WILD cooking, owl pellet dissection and building homes for wild animals are just some of the things on offer at Dyrham Park this August Bank Holiday weekend.

The family-friendly attraction managed by the National Trust near Bristol and Bath has seen thousands of children enjoying the open parkland, play areas and activities on offer during the summer holidays and the Bank Holiday weekend is set to be one of the highlights.

Dyrham Park is a great place to tick off more than half of the suggestions on the National Trust’s 50 Things challenge – including rolling down a big hill, hunting for bugs and flying a kite. The Sunday of the Bank Holiday weekend is a special 50 things challenge day where our team will be on hand to provide you with all the materials and knowledge you need to make a home for wild animals.

There are two natural play areas – Old Lodge for all ages, with tractors, a fort to climb and nature table where you can hold some real deer antlers; and Hollow Ways for older children, great for climbing on balancing beams and stepping stones and building dens. You can find this on the Journey of Discovery family trail, which follows eight wooden carved sculptures from the car part to the house.

Acting National Trust Visitor Experience Manager Kate Collins said: “We’ve had a brilliant summer so far and are pleased to say it’s not over just yet. It’s been amazing to see so many happy families here, running in the park with homemade kites, in awe at coming face to face with wild deer and, of course, enjoying an ice cream in the summer sun.

“We’ve stayed open later on weekends, which has allowed people to experience Dyrham Park at a beautiful time of day and this continues this Bank Holiday Weekend, where we’re open until 6pm on the Saturday and Sunday instead of the usual 5pm.”

Full programme:

Sat 27 Aug, 1-2pm – Owl pellet dissection

Join our ranger at Old Lodge to look at a barn owl skeleton. You can learn about how we protect barn owls and where they live at Dyrham Park. Have a look at a barn owl nesting box and help our ranger dissect an owl pellet to find out what it has eaten.

Sun 28 Aug, all day – 50 Things Challenge Day

Each Sunday throughout the school holidays has focussed on another item on the 50 things challenge list – many of which can be completed at Dyrham Park. Once you’ve completed a challenge, you can pick up a sticker for your book.

Mon 29 Aug, noon-2pm - Wild cooking

Join us over a campfire in the woodland at Badminton Plantation as we make damper bread to toast over the fire. This was a dough used by the first settlers in Australia as they learned to live in their new world and explored the wilderness.

Situated just off junction 18 of the M4 – 8 miles north of Bath and 12 miles east of Bristol, Dyrham Park comprises a park, garden, tea-room and shop are open daily 10am-5pm. Free entry for National Trust members and under 5s.

For more information, please visit the website www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrhampark or call 0117 937 2501.