Today, I'm sharing a past post of mine, from when we visited National Trust location, Baddesley Clinton...
I've always been interested in getting a National Trust membership as I love the great outdoors and have always been fascinated with history, so the idea of having a pass to visit so many great locations whenever the fancy takes us is one I rather like.
It's amazing how many things are just around the corner when you look for them and, at the weekend, we discovered another new place to spend a lovely day out.
We visited Baddesley Clinton, a National Trust moated manor house built in the 1500's. Steeped in history and with acres of gardens and land to explore, we were looking to spend a nice day in the sunshine as a family.
We received a warm welcome and soon discovered that Baddesley Clinton had a lot to offer, for older couples looking for somewhere to stroll and a nice cup of tea to young families such as our, with children keen to run across fields and feed the ducks.
Ethan was kindly given a bag full of everything he would need to explore the grounds to the full, and more besides. From a compass and binoculars (which he is still carrying around the house, and uses back to front nine times out of ten) to a kite, fishing net and Frisbee, it was a bundle that any boy would go bonkers for and one that is going to give him a lot of fun for a long time to come.
We started our visit with a stroll around the gardens, meeting the ducks and newly hatched ducklings then walking up to the church and across the field, following the playing field map. There's different walks you can do to take in all the location has to offer, from a 45 minute walk to a five mile trek.
It was such a beautiful day and it was really nice just to wander along at our own pace, enjoying the baa baas and the lovely scenery.
After stretching our legs, we headed back to the courtyard and across to the barn for some lunch. There was a great range of food, including a delicious home-made lasagne that both I and Stephen plumped for, whilst for children, you can grab a bucket and select a juice and any three items, including healthy choices, for £3.95 which is a great price if you ask me.
The barn was lovely and we took this time to read a little more about Baddesley Clinton.
I wasn't sure how Ethan would be, walking around a manor house, but he walked around, holding our hands and saying 'Wow!' every time we walked into another room. There were plenty of other young children there during our visit and it was nice to see so many different people enjoying the house and grounds.
We then went for a last stroll in the sun, saying hello to a family of ducks and soaking in the peace and quiet. There's a lovely space perfect for picnics and with so many paths and routes to take, you really are left to enjoy the grounds for yourself at your leisure.
Offering local history, plenty of character and beautifully manicured and maintained gardens, Baddesley Clinton has a lot to offer for families and couples, young and not so young, looking for a nice place to pass the time and escape to the country.
The price for a family to visit the whole grounds and house is around £25, unless you are a National Trust member, and we have to say we had a lovely time with a warm welcome, plenty to see and lots to enjoy.
The adventure scrapbooks Ethan was also given are absolutely amazing too (available at the gift shop) and list all the different things young ones can and should do in the great outdoors before they turn 11 and three quarters. I love the whole ethos behind this and know that with places like Baddesley Clinton to visit, we'll be able to fill this up in no time. We already have a duck's feather and a buttercup to put inside.
* Thank you to National Trust for inviting us out for the day - all thoughts and smiles are our own!
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