Lilidorei at Alnwick Garden: Why to visit the largest play structure in the world

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. But it’s a new addition, in the form of the world’s largest play structure, that has caused ripples of excitement among tourists and locals. open image in gallery The play structure is set amongst a growing forest of Nordic Christmas trees Lilidorei is a magical play village with an otherworldly theme, a £15.5 million project developed by the Duchess of Northumberland, who led the rivival of the gardens in the mid-1990s after they’d fallen into disrepair. open image in gallery A medieval-style gate signals the start of the play village at Lilidorei Following a winding path down the side of The Treehouse restaurant to reach Lilidorei’s entrance with my two children, we soaked up the woodland setting. While it’s easy to get to the play village within the gardens, Lilidorei is cleverly obscured from the road and feels hidden away.