Easter in Mid Devon: Things to Do This Spring
Easter lands early this year, with the school holidays running from Friday 3rd to Saturday 18th April. Whether you’re visiting Mid Devon for the break or looking for ideas closer to home, there’s a really good mix of things on offer… from steam engines and Easter trails to horse-drawn barges and pottery painting. Here’s what’s happening.
Special Events: Worth Planning Around
Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life – Easter Fun at the Museum (3rd–18th April)
Something suspicious is happening at Tiverton Museum this Easter. A carrot thief is on the loose, and it’s up to your family to track them down. Follow the trail around the galleries, spot the missing carrots, and piece together the clues to work out who’s responsible. It’s a self-led, relaxed activity that works well for a range of ages – and it’s included in normal admission (adults £9.50, accompanied children free). You can book ahead online or just drop in on the day.
On top of the trail, there are Crafty Tuesdays on 7th and 14th April (10:30am–12:30pm) – drop-in craft sessions where children can make something to take home. No booking needed; £3 per child with a paying adult.
If the weather turns, this is also one of the few genuinely indoor options in Tiverton – worth keeping in your back pocket for a rainy afternoon.
Coldharbour Mill, Uffculme — Mad Hatters & March Hares (Monday 6th April)
The Easter Bunny is reportedly causing mischief at Coldharbour Mill ahead of their Mad Hatters & March Hares event on Easter Monday. All five steam engines will be running until 3pm, which is worth seeing in itself – Coldharbour Mill is one of the finest surviving Victorian wool mills in the country, and on steam days it genuinely comes alive. Alongside the steam, there’s live music, vintage tractors, face painting, an egg hunt, crafts, and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny. Free bunny ears on entry, which is exactly the kind of detail that makes a day feel special. Open 10:30am–4pm. Check their website for full details.
Devon Railway Centre, Bickleigh – Easter Special (3rd–6th April)
The Devon Railway Centre reopens for its 2026 season on 28th March, and runs a dedicated Easter special from 3rd–6th April. Unlimited train rides, four play areas, free crazy golf, a model village, model funfair, model tin mine, and the largest model railway exhibition in the South West. It’s one of those places that sounds modest on paper and then keeps children (and adults, frankly) happily occupied for hours. Check their website for times and booking.
Knightshayes, Tiverton – Aesop’s Fables Easter Trail (28th March–19th April)
National Trust Knightshayes is running an Aesop’s Fables-themed Easter adventure trail through the gardens and house this year — interactive, story-led, and designed for families to explore at their own pace. The trail costs £3.50 per child and includes a trail map and a chocolate egg at the end. Normal admission applies for the gardens and house. The gardens are spectacular in spring, so even without the trail it’s worth a visit – this year also marks the start of their Festival of Blossom season.
Killerton, near Broadclyst – Easter Adventures Trail (5th–27th April)
A few miles south towards Exeter, Killerton is running its own Easter play trail through the grounds and chapel gardens until 27th April. This one focuses on Killerton’s wildlife – what the rangers get up to, which creatures make their home on the estate, why does Steve have a chainsaw? Active, sensory and creative activities along the route, with a chocolate egg at the end. £3.50 per child; normal admission applies. Running 10am–5pm with last entry at 4:30pm.
If you’re planning to visit both NT properties, they’re about 40 minutes apart and complement each other well.
Wildwood Devon, Escot — Easter Activities (29th March–14th April)
Wildwood Devon combines native British wildlife with hands-on activities, and Easter is one of their busiest seasons for good reason. This year there’s a bear-themed trail, an Easter egg hunt in the Wildwood maze, and traditional crafts in the Saxon Village – paper making, fairy crown making, and marshmallow toasting around the fire. Every visit also supports Wildwood Trust’s conservation work with species including bison, beavers and chough. Open daily all year (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day).
Days Out Worth a Full Day
Tiverton Canal Co – Grand Western Canal
One of Mid Devon’s most beloved attractions reopens for the 2026 season on 1st April – and this year brings a lovely milestone: a third generation of the Brind family, Becky and Dave, are taking over the running of the horse-drawn barge. The Brind family have operated the barge since 1985, and the handover feels like exactly the kind of story this place deserves. Take a trip along the Grand Western Canal at a gentle 2mph, hire a rowing boat or Canadian canoe, or simply sit on the bank at the Ducks Ditty floating café bar. Running Tuesday–Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from April.
Diggerland Devon, Cullompton
All 20 rides and drives are available at Diggerland for the 2026 season, including the ever-popular Spindizzy, Skyshuttle, Go-Karts and the chance to operate real JCB diggers. Advance booking is strongly recommended during school holidays, and booking online gets you a discount on the door price. Good for ages 4 and upwards, and genuinely entertaining for adults too.
Quad World, near Exeter
Open seven days a week all year round, Quad World offers quad biking sessions for a range of ages and experience levels – full tuition provided, so no experience needed. There’s an on-site café (the Quad Bites) and a shop, and sessions can be booked for groups and birthday parties as well as drop-in visits.
Quince Honey Farm, South Molton
Worth the short drive beyond the Mid Devon border, Quince Honey Farm in South Molton is a genuinely brilliant family day out. Tour the Honey Factory, watch a beekeeping demonstration, roll your own beeswax candle, do a honey tasting, and then walk the nectar gardens and meadow trails. The Easter activity programme runs daily from 10am–4pm throughout the holidays. There’s also a large indoor soft play area (the Play Hive) for younger children, and the Nectary Restaurant is excellent. Open daily.
History and Hidden Gems
Tiverton Castle
Tiverton Castle opens for the season on Easter Sunday (5th April) – a good prompt to visit if you’ve been meaning to for years and haven’t quite got round to it. This is a privately owned medieval castle still lived in by the same family, which gives it a very different atmosphere to your average heritage site. There’s a fine Civil War armoury with pieces you can actually try on, medieval loos, beautiful walled gardens, and enough history to keep curious visitors well occupied. Open Sundays, Thursdays and Bank Holiday Mondays, 2:30–5:30pm. Adults £10, children 7–16 £5, under 7s free.
Fursdon House
Fursdon House reopens for the season on Easter Monday (6th April). The Fursdon family have lived on this estate since 1259 — which puts most things in perspective — and the house, gardens and Coach Hall tea room are open to visitors on Bank Holidays and Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 2–5pm. The guided house tours (2:30pm and 3:30pm on Bank Holidays) are informal and genuinely interesting, and the gardens are lovely in spring. A quieter, more contemplative option if the busier attractions feel like too much.
Creative, Active and Whatever-the-Weather
Happy Glaze Pottery, Tiverton
A paint-your-own pottery studio on Bampton Street in Tiverton town centre, Happy Glaze is a reliable option for a creative afternoon – particularly useful if the weather isn’t cooperating. Choose your piece, paint it, and it’s glazed and fired ready to collect. There’s a coffee shop and a licensed bar, so it works as well for adults as for children. Booking is advised; check their website for current opening hours.
The Sports Barn, Watton Farm, Halberton
Based at Watton Farm just outside Tiverton, The Sports Barn brings together 30+ interactive sports games and challenges under one roof — football shootouts, basketball, rugby challenges, and more. There’s also a Nerf Experience (the Star Command arena) and Longhorn Lanes, an outdoor social space with corn hole, pétanque, pickleball and food vendors. Good for mixed-age groups and families who want something active without committing to a full outdoor day. Check their website and social media for Easter opening dates and sessions.
Footgolf Devon, Westcott
Footgolf, golf played with a football, is one of those activities that sounds like it needs explaining until you play it, and then it’s immediately obvious why it works. The nine-hole course near Cullompton is open year-round and suitable for all ages and abilities. No experience needed; bring your own football or hire one on the day. Good for burning off post-chocolate energy.
MiGolf
For something a little different, MiGolf‘s indoor golf simulators let you play famous courses from around the world – or just practise your swing without any weather-related excuses. A good option for older children and adults, and available as a drop-in or bookable session.
Plan Your Visit
Mid Devon is well placed for a longer Easter break – with Tiverton Parkway on the main Bristol to Exeter line, several of these venues are accessible without a car, and the area is easy to explore across a few days. For more ideas, accommodation, and visitor information, explore the website.
