Places to Picnic - Our Top Picks

Wrest Park in Bedfordshire

When the weather’s fine, there’s nothing better than packing up your picnic hamper and heading off to the great outdoors. Our properties provide some stunning locations to spread out your picnic rug, from the grounds of a romantic ruined castle, to the magnificent landscaped gardens of an elegant Victorian residence.

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Here are our top four picnic spots:

Our favourites

Fancy al fresco dining in an unusual setting?

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Places to visit

Witley Court and Gardens
Witley Court and Gardens

Worcestershire | West Midlands

A hundred years ago, Witley Court was one of England's great country houses, hosting many extravagant parties. Today it is a spectacular ruin, the result of a disastrous fire in 1937.

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Wrest Park
Wrest Park

Bedfordshire | East of England

Visit this Bedfordshire visitor attraction, one of the most magnificent gardens in England yet one of the least well known.

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Rievaulx Abbey
Rievaulx Abbey

North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and the Humber

Rievaulx Abbey is the perfect choice for a peaceful and tranquil day out.

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Beeston Castle and Woodland Park
Beeston Castle and Woodland Park

Cheshire | North West

If you’re planning a family day out in Cheshire, then a visit to Beeston Castle in Tarporley fits the bill perfectly. This 'Castle of the Rock' is famous for its spectacular views.

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Eltham Palace and Gardens
Eltham Palace and Gardens

London

When millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld built their 1930s Art Deco mansion by the Great Hall of medieval Eltham Palace, they created a masterpiece of 20th-century design.

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Old Wardour Castle
Old Wardour Castle

Wiltshire | South West

Set in landscaped grounds beside a lake in peaceful Wiltshire countryside, these 14th century ruins provide a relaxed, romantic day out for couples, families and budding historians alike.

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Events

A Tale of Two Beds
A Tale of Two Beds
Venue: Audley End House and Gardens, Essex
Date: Wed 22 May 2013

Enjoy a special tour with the Curator of Audley End House focusing on the two 18th century beds created for Sir John Griffin. See the surviving original textiles, hear stories of Sir John and what these fascinating survivals tell us about him.
Stonehenge Neolithic House Project
Stonehenge Neolithic House Project
Venue: Old Sarum, Wiltshire
Date: Fri 24 May 2013

Gain exclusive access to the Neolithic Houses being built ahead of the new interpretation at Stonehenge.
Springtime Family Fun Trail
Springtime Family Fun Trail
Venue: Witley Court and Gardens, Worcestershire
Date: Sat 25 May - Sun 2 Jun 2013 (bank holiday)

Spring into action with our family trail this Half Term! Track down all the clues hidden around the grounds, solve the riddle and claim your chocolate prize!
Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Venue: Old Wardour Castle, Wiltshire
Date: Sat 25 - Mon 27 May 2013 (bank holiday)

Meet Robin Hood and his band of merry men at Old Wardour this Bank Holiday weekend. See if you have what it takes to join the famous outlaws! Try your hand at archery, listen to tales of Sherwood Forest and watch Robin display his mighty long- bow skills.
Costumes from Austen
Costumes from Austen
Venue: Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Northumberland
Date: Sat 25 May - Mon 26 Aug 2013 (excluding Sat 3 & Sun 4 Aug 2013)

Belsay Hall plays host to displays of a fabulous collection of costumes from a variety of Jane Austen film and TV productions. See the infamous shirt worn by Colin Firth in TV’s Pride and Prejudice, Gwyneth Paltrow’s dress from Emma and many more.

Regency Revival
Regency Revival
Venue: Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Northumberland
Date: Sat 25 & Sun 26 May 2013

To celebrate the opening of the “Costumes from Austen” display of TV and film costumes, we bring together both the genteel and graceful side of Regency society with the dramatic and theatrical side.

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