A furnace I hear you ask. Well yes. Until a few days ago I’d never heard of this place and now it feel like a hidden gem that needs sharing. Built in 1806 to produce Iron, this 19th Century blasts furnace is now the central focal point of an unlikely tourist spot.

If you’re looking for an action packed family day out, this isn’t it. But if you’ve got a leisurely Sunday free and want to get outdoors then it’s definitely somewhere I’d recommend. This volunteer run site has lots to offer.

Its not all about the furnace

When we arrived we found a spot to park the car (for free=bonus) and headed to the furnace. To be honest, although it’s the main attraction, for three year olds, they were ready to move on after about 5 seconds. The same wasn’t to be said for the sandpit right beside it.

While they happily played, I went to investigate and found the museum, shop and boat rides. I booked us onto a short barge trip. The trips run hourly through most of the day on weekends and costs £2.50 for adults and £1.50 for children. However under fours are free so we paid only a fiver.

Narrow Boat Ride

This relaxed narrow boat journey is a lovely way to take in the canal. We spotted some ducklings and a few fishermen. Of course you could just take a stroll down the canal tow path and if you have a four legged friend, they are welcome everywhere too.

After our trip we found a shady spot under a tree for a picnic. There are plenty of picnic benches too and a small tea room. Once we were refueled we took a quick toilet stop and then headed into the woods on one of the short trails.

Woodland Walk

Along the way we discovered a throne surrounded by toadstools. I presume this is used for educational visit but it was fun to take turns sitting in the big chair telling stories. We crossed a small river to discover a lovely adventure playground. Separated into two section, there was play equipment for both toddlers and older kids.

By early afternoon, the girls were getting tired and it was getting hot so we decided to call it a day. We didn’t get around to the museum but I know we’ll be back soon. Moira Furnace was a lovely place to spend a few hours together and is perfect as a cheap day out over the school holidays. Click HERE to visit the Moira Furnace website.

Have you found any free family attractions you could share?

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