Review: The Mad Hatters Tea Party at Churnet Valley Railway*

Wondering what to do over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend? Well, why not head to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party held at Churnet Valley Railway.  We were lucky to be invited onboard to meet Alice, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter himself as well as the Queen of Hearts. Our specially decorated train departed from Froghall and took us on a scenic Staffordshire countryside.  Keep on reading to see more photos, read our review and even watch a short video of our journey.

We arrived at Froghall Station about half an hour before the train was to depart (which was at 11am), there was plenty of parking and we were told that we could come in fancy dress costumes, so Thomas decided to go dressed as a Grufallo while Madeline as Cinderella.  We were early hence we stopped off at the tea room which was beautifully decorated with Easter decorations for some nice warm oatcakes and hot chocolate (a good idea to get this in a takeaway cup so you can bring brought this along with you on our train ride). Soon we heard the announcement we were all excited to board our train.  Soon after, we were handed a lovely box containing a variety of 4 different cakes as well as a fruit shoot for the kids. Now the adults were supposed to be given a hot drink but I was also given a fruit shoot, luckily I had my hot chocolate with me so I was alright for my hot drink.

Both my kids who are fans of Alice in Wonderland were totally thrilled when they heard and saw the characters come up to them. They got to chat with Alice, The White Rabbit, Mad Hatter and even the Queen of Hearts who were all so friendly and had time for each and every child as well as adult onboard.  I have to say, that was the highlight of the trip for them to be so close to the characters who were all so chatty.  We could hear a lot of laughter, whispers and giggles on the train.

We were not given an activity sheet to do the Humpty Dumpty Easter Egg Hunt but kids were still very excited to look out the window for the said clues (although we did not see any).  Just as our train returned to Froghall, we were handed a lovely bright red balloon by the Mad Hatter (who both my kids adored), there should have been a balloon sculptor onboard but unfortunately, he was taken ill.

I loved the fact that we did not feel rushed at all and that the kids had plenty of time to chat with the characters and have lots of one-to-one chats as well as photo opportunities with them.  Alice went around to ensure each and every child was well looked after and the Queen of Hearts had lots of stories to tell the kids. The White Rabbit was the cheekiest and funniest of them all while the Mad Hatter was mysteriously interesting.

Our fabulous train journey which was about an hour long, soon came to an end.  We reluctantly said our goodbyes and headed to the waiting area at Froghall Station to find the face painter.   The face painter worked fast and painted a lovely snake for Thomas to match his Gruffalo outfit (which he totally loved and would not wash it off until late night) while my daughter had an oval shaped blue glitter painted on her cheeks.   Overall it was a lovely and magical experience for my kids and they totally enjoyed their day out. The train ride was very special, and they have been sharing about their experience to all their friends.  Details on how to book tickets to the event as well as prices are stated below.

Here’s also a little teaser video of what to expect at the Mad  Hatter’s Tea Party

How much does it cost?

The prices start from £7 for kids aged 2 and under, £13 for kids aged 3 to 15 and £19 for an adult

Where does the train depart from?

The trains departs from both Froghall and Cheddleton stations depending on the time.

• Froghall Station, ST10 2HA
• Cheddleton Station, ST13 7EE

Who to contact if you would like to book the Mad Hatters Tea Party?

You can either ring 01538 758491 or email enquiries@churnet-valley-railway.co.uk

Some tips to read up on before you book your Churnet Valley Train tickets:

• You must pre-book your seats
• Although there will be lots happening during the train ride, bring along some toys for the kids to play with to keep them occupied, as little kids may get fidgety
• Bring along some snacks for the kids in case they are still hungry even after having the cakes onboard
• Get the kids to use the toilet at the Cheaddleton/Froghall train station before the train leaves
• If possible try to do a group booking, seated nearby, as the kids will have the opportunity to move around to play with other friends/cousins and not feel confined to just seating at their seat
• There will be ample free parking available at both stations so don’t worry about parking

You may also want to read this:

The Big Bugs on Tour has arrived at intu Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent

Easter Bunny Breakfast at Dobbies Garden Centre

Fun Kids Day out to Knowsley Safari Park, Prescot

**We were given tickets to the event in return for a feature. All opinions are our own.