Indoor and Outdoor Adventures at Conkers in Derbyshire

Think of ‘Conkers’ and you’ll probably think of the playground game of smashing your opponent’s horse chesnut seed to smithereens (those were the days)! But did you know it’s also the name of an award-winning attraction in Derbyshire?

Located at the heart of the National Forest, which merges both ancient woodland with millions of newly planted trees, Conkers offers 120 acres of adventure! Knowing how unpredictable (i.e. rainy) the British climate can be, they’ve cleverly come up with both indoor and outdoor play areas, so you can have fun whatever the weather.

Here are some of the things you can get up to at Conkers:

Aerial Adventures

Conkers has some amazing aerial adventures on offer – they have high and low rope courses, a 30-foot climbing wall and a ‘Powerfan Descender’. The last one is a leap of faith – literally! You step off a 40-foot-high platform and experience a sensation of free-falling through the air before your descent is slowed down. Finish your course with a fast and furious zip wire that takes you 110 metres through the air to your final destination.

E-Scooter Safari

Take an expedition through the beautiful woodland trail on electric scooters – something you don’t do every day! The hour-long trail is led by a team of rangers, who will guide you and point out some great views and historical tidbits along the way. Anyone over the age of 8 can join in (children under 16 must have an adult with them) and all safety equipment is provided. Just bring yourself and sensible outdoor clothing and shoes!

Indoor Activities

If the weather’s not on your side, don’t worry, there’s still loads to do at Conkers. There are four seasonal zones with over 80 interactive indoor exhibits to keep you entertained, and there’s also a 4D cinema and crafting workshops. You can also explore The Warrens, a new attraction with over 70 metres of underground tunnels. Can you find your way through the labyrinth of meandering paths using just your senses to get back to the surface?

Barefoot Walk

Here’s a way to truly get back to nature – take off your shoes and socks and walk barefoot! When was the last time you felt the grass between your toes, or oozing mud for that matter? You’ll walk 450 meters over timber, bark, coal, pebbles, wood and clay, wet mud and sun baked rocks. Kids love this sensory experience and it’s a great one for adults too – strangely relaxing!

Outdoor Pursuits

We can’t forget to mention the other fantastic outdoor pursuits at Conkers: you can learn bush craft survival, go Kata canoeing, karting, cycling or try your hand at archery. You can combine different activities to build a Family Adventure Day or Corporate Adventure Day, which includes lunch and refreshments.

There’s so much to do at Conkers you might want to spread it over a weekend – they can arrange accommodation for you at the nearby youth hostel for a brilliant mini break.