Last weekend we visited the Nutcracker Trail at Cliveden where scenes from the Nutcracker have been brought to life. Cliveden is one of our local National Trust properties although we hadn’t visited for a while. We wanted to visit the Nutcracker trail, and also get our Pooch Passport stamped (we really want to complete it this winter!).

Nutcracker Trail at Cliveden

The Nutcracker Trail at Cliveden is a special festive trail and open from the 15th November to the 4th January 2026. The trail is free/included in the price of your ticket. We couldn’t find a paper map of the trail but you can take a photo of the trail map by the ticket office.

There are several different parts of the Cliveden estate to walk around and explore, the Nutcracker Trail at Cliveden can be found mainly around the Water Garden and the Long Garden.

There was still plenty of colour to be seen in the gardens and we enjoyed a lovely walk with the dog and one of the teens. We loved looking out for the Nutcracker statues.

I think my favourite statue was the one playing the trumpet in the Sounding Chamber beneath Cliveden.

There were plenty of Nutcrackers guarding the Long Walk.

Nutcrackers of all different colours.

There were also games and photo props too for all ages to enjoy, as well as bauble arches, twinkling lights and decorated Christmas trees.

We try to get out all through the winter but it was fun to go and explore a festive trail. I love the story of the Nutcracker based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story, surely the perfect festive trail brought to life at Cliveden this year.