IT WAS not, in hindsight, wise to start our tour of Newby Hall and gardens in the sculpture park, especially with boisterous children in tow.

What should have been a peaceful 30-minute stroll through the woods turned into a frantic game of trying to stop our three-year-old son, Elliot, and his older cousin, Oliver, from accidentally damaging the sculptures.

With most of the sculptures priced in their thousands (with one, Wild Deer Leaping, selling for £70,000), I was a nervous wreck by the time we left the trail.

The sculptures I did manage to see, albeit briefly, were impressive, especially Heather Jansch's Horse made out of driftwood (£27,000) and Lucy Kinsella's bronze resin statue of a baboon (£3,525).

It was a shame we didn't get to fully enjoy the creations, but at least we left them in one piece. Next time, I think, we'll leave the tour until the end of the day, when the children have used up their energy.

Our next destination was Newby's miniature railway. Unfortunately, there had been technical problems with the track, so the rides had been delayed.

But by the time we walked to the station, there were signs of movement and a queue of eager passengers, young and old, was forming. The stationmaster announced that the track was fixed, so there were cheers all round.

There are usually two trains running - one in GNER livery, the other in Arriva, so waiting times were kept to a minimum. The trains take you through the stunning gardens, and along a route which hugs the River Ure.

After the excitement of the railway, the kids rushed to the children's adventure playground. It is brilliant, probably the best of its kind in North Yorkshire.

There is a paddling pool, sand pit and swings for babies (our baby daughter, Zara, thought these were great), and a pirate's fort, climbing frames, aerial ropeway and pedalo boats for the older children.

We spent ages here, but there was still plenty more to see, including the house and garden.

Designed under the guidance of Sir Christopher Wren, this country house - the home of the Compton family - epitomises the Georgian age of elegance.

The contents of the house, collected on a grand tour of Italy by William Weddell, an ancestor of the Comptons, include a rare set of Gobelins tapestries, a gallery of classical statues (a crafted copy of the Barberini Venus has returned this year), and some of Chippendale's finest furniture. There is also an unusual, and quite bizarre, collection of European and Far Eastern chamber pots.

The estate's 25 acres of award-winning gardens, created in the early 19020s, are stunning even to those who don't know their primulas from their pansies.

Newby is a great day out for all family, but you'll have to get there quick as it closes for the season next Sunday, October 2. This weekend it is playing host to its popular craft fair, with some 200 exhibitors selling and demonstrating their crafts.

Fact file

For more information on Newby Hall and Gardens, phone 01423 322583 or visit www. newbyhall. com

How to get there: Take the A59 to Green Hammerton, then the B6265 to Boroughbridge. Newby Hall is at Skelton, just off the road to Ripon.

Opening times: Tuesday to Sundays, from 11am to 5.30pm, until October 2

Admission: House and gardens: Adults, £8.20, children, £6 and OAPs, £7.20. Prices are reduced for garden-only entrance.

Updated: 09:44 Saturday, September 24, 2005