Audley End House Gardens | English Heritage

For those who follows my blog regularly will know that for Christmas last year, we have received an annual English Heritage Family Membership Pass from a very kind friend. Since then we have visited two English Heritage places: West Park Mansion and Houghton House.

So in the February half-term break, we took our pass to visit Audley End House and Gardens. I had no idea that this was in actual fact right opposite Audley End Miniature Railway that we visited as a Christmas treat. I knew there was sometime grand going there but it didn’t really occurred to me that it belongs to an English Heritage site. I thought it was some kind of a super rich people lives there. haha

Anyhow, once we got there around 2pm-ish, we were told that the house was not open to visitors as it was closed for renovation ready for opening in the summer. Oh- well, but we actually just wanted to see the horses in the stable anyway. 😉

It was quite cold and breezy, but it was bright and was not raining! Hooray! After we parked the park, we then had to march on through the massive well kept immaculate garden, and navigate our way around to the stables. The first thing we came across was a small waterfall running its way down into a huge pound. Ethan wanted to fish in it, unfortunately we don’t have the fishing gear with us – not that we ever will.

We went over the bridge over the waterfall. Ethan wanted to play leaf boat race, unfortunately the edges were too far out and so his boat leaf kept getting stuck on the edges. Oh well…

We then went into the Kitchen Garden with a massive chicken run in the middle and lots of very good looking hens and a rooster there. Ethan wanted to feed the chicken but yet again we don’t usually carry around with us chicken food. How silly of mummy to forget??

The surrounding plantation were seasonal vegetables and herbs. There was a green house and so we went inside which was full of aromatic flowers drifted in the air. I felt like I was in a bottle of wonderful perfume – full of different kind of wonderful multi-coloured flowers. It was delightful. And Ethan gets to enjoy reading his map for the next route to the stables.

It did not take us too long to find the stables as it was just around the corner inside this magnificent grade 1 listed building.

After they meet the horses (we saw two), they decided to dress-up in ancient garments and go on riding the wooden horses provided.

Soon after, we discovered a cafe and their fantastic playground facilities nearby. Thank Goodness for that as it was getting pretty cold. I bought myself a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, a scorn and a pack of crisps to share. Altogether it came around £6 – an expected price range when you buy at a normal cafe. They also have a microwave (I used it to warmed up the scorns) and a bottle warmer to warm up milk for your use of connivence. I can’t recalled seeing a baby changing room there, but there is a wheelchair users toilet though – and it is clean.

Even though everything is a little too big for Evelyn’s liking/ or that she is just a weenee too small for everything, I needed to assist her from time to time. Ethan and Evelyn thoroughly enjoyed playing outside in the fresh and cold busy playground!

When it was home time, we came across a black swan. You don’t see very many of those these day. In fact it was my first one! Ethan & Evelyn were communicating with it like a pro.

Evelyn is enjoying her freedom chasing after Ethan towards the car park.

But of-course it was hard for Ethan to leave his new found friends.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time there, despite the chilly breeze. We will definitely be back once the house is open in the Summer which will be great for a picnic too. I love picnics! I am getting too excited already!

There are more gorgeous photos taken during our visit, but I really don’t want to overload you with cuteness just yet – so you can follow me on other social media platform, and we can pick up where we left off. Add me on Instagram, Google+, Facebook, Pinterest. Thank you.

I promised you these are just gorgeous photos that have not been shared on here before, except for one which I’ve saved for #MySundayPhoto : Audley End House and Gardens & here: Audley End House Greenhouse | English Heritage

…

Have you visited an English Heritage place before or recently? Which one did you visit? If not, then why not take a trip, after all it will be the English Tourism Week next week.

The first one we visited was back in Summer 2015 – to Whitby Abbey/ Dracula Castle in Yorkshire. Find out how our day went here: A Day Out at Whitby: The Journey & The Abbey.

…

*I am not sponsored for this post. All words, opinions and photos are of my own. The affiliates link below is for your connivence to find out more information of Audley End House Gardens – as well as I think they have such good value for money on Family Membership package. The affiliate links mean I receive a very small amount of commission if you make a purchase using this link at no extra costs to you whatsoever. 

…

This post is linked with…