Hunting snowdrops at Cliveden

A few weeks ago (this year is really flying by!) we decided to re-visit Cliveden, a local NT property. Cliveden has a wonderful history. The house itself is currently a private hotel so there is limited access, but you can explore the estate which consists of formal gardens and woodland walks, as well as the maze and Storybook Play Den for the kids. We knew it was a lovely place for seeing snowdrops too and there was plenty to do for the whole family. Whilst we were there we re-joined the NT so are looking forward to lots more lovely days out!

We love a trip to Cliveden and were excited to see so many events were on the day we visited. We signed up for the special Tree walk, where the children were given a sheet with clues to help them identify different species of trees as we explored the woodlands. We had never walked through the woodlands before but it was a gorgeous Spring day so we were happy to walk, shedding layers as we went.

The children enjoyed the challenge of looking for clues, and it definitely kept them busy so we adults could enjoy the walk. We managed to find all the questions and see a lot of the estate. There were trees to climb on and so many lovely things to spot along the way. We loved the old fruit orchard we found. Sadly bereft of many fruit trees it was being re-planted by volunteers.

Before we knew it we were back at the house so stopped for some lunch, sitting outside thanks to the lovely weather. After lunch it was time to hunt for snowdrops. I love snowdrops and was excited to see some more. We had picked up an information sheet which showed the best places to spot the different varieties of snowdrops. They were in lots of little clumps and so pretty, as well as the crocuses and primroses.

The children were getting pretty tired so we headed off to the maze which we’ve been in so many times but is a firm favourite. Sadly we couldn’t walk through the Water Gardens which was a shame but finished off with a trip to Storybook Glen so we could enjoy an ice cream and the kids could play for a bit more. We had such a great day at Cliveden and can’t wait to go back again soon, hopefully to spot the bluebells!