The National Trust have done it again – the brilliant team at the Blickling Estate in Norfolk have adapted their beautiful walled garden to create a whimsical yet educational environment packed full of fun for the whole family. Each activity is both entertaining and informative for the kids. Around every corner was something which surprised and delighted us all. Want to know more? Read on!
This spring at the Blickling Estate, the National Trust team have created an event inspired by the children’s book “Ruby Plants A Radish”, an educational tale written by Kate Petty and illustrated by the iconic Axel Scheffler. The event runs from 25th May to 30th June 2024 and is a welcome addition to the experience when visiting with kids.
The Walled Garden
Signposted from the entrance, the Walled Garden is a haven for little explorers, particularly those who are curious about gardening. There are a plethora of playful challenges to complete! Find all of the ladybirds, race to the veg store with a wheelbarrow of crops, see how you measure up to the giant radish, discover how a radish grows… you won’t struggle to keep the kids interested here! But by far, Teddy’s favourite activity was playing in the mud! It’s OK, it was organised chaos! Trowels, forks and watering cans were readily available for a dig about in the repurposed raised bed, and our boy would have happily stayed here playing for hours! You could say he was happy as a pig in mud! Although the organised activities were fantastic, what we also loved was being able to show Teddy what real vegetables look like when they are growing, talking about what they taste like and smelling the different herbs and flowers we encountered along the way.
Help Ruby find her Radishes
Inside Blickling Hall itself, the hunt is on for Ruby’s radishes. 10 handmade radishes are hidden in the house, some more difficult to spot than others, but its a fun way to get the whole family to slow down and look around at the astonishingly well preserved rooms. The final radish to be found in the Hall is in the library. Here, upon a dinky table surrounded by beanbags, is a selection of books including ‘Ruby Plants A Radish’ and a number of other popular children’s books to enjoy together. There is also a tabletop vegetable patch game and some puzzles too – perfect for fidgety fingers! Its quite unusual to see a kids activity in the heart of the Hall, but a welcome addition for those (like us) who want to spark an interest in historic buildings from an early age.
Look For The Musical Mushrooms
Whilst exploring the wider gardens, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the vibrant fungi in the woods. You may well hear them before you see them if someone else finds them first! Hiding in plain sight, the sculpture sounds beautiful once you realise you can actually play it.
Cafe & Colouring
It wouldn’t be a trip to a National Trust site without a stop at the cafe. A cake is a must, and this one didn’t disappoint! Teddy opted for the seasonal special (a summer fruit donut) whilst Joe had a classic scone with jam and cream, and I had a biscoff blondie. All were thoroughly delicious with not a crumb to spare. What we love about these cafes is that they always provide colouring in sheets and pencils so that we can actually enjoy our tea knowing Teddy is suitably amused.
Practical Information
Blickling Estate is situated in North Norfolk, approximately a mile North of Aylsham or 15 miles from Norwich (postcode for SatNav: NR11 6NF). Parking must be paid for upon arrival (cash at machines or by card at the ticket booth). Tickets for the hall and gardens can be purchased on arrival at Blickling, however the wider estate is open to the public for those wanting a longer walk. For current prices and opening times, please visit the National Trust website.
Top Tip: Keep an eye out for free family passes to National Trust sites! We had free entry for this visit thanks to a promotion which ran in a national newspaper last month, and we have used similar promotional coupons to visit other estates already this year. We spotted the offer on Money Saving Expert’s weekly newsletter email and asked a family friend for their old newspaper, so it was totally free to enter!
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In Summary
Whether visiting with young ones or not, now is the perfect time to take a trip to Blickling Hall. The flowers are in bloom, the gardens are lush and green, and the cafe is full of seasonal delights. Don’t delay – plan your next visit today!
If you like this article, check out some of our other UK posts here.
Have you been to Blickling Estate? What is your homemade cake of choice? Let us know in the comments – we love hearing from you!
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Our Whimsical World 
Looks like a nice place to visit. Nice to see children having fun ☺️.
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It really is lovely, and a relief when there is something to keep the little ones interested too.
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