Have you visited Stowe National Trust during the autumn? We have always enjoyed it during this season as there are so many different trees with different leaves changing gradually. If you look carefully you can find conkers and line cones and it would be a great place for an autumn scavenger hunt!
Located near Buckingham, the approach up to the car park displays the grandeur of what was once home to the Temple family, a home built to compete against Blenheim. The gardens were carefully designed to look natural, with woodland and lakes but with paths leading to neoclassical bridges and monuments. There are lots of places to inspire the imagination and play hide and seek.
The gardens contain temples, grottoes and hidden treasures throughout the 250 acre gardens – so much so, that despite many visits over the past few years, we always find something new that we haven’t seen before. This is partly due to the scale of the gardens, and partly due to the constant process of restoration that the National Trust has been undertaking since 1989.
One of the best things about Stowe is that almost all the temples and statues are completely open so you can go inside, clamber round them, explore etc. You can listen to your voice echoing in the Temple of Ancient Virtue (and roll down the hill outside – a very popular activity!), explore the dark, cave-like Grotto (with the surprising statue of Venus in its dark interior), sit next to Shakespeare, Isaac Newton or Queen Elizabeth I at the Temple of British Worthies, play pooh-sticks on the Palladian Bridge or visit the pretty Chinese House. And there are many, many more.
There is also a lake to wander round, a ha-ha to gaze across towards the views of the surrounding parkland, hidden gardens to find and explore, and Stowe House itself is sometimes open to the public (though it is owned by Stowe House Preservation Trust so a separate entrance fee applies)
The day we went, was Harvest Day, so they were demonstrating how they used to make Apple juice, selling the estate apples and sharing learning about harvesting. We came away with a bag full of deliciously wonky apples!
The facilities are very good, lots of room at the cafe, lots of toilets near the shop and cafe but do remember to take your potties and nappies on your walks as the facilities are mainly at the New Inn and Bell Gate which is where the parking and garden entrance is.
Do check out seasonal events, as they have several throughout the year.
