Soft play with a difference at new Arctic themed Brent Play Barn
Visitors to Castle Espie can now enjoy the first in a series of new developments for 2015.What was originally a cattle barn has been transformed into an Arctic themed soft play room called the Brent Play Barn where young visitors can connect with nature through play. Suitable for children under 115cm, the Brent Play Barn is themed on the Canadian Arctic where wild light-bellied brent geese raise their babies in summer before journeying hundreds of miles to Strangford Lough. It features an Arctic fox den with a sleeping cub, a research hut and slide as well as a brent goose clamber play area, nest and animal rockers. Sarah Clarke, Castle Espie centre manager said: “By providing visitors with the new Arctic themed soft play we believe we’ve created a fun environment where little ones can have a special connection with nature. The brent goose theme was the natural choice given their strong link with Castle Espie. Each year around 80% of the world’s wild population leave the Arctic and flock to Strangford Lough arriving in early autumn. Year round, visitors can feed our light-bellied brent geese in our Close Encounters wildfowl collection.” The Graham family were the winning entrants in a competition to name the animals featured in Castle Espie Wetland Centre’s Brent Play Barn. They suggested Tundra the brent goose, Flurry the Arctic fox, Canute the king eider and Neve the Arctic hare, brothers Eli and Seth officially opened the Brent Play Barn in time for the half term holidays. 
