totally engaged throughout, and all the kids received a little cuddle toy from the Easter Bunny before we set off back to the starting point. I imagine the format is similar for their other seasonal events.
Fairy and Elf Walk
This little walk through the woodland to spot all the fairies in their array of wonderfully detailed little homes would have been a dream come true for me as a little girl - though I'm not sure I'd have been able to resist the urge to touch! I could have spent ages closely inspecting and admiring all the little homes with all their tiny furnishings and different themes, but the boys showed no interest in the fairy walk and raced on ahead to the Adventure Playground. Kids are given a little booklet to tick off all the fairies they find but this part of the attraction will most likely be of greater interest to little girls, and it's a bit of shame there isn't another element incorporated into the experience at Audley End Miniature Railway to appeal more to little boys.
Adventure Playground
The Adventure Playground is made entirely of sustainable wood and has bridges, ropes, swings and slides to keep kids occupied. The boys quickly made friends with other kids, and they had fun playing chase around the playground - running over the wooden bridge and climbing through the wooden train structure. The food kiosks are right next to the Adventure Playground so the kids can play while you wait for your food. There are loads of picnic tables around the playground. So, parents can take the weight of their feet and watch the kids play.
Seasonal events
Audley End Miniature Railway runs lots of special events throughout the year for all the big occasions such as Easter, Halloween and Christmas. During our Easter visit there was at the Easter Bunny live show, Easter-themed structures to spot on the train ride, spring activities and a separate tent with a singalong show. Odhran and Reuben loved the Easter Bunny and friends show and Easter-themed train ride. They also loved sowing sunflower seeds with the help of a Fairy in the craft area, and taking their plants home - the sunflowers are now fully grown and about to flower. But they weren't keen on the sing-a-long, which they said was 'babyish' and to be fair, it was aimed more at toddlers and pre-school kids.
Enchanted Summer Adventure will run from 20 July to 1 September. Littles ones will be able to spot the mythical creatures living in the woodlands and keep an eye out for the dragon's golden egg. There'll be the chance to decorate your own unicorn or dragon mask, enjoy old fashioned games, bubbles and a stage show, and meet Nibbles the Dragon.
What age is it most suitable for?
The train ride is enjoyable for all ages - kids, parents, grandparents. But overall, I'd say the attraction is best suited for children under the age of 8, particularly toddlers and pre-schoolers.
What about food and drink?
There are three little kiosks next to Adventure Playground. There's the Woodland Café, selling hot and cold drinks (tea £1.60, coffee £3.10, hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows £3.40) snacks and lunch items such as hot wraps (£7.50), burgers (£7), hot dogs (£6) and children's lunch bags (ham or cheese roll, crisps, biscuit, fruit and a fruit shoot for £6.50). But when we went to get food at around 2pm most of the food was sold out. So, we visited pizza kiosk next door but paid £33 for three small pizzas that looked to be straight out of a Chicago Town box. The ice-cream was similarly disappointing and we heard other people mumbling their complaints about the price of the small servings. I'd advise bringing a picnic. There are lots of picnic tables, but you might want to bring a picnic blanker in case it's busy, as there's plenty of lovely green space to sit and relax.
How long will you spent there?
We spent about three hours here but if you're child is really into fairies, you'll likely spend longer.
How much does it cost?
Prices vary according to the occasion. Standard Woodland Adventure Days cost £10-£12 for an adult and children over 92cm, £5-£6 for a child under 92cm.
The Enchanted Summer dates (20 July - 1 September) cost £14-£16 for an adult and children over 92cm, £7-£8 for children under 92cm.
For other special occasions such as Easter, Halloween and Christmas, you'll pay a bit more. Easter ticket prices were charged at £18.50-£20 for adults and children over 92cm, £9.50-£10 for children under 92cm.
On both standard and special occasions children under one, carers and disabled go free.
How to save money on a visit to Audley End Miniature Railway
Woodland Adventure Days run from 15 April to 6 October, and are an off-peak, value day out. This is a great option for parents or grandparents who want to enjoy time with a toddler or baby while the bigger siblings are at school. It's cheaper to book online, in advance, and weekdays tend to be cheaper than weekends. You get a free second train ride if you visit during the week (subject to availability) so perfect for any train-obsessed toddler, and during the week all adults get a free tea or coffee.
If you live nearby and think you might visit several times during the year, you might want to consider membership. This costs £40 for adults and children over 92cm and £20 for children under 92cm, except under 1's who go free. This entitles you to unlimited visits on Train & Play Days, Woodland Adventure Days, May Half Term and Enchanted Summer Adventure Days.
What to know before visiting Audley End Miniature Railway
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For special events pre-booking is essential
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Aim to arrive 20-30 minutes before you booked train time to allow for trips to the loo and to grab a tea or coffee for the ride
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There is a buggy park, so there's no issue with taking your buggy along with you. There are also toilets and baby change facilities
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There's a wheelchair accessible carriage for one wheelchair and four other people. So, let them know in advance if you need to book this carriage
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They run autism and SEN friendly sessions
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Bring your bank card as it's a cashless attraction
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Pack a picnic. We'd recommend bringing lunch and snacks as there are plenty of picnic tables
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Don't forget the sun cream for Summer days and light rain jackets if there's any chance of rain as it's an outdoor attraction. If it's been raining, it's worth wearing wellies, and dressing little ones in puddle suits, as the woodland area may get muddy
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If your child is particularly into fairies and has a little wand or fairy costume it might be fun and make for nice pix to bring them in fancy dress
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There's a lovely little gift shop selling nice merchandise, including engineer caps, signal flags and whistles, so your child might want to bring their pocket money
Take a Break's verdict
On a sunny day, this is a lovely way to while away a few hours with little ones. If you've got a toddler who's big into trains or fairies, then this will be the perfect day out. But we found it didn't have a huge amount to offer older kids, or enough to make it worth travelling any great distance. But if you live nearby, or if you happen to be passing through or visiting the area with kids, it's a charming way to spend a day. We rate it 4/5.