Activities in Farnham

Dating back to the 12th century, Farnham Castle is an impressively well-preserved ‘motte and shell keep’ castle less than a mile from the centre of town. The castle is open daily, including the raised viewing platform, with plenty of information boards dotted around the castle providing valuable history lessons and nuggets of information.

Keeping things historical, Waverley Abbey was one of the earliest UK monasteries, set up in 1128 by French Cistercian monks. A working Abbey until the 16th century, much of the site is well-maintained, with the ruins covering the monks’ quarters, the 90-metre-long church and even remaining walls and upper levels. And if the Abbey looks familiar, then that’s thanks to the Hollywood touch, as Elizabeth and Disney’s ‘Into The Woods’ used the grounds in their blockbusters. Nearby, you’ll also find Farnham Heath, a gorgeous heathland home to over 100 bird species, lizards and rare fungi.

Once a medieval deer park, Farnham Park is now a brilliant modern-day park and recreation space, boasting a nine-hole golf course, football and cricket pitches and several playgrounds for toddlers and more adventurous climbers. The 300-acre park also has its own toilets and cafe and is just a short walk from Farnham Castle and our Farnham hotel.

A living history museum packed with exhibits, artefacts and hands-on demonstrations, the Rural Life Centre is a fascinating family day out less than five miles from our Fleet hotel. Covering historic country life over the last few centuries, the museum has plenty of refurbished and reconstructed buildings to discover, plus you can get to grips with traditional industries like brick carving and ploughing, plus a large playground and tractor shed.

Park life doesn’t get much better than Frimley Lodge Park, with the 60-acre park covering two playgrounds, a miniature railway, pitch and putt golf and several cricket and football pitches. The Farnborough park also has its own free library shed and a popular cafe open daily where you can pull up a pew and get lost in your new thriller.

Don’t worry – they’re not real wolves or rutting stags in the forest; they’re just some of the 600 sculptures on display across 10 acres of water gardens and gentle woods at The Sculpture Park. Perfect for art lovers and those looking for a break from the normal park life experience, The Sculpture Park is located several miles south of Farnham in the South Downs National Park, with everything from abstract sculptures, steelworks and stone displays on show.

Spanning archaeological finds, important works of art and a large costume collection, the Museum of Farnham has a well-rounded range of exhibits, with plenty of interactive displays for children. Housed in a Grade I listed Georgian townhouse, the museum charts the rise of Farnham during the Georgian period, while the gardening exhibits (covering the Roman period to the modern day) and Civil War displays are well worth checking out.