Last week we had an amazing week in the lake district. We did lots of family walks which our kids enjoy most of the time. We wanted a family day out that was more for them than us one day though. We were kindly invited along to Treetop Nets Windermere which we thought would make the perfect treat for our girls. Find my Treetop Nets Windermere review and tips for making the most of your visit below. Find more great family days out North West here.
Treetop Nets Windermere
AD – We were given a family ticket for a 2 hour session at Treetop Nets Windermere in exchange for this review. All photos, thoughts and opinions are my own. Prices are correct as of October 2019.
We’ve seen Treetop Nets Windermere a few times before as it’s right next to the playground at Brockhole on Windermere which is one of the best playgrounds in the lake district that we have discovered.
What is Treetop Nets?
If you’re not familiar with treetop nets they have 3 locations (Windermere, Manchester and Ripon) and they are bouncy nets 12 meters above the ground, built around trees. No harnesses are required as the bouncy nets are surrounded by net sides so there’s nowhere to fall off. They’re suitable from age 3 (more on that below as we took our 3 and 6 year old with us).
There are net ramps of different gradients to get you up into the nets, net slides to get you down and various net chutes and crawl tunnels too. There are two levels to the nets at Windermere, connected by a maze of passages. There is 1 area with a number of large bouncy balls as well as a chill-out area for under 7s, if the nets get too busy for little ones.
Our session at Treetop Nets
We booked the 10am slot and had the nets to ourselves for almost an hour. When we arrived at treetop nets we checked in at the little hut. Friendly staff gave us wrist bands so we could come and go as we pleased during our 2 hour slot. We signed the safety forms and waited in the safety briefing area. You can see the safety advice here. Most of it is common sense, tie long hair back and no jewellery including rinds. The staff very helpfully had tape to put over our wedding rings which wouldn’t come off.
Once the safety briefing was over we were free to explore the nets. We headed for the main ramp and up to the first layer. The feeling of walking on the springy nets took a little getting used to for all of us but us adults and our 6 year old quickly adapted. Our youngest at just 3 never really adjusted to it. She held one of our hands at all times and had to be carried every so often.
My 6 year old tried climbing one of the vertical chutes but didn’t get very far but this wasn’t an essential part of the experience as all areas can be accessed by the ramps and walkways. The chutes are just another fun feature for bigger kids.
Next, we made our way to the ball area where both kids enjoyed playing with the balls, especially burying their daddy under them.
Next, we tried the slides. To go down the slides you need to be inside a sack. The sack helps you go faster and stops your clothes catching in the nets. Both our girls loved the slides most, despite taking some persuasion to go down the first time.
So how did our kids get on?
Our eldest who is 6 loved the experience. She took about 5 minutes to get used to walking on the nets. She was soon leaving us behind, running off and enjoying the nets. She loved the slides and went on them a lot. She loved it so much she had to be bribed off by the promise of ice cream when her 2-hour slot was up.
Our youngest is 3 years old. She never got used to walking on nets. I’m not sure if it was the feeling or whether it was because she could see how high up we were. She did enjoy the balls and going down the slides though with some encouragement. After about 40 minutes she refused to go back up a ramp after going down a slide, so my husband took her to the playground for a bit. We did manage to get her back on for the last 20 minutes to enjoy a few more slides.
Prices as of January 2023
Tickets from £23. Find out more here – Treetop Nets Windermere
Our verdict
Overall we loved the experience for our 6 year old. The price for 2 hours is more than we’d regularly spend on a morning out but as a special treat such as a birthday or holiday, I don’t think it’s too bad. Our 3 year old was probably a bit too young really. I think if the nets were any busier we would have struggled with her.
Top tips for visiting Treetop Nets
- Dress for the weather. Sessions are only cancelled in high winds so make sure you’re wearing waterproof clothing if needed.
- Booking your session in advance online is recommended. You can book here – Zip World Windermere.
- Parking charges are not included in the price so budget for that on top. There are reserved parking spaces for Treetop Trek and Nets but you still need to pay and display.
- There is a porter cabin with a couple of toilets right next to the nets. To save water they only have cleansing gel and no running water.
- There is some seating under and close by the nets for parents of older children who don’t need or want to be on the nets.
- Children can go on the nets from aged 3. Under 5’s need a supervising adult with them on the nets.
- For more pram-friendly walks Lake District see this post.
Where to next?
Find out more about Brockhole on Windermere here.
If the weather is wet then you need my post on things to do in the Lake District when it rains.
If you’re heading to the lake district with kids then you need to read my guide to things for kids to do in the Lake District.
Find loads of Things to do in Lake District with toddlers here
Find loads of Things to do in Windermere with kids here.
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