Family adventures and Easter egg trails with the National Trust in Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire
Bring the whole family together this Easter and treat your loved ones to a spring adventure on an Easter egg trail at National Trust places around Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire.
Families can get active and involved at the activity stations on the trail, spot the signs of spring and experience nature bursting into life in Buckinghamshire at Stowe, Hughenden, Ascott, Waddesdon, Claydon and Boarstall Duck Decoy; in Berkshire at Basildon Park and in Oxfordshire at White Horse Hill, Chastleton and Greys Court.
And, of course, each National Trust Easter trail ends with a chocolate egg, or vegan and free-from egg, made here in the UK using cocoa responsibly sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.
National Trust Easter egg trails cost £3 per child, plus normal National Trust admission/free entry for National Trust members.
Stowe, near Buckingham
Stowe is a vast and exciting natural playground for children. It has been a tourist attraction for more than 300 years for the scale and beauty of its garden. The landscape features have been precisely sculpted and provide instagrammable views with winding paths, wildlife-filled lakes and intriguing statues and monuments – perfect for hide and seek.
This Easter, visitors should limber up as things get sporty amongst the spring flowers in the landscape gardens.
01 to 16 April. Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate Easter egg or a vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
Hughenden, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire
There’s a natural playground for climbing, balancing and make-believe at Hughenden. It’s handily placed near the orchard, with picnic tables under the blossom for that all-important parental coffee whilst the children play.
Children also love the walled garden with its narrow paths for running along and the willow tunnel to wind their way through. Children are also fascinated by the interactives in the exhibition about Hughenden’s secret map-making history in the Second World War.
This Easter, with daffodils and primroses all around them, children can explore the lifecycle of the flowers from seed bank to bloom in Hughenden’s immersive and playful activity trail.
01 to 16 April, Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate Easter egg or a vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
Basildon Park, near Reading in Berkshire
With 400 acres of historic parkland, garden and woodland to explore, there are plenty of ways to play at Basildon Park.
There’s a natural children’s area behind the Stableyard with the ever-popular ball run and different length walking routes through the woods. There are nooks and copses throughout for den-building, balancing and climbing.
At Easter, Basildon Park’s activity trail heads around the pheasant park and ends up in the secret walled garden, opened for the first time for visitors to explore.
01 to 16 April. Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate Easter egg or a vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
Greys Court, near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire
Head down the driveway, and you’ll find the children’s play area nestled in the woodland. It’s near the tearoom and toilets, and there are benches to sit on while you watch little ones play. There’s also plenty of space for some den building.
Carry on along that roadway, and it’ll take you on a walk around the estate with fallen logs for balance walking, chalk pits for dashing up and down and lambs in the farmer’s fields in the spring.
At Easter, the activity trail will take place beneath a shower of blossom as the spring flowers splash the garden with colour.
01 to 16 April. Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate Easter egg or vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
Waddesdon, near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire
Waddesdon’s popular Woodland Playground has been recently refurbished and features a new zip wire, board rider, swings and roundabout. In the gardens, children love to spot the rare and exotic birds in the Aviary and learn about their conservation programme. There are also acres of room to roam and winding paths to chase along in the garden.
At Easter, Waddesdon is jam-packed with lots of fun games and creative activities. The trail starts at the back of the manor and wends its way around the grounds before ending at the Woodland Takeaway and Toyshop. Note the different dates of Waddesdon’s trail and the need to pre-book via the website.
29 March to 10 April. Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate Easter egg or a vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg. Pre-booking essential.
Ascott, near Leighton Buzzard, Buckinghamshire
Ascott is an Old English manor with a black and white half-timbered façade. It’s the variety of the gardens that really enchants people. The garden is a wonderful mix of formal and informal, with fountains, sculptures and colourful bedding plants interspersed with architectural hedging. There are some real surprises too, which children love, including a striking contemporary garden.
At Ascott, this Easter, families can spot the signs of spring while running, hopping and skipping through games in the gardens, have a go at creating some giant art and plant a seed to take home. All visits to Ascott should be booked in advance via the website, but Easter trails can be purchased on arrival.
01 to 16 April. Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate Easter egg or a vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg. Please pre-book your visit.
And for those who want to venture somewhere a bit different for their Easter trail this spring… (These trails run Easter weekend only).
White Horse Hill near Uffington in West Oxfordshire
The Bronze Age Uffington White Horse can be seen from miles away leaping across the head of a dry valley. The view is equally dramatic from the top of the hill, with a far-reaching vista spanning several counties. The most exciting thing about White Horse Hill is the myths and legends which swirl around the neolithic landscape. With burial mounds, hillforts, Giants Steps and a Dragon Hill, there are lots for children to discover.
At Easter, an intriguing trail of lively activities and puzzles will reveal some of the mysteries of White Horse Hill.
07 to 10 April. Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate Easter egg or vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
Claydon, near Winslow in Buckinghamshire
It’s worth visiting the house at Claydon before heading out on the Easter trail. Children tend to be as wowed by the sumptuous interiors as adults, and there’s a handy trail to pick up and follow around the house to engage children. Plus, Florence Nightingale’s quarters are always a fascination for younger visitors.
When families reach the lawn, it’s time for the Easter adventures to begin. With traditional children’s party games and ‘pin the tail on the bunny’, it’ll be a weekend for making memories.
07 to 10 April. Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate Easter egg or a vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
Boarstall Duck Decoy, near Bicester on the Bucks/Ox border
You may want to go just for the intrigue of the name! It is a genuine duck decoy – a neat invention for catching waterfowl – and one of the few remaining in the country. The decoy is surrounded by pretty, bluebell-carpeted woodland with an easy circular walk around the edge. There are also natural play areas.
There’ll be an Easter trail full of adventures in nature at Boarstall Duck Decoy this spring.
07 to 10 April. Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate easter egg or vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
Chastleton, near Moreton-in-Marsh, Oxfordshire
Everyone falls in love with Chastleton. It’s a Jacobean treasure that has remained virtually unchanged for 400 years. Children respond to the olde worlde atmosphere and the secret garden feeling of the garden. They also love the croquet lawns and guessing the inspiration behind the topiary.
Easter at Chastleton is all about discovering the wildlife that can be found along the Wilderness Walk. There are also 10 Easter bunnies hidden around the house, and families can even make their own Easter bunny in the bookshop and take it home.
07 to 10 April. Normal admission applies plus £3 per trail, includes a chocolate Easter egg or a vegan and free-from Rainforest Alliance Easter egg.
The post Family adventures and Easter egg trails with the National Trust in Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire appeared first on The Oxford Magazine.
from The Oxford Magazine https://ift.tt/1H87520
via IFTTT
Comments
Post a Comment