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Easter Long Weekend with Kids | Three Days of Ospreys, Caverns and Steam in Mid Wales

A three-day Easter weekend with children, based around Machynlleth and the Dyfi valley on the edge of Southern Eryri (Southern Snowdonia). Easter is when the ospreys come back to the Dyfi, the lambs are in the fields, and most attractions open for the season. In 2027, Easter Sunday is on 28 March.

Day one: ospreys and green technology

Start at the Dyfi Wildlife Centre, just outside Machynlleth, home of the Dyfi Osprey Project. The first ospreys usually arrive back from West Africa in late March or early April, and the 360 Observatory gives you views over the Cors Dyfi reserve. Allow about two hours. After lunch in town, go to the Centre for Alternative Technology a few miles north, with gardens, displays and play areas about living with less energy.

Day two: underground and on the rails at Corris

Drive up the valley to Corris. At the Corris Craft Centre, King Arthur's Labyrinth takes you by boat into an old slate mine, where a guide leads you through the caverns with stories of Welsh legends. It stays cool underground, so bring a jumper. Have lunch at the Corris Cafe & Welsh Deli, then walk up the village to the Corris Railway and its museum, which runs steam trains on a short narrow gauge line.

Day three: Talyllyn Railway or red kites

Choose between the coast and the hills. The Talyllyn Railway runs from Tywyn to Nant Gwernol, stopping at Dolgoch Falls for a short woodland walk to the waterfall. Or head south-east over the mountains to Gigrin Farm near Rhayader, where red kites gather in their hundreds for the daily afternoon feed. If you're staying on, Nannerth Country Holidays has farm cottages with hot tubs in the Wye valley just outside Rhayader.

Good to know

• Easter is busy. Book tickets for the railways and King Arthur's Labyrinth in advance, and check opening dates, as some sites open for the season at Easter.
• The Cambrian Line stops at Machynlleth, so you can arrive by train from Shrewsbury or Birmingham.
• More ideas on our family events page.