Days Out: Stourhead

If you were to ask me my favourite place to visit in the world, Stourhead would be on the shortlist, if not at the top. A 1072 hectare estate in Wiltshire, Stourhead is a National Trust run estate and family home. It’s open to visitors 364 days a year – if you were hoping for a Christmas day visit you might be slightly disappointed – and at certain times and in certain places you can even take the dog. We didn’t. We wanted a relaxing trip after our recent week away in North Devon!

stourhead estate lake

stourhead estate apollo

I first went to Stourhead over a decade ago with my family. Since then we’ve been with family, as a couple, as a newly engaged couple and most significantly on our first day as man and wife. En route between our wedding venue and the airport, we decided to while away the 8 hour wait with a wander around the estate and a chance to catch a breath between the wedding mayhem and the honeymoon whirl.

stourhead estate

stourhead estate devon mama

Since then, our lives have changed significantly and this weekend we were able to make our first trip as a family of our own. The only threesome I want – me and my boys. Whilst we’re not National Trust members – we just wouldn’t use it enough – there’s something comfortingly familiar about a trip to an NT property. It just feels like a proper family day out.

stourhead estate devon mama

stourhead estate devon mama

Stourhead estate includes a pub, church and a variety of small shops including an art gallery so you really can fill a day out and guarantee a decent meal, something I tend to plan my trips by! I usually find that National Trust places are either great houses or great gardens and, whilst the house is impressive (don’t get me wrong, I’d kill to live there!), it’s the world-famous garden that deserves all the attention in this case.

devon mama stourhead

devonmama stourhead

Stourhead garden is split into two parts; an incredible kitchen garden that haunts my dreams and a huge estate situated around a large lake. Due to the dwindling light and poor weather, we decided to skip the house and kitchen garden this time and take in what I would term the ‘main event’; the lake walk.

devonmama stourhead

devonmama stourhead

The garden opened in 1740 and was one of the first to be designed as a piece of landscaped architecture. The waterway was dammed to create a lake with islands populated only by tall trees. The lake then dictates a pathway around the estate, leading you through temples and grottos with hidden statues and beautiful views at every turn. There are cottages, statues and towers dotted amongst a variety of flora and fauna meaning that there’s always something to see, especially in the spring as the garden comes to life and in the autumn when it blazes out.

devonmama stourhead

devonmama stourhead

During the autumn, the landscaping of the trees gives an outrageous display of colour – a sight that attracts hoards of crowds all seeking the perfect autumnal experience. You may have seen the estate featured in the national press year after year – as soon as the leaves begin to change, the challenge is on to get the latest display of colour before the winds take the leaves down. Better yet, the lake reflects back the colours, multiplying the visual masterpiece and making for spectacular images. At this time of year, there really is nowhere better.

stourhead devonmama

stourhead devonmama

Aside from the shops and the onsite pub (delicious incase you were wondering), you can also stay on the estate or even hold your wedding in the Temple of the Apollo – I have to admit to having a sneaky google prior to booking our venue! With a walk through a hand-carved stone tunnel to take you from the church up to the temple, it truly offers a magical experience.

devonmama stourhead

devonmama stourhead

You may be thinking some of the views look a little familiar.  Stourhead estate was used in the 2005 film, Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightly. The Temple of Apollo and the Palladian Bridge featured in the rain scene where Mr Darcy first declares his love for Elizabeth Bennett. There’s a small chance we may have once acted out the scene as children. Okay, probably more than once. And probably more recently than that!

devonmama stourhead

devonmama stourhead

As Darcy says in that famous scene – “I love you.  Most ardently.”

Stourhead, I couldn’t agree more.

Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday

8 Comments

  • Aycan 3rd November 2016 at 9:22 pm

    your photographs are so beautiful! i love the reflection in the water on the 3rd picture. i tend to forget about
    all these beautiful places living london and being far from anything that isn’t a building or tube station.

    • DevonMamaOnline 3rd November 2016 at 9:29 pm

      Ahh thank you! I steal my husbands iPhone 7 every two seconds to snap them (drives him insane!!). So many gorgeous places in London though… LOVE battersea/the Albert bridge. Thanks for reading! x

  • The Speed Bump 8th November 2016 at 11:44 am

    Ooh it looks so pretty! Cracking photos! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday!

    • DevonMamaOnline 9th November 2016 at 9:14 pm

      Ahh thank you! Stole the husbands iPhone 7, it’s amazing! Thanks for reading x

  • Emma Plus Three 8th November 2016 at 9:00 pm

    Looks great! Your photos are beautiful x #KCACOLS

  • emma me and b make tea 19th November 2016 at 9:49 am

    what a beautiful write up of somewhere I know of but haven’t been. fab pictures too. we don’t live too far -Weston super mare – but weve been to longleat a few times and weve always said we should stop at Stourhead too. I didn’t realise they had a pub, church and shops there too. a pub is always a bonus in my book hehe #KCACOLS

    • DevonMamaOnline 20th November 2016 at 8:46 pm

      It doesn’t look like much when you pull into the carpark but as soon as you enter and drop down into it, it’s gorgeous!! Would definitely recommend if you’re in the area, the pub serves yummy food too (DEFINITELY a bonus!!!) Thanks for reading x

  • A Moment With Franca 19th November 2016 at 12:00 pm

    OH My Lord! What a stunning place! I have never been there but I certainly would love to go now! How cool that thy fill Pride & Prejudice there. It makes the place even more enchanting! Love your photos. Thanks so much for sharing this at #KCACOLS. It is great to have you, x

  • Leave a Reply to A Moment With Franca Cancel reply

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