As I shared in my post about their gardens on Thursday, we recently spent a lovely day out at Attingham Park, a National Trust property.
The sun was actually shining! There was so much to see and do there, and it is very beautiful. Here are a few shots I took around the estate..
At the start of our visit, we entered the courtyard, where I spotted a second-hand bookshop, so that was our first stop…
I love how you can just see Little Man in his pushchair perusing a book in the corner of that first shot!
We then roamed around the grounds and found, amongst other things, a river, an ice house, a stable block, and just so much glorious space! It was brilliant to see Boo darting around and discovering everything. The ice house was fascinating, and it was really cold down there!
Boo and I then decided to explore the mansion, whilst Little Man and the Husband had a run about and play outside. The mansion was built in 1785, so is full of regency touches – a favourite period of history for me. We were in there for quite some time, despite Boo rushing from room to room on the mousehunt that they had on in their for children. There was just that much to see, and she liked checking out the clothes, trying on the hats, sitting at the housekeepers table, and I envied the library!
After a pit stop refreshing ourselves with drinks and cakes (lemon drizzle for the kids, a huge slice of chocolate cake for the Husband and a clotted cream scone for me, just so you know!), we walked around and found the walled garden and orchard, which you can find out more about in my Wonderful Attingham Park Gardens post here. Just beyond the garden was a huge playing field, a vast expanse of space to burn off energy in, with plenty of slides, swings, logs, climbing frames, dirt mounds and tunnels to have fun with. So, the kids got stuck in!
Little Man was fascinated by the tunnels, though he was reticent to actually enter them!
And then we found it was time to head home. We could have spent hours more there, and I can see it’d be a lovely place to take a picnic and a ball and just ‘be’ with the kids for a few hours, aside from all that there is to see there. The children would have happily spent all day out on that playing field, let alone looking anywhere else. I could have killed another hour with those books and more cake! And I’d enjoy meandering a little more slowly around the house, and taking it all in, too. It was a fabulous day out, with very welcoming and friendly staff, in stunning surroundings. Yes, we will return soon!
I’ve lost count of the tines we’ve raced around NT houses searching for trains, mice, dolls etc etc! It’s fun though isn’t it. And that play area looks brilliant, can’t wait to visit.
It does make a great addition for the kids, and yes, fantastic play area – just huge!
It looks lovely there. It looks like Boo and Little Man were having a lot of fun! Beautiful pictures. x
It is beautiful. And yes, they loved it, thank you x
There is no denying that NT properties are worth visiting. Can’t help imagining how it would have looked in its hey day. My niece volunteers at a local property every week. We are planning a visit there soon. #CountryKids
They are very beautiful. I always like to imagine them in their splendour.
Looks beautiful, a lovely day out. The play area looks fab.
It’s gorgeous. Thanks x
So many great pictures!!! Looks like you had a fab day out x
Thanks, it was!
I just love how they’ve got a second hand book shop there as well. That’s just like the icing on the cake!
I know – too perfect!
Love the first photo and the fourth one. Very nice indeed. Looks like a super place to visit and had something to keep you all amused as well.
Thank you. Oh, it’s just lovely there 🙂
Looks like such a lovely place with SO much to see and do. The mouse hunt is such a cute idea, looks like you all had lots of fun xx #countrykids
It is, I could have spent hours more there! It’s so beautiful x
Beautiful pictures. Looks and sounds like lots of family fun. And the sun was shining too!…
I know, huge bonus! Thanks x
Looks like a great place to explore. We’re waiting for our NT membership pack to arrive at the moment.
It’s fab! Oh, lovely that you’ve re-joined then 🙂
Oh I do love a stately home! Such lovely photos too, looks like you had fantastic weather for it! x
It was a glorious day! Thanks x
It looks lovely and a brilliant day out. I’d be stuck in that bookshop for a while though, I’m a bit of a bookworm lol x
Oh, me, too! It was lovely 🙂
Oh, a second bookshop to browse and a library to drool over, fabulous! It looks like a stunning place, and your photos are lovely. I love the one of Little Man looking at the tunnel. What a glorious day you had too!
It was lovely! It had everything I could possibly want 😉 I love that tunnel shot, too, thanks x
Gorgeous family pics Jocelyn, and it looks like a really beautiful place! We love nothing more than a day at a NT property too – there is a very similar one near us. It’s amazing how much the kids love them too, isn’t it? I get so excited that they take such an interest in the history behind them! Great post xx
Thank you. It was so beautiful there, and we all loved it. And yes, love a bit of history, too 🙂 x
We live only 15mins drive away from Attingham Park and I’ve NEVER been, my friends go regularly and love it there… we intend to go with a picnic when the weather picks up again. Looks beautiful! x
Go, go, go! It’s very beautiful there x
What a lovely place to visit and with the play equipment too, we haven’t checked out many national trust properties near us but it is something I think we should do with the girls. I have many memories of going to national trust places with my parents.
It’s wonderful. We only joined at Christmas, and have already had loads of great days out at them 🙂
Pingback: Our Best Family Buy...Ever...?!