Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII

The story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn is brought to life by costumed Tudor characters, panelled rooms,

 

 

 

 

banquet halls and even a potential candidate for Henry VIII’s bed chamber.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grounds

The grounds boast several formal gardens, statues,

 

 

 

 

 

 

waterfalls, a lake 

 

 

 

 

 

and bushes shaped like chess pieces and animals. 

 

 

 

 

The Ducks

There are also plenty of marauding ducks to feed.

 

 

 

 

The Two Mazes

There are two mazes to pit your wits against – a hedge maze and a water maze.

 

The Hedge Maze

The hedge maze is lots of fun and took us about ten minutes of wandering around to solve.

 

 

The Water Maze

The water maze is ingenious.

Your task is to reach the centre whilst dodging the jets of water that suddenly erupt when step on the wrong stone.

 

 

 

The Adventure Play Area

The fantastic Hever Castle Adventure Play Area centres around a castle called Tudor Towers.

It has tube slides, turrets, bridges and poles.

 

 

It also has a secret passage, maze and musical instruments.

 

 

 

 

The castle is surrounded by more play equipment, including slides, swings, tunnels and an obstacle course.

 

Nearest Town: Hever
County: Kent
Nearest Postcode: TN8 7NG

Adult Cost Range: Various 
Child Cost Range: Various
Free if: Under 5 years or entry to the gardens can be free with RHS membership at set times.

Opens: Daily from March to December.

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe.
Facilities: Picnic area, cafe, snacks, barbecues, toilets and accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: The castle is a short walk from the car park, which has lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks and swans.

Information Written: May 2016
Information Checked: September 2021

 

You can roughly divide the play area into three sections.

 

Tudor Towers

This is a large wooden castle built like a castle

 

 

 

 

with tube slides, poles, tunnels,

 

 

 

 

 

rope bridges, net tunnels, ladders and climbing walls.

 

 

 

 

Outside there is a well hiding a secret passage, which eventually emerges through a fireplace. 

 

 

 

 

The castle also has musical instruments, a maze, hidden passages and games. 

Tudor Towers is for those aged 5 to 14 years.

 

 

 

Acorn Dell – Natural Play Area

This sandy play area has:

• a wooden climbing frame
• tree trunks and climbing logs
• a tunnel
• stones to climb on
• a tree house with a tube slide and a wobbly bridge
• a willow tunnel
• and a musical instrument. 

 

 

The Wooden Play Area

This play area has:

• toddler swings (for under 5s)
• swings
• a castle slide with easy to climb steps
• knights’ horse springers
• a swinging basket
• wooden climbing frames with nets and ropes
• an obstacle course
• a zipwire.

Nearest Town: Hever
County: Kent
Nearest Postcode: TN8 7NG

Adult Cost Range: Various 
Child Cost Range: Various
Free if: Under 5 years or entry to the gardens can be free with RHS membership at set times.

Opens: Daily from March to December.

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe.
Facilities: Picnic area, cafe, snacks, barbecues, toilets and accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: The castle is a short walk from the car park, which has lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks and swans.

Information Written: May 2016
Information Checked: September 2021

 

The Gardens

The gardens are magnificent and full of colour and life, whatever the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love the maze-like Alpine Meadow and the Glasshouse.

 

 

 

 

 

The Glasshouse

The Glasshouse conceals a tropical world complete with a jungle canopy, desert

 

 

 

 

 

 

It also has a waterfall, a cave with an exhibition about plants and roots and even hosts free-flying butterflies during the winter.

 

 

 

 

 

The Grounds

Wisley’s grounds are extensive so make sure you pick up a map.

The many walking routes lead past orchards, view points, hillside gardens, formal gardens, wild gardens

 

 

 

several ponds, and small waterfalls as well as a walled garden with a lily pond and fountain.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are even some ducks. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outdoor Play Areas

There are a couple of places to play – a den building area

 

 

 

 

and a wild playground with an obstacle course, and bridge and rope climbing frames.

 

 

 

 

Cafes and an Indoor Play Area

Scattered around the gardens are several picnic areas and cafes.

The Glasshouse Cafe has a small, indoor soft play area, although this is not in the main part of the cafe and we have never managed to find a free table there.

Nearest Town: Woking
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU23 6QB

Adult Cost Range: £15 to £19.99
Child Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Free if: Under 5 or with RHS membership

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic.
Facilities: Picnic area, cafe, snacks, ice creams, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a large car park but it can become very busy. There are spaces for people with children near the entrance to the gardens.  
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, water birds, squirrels, birds and fish.

Information Written: August 2016

 

The Walled Gardens

We investigated the walled gardens first. The path leads you along winding paths edged with gorgeous flowers and bushes.

 

 

 

 

 

These paths are the perfect size for little ones to run up and down but there are water features and fountains hidden around a few of the corners so you have to be careful.

 

 

 

 

 

The Moat

On the edge of the gardens, there is a small lawn with a slope hiding a sheer drop into the moat. 

 

 

 

 

The Lake

The lake is a ten minute walk from the house and walled gardens. We enjoyed a walk surrounded by waterbirds, flowers and parkland. Then, to our surprise, a beautiful deer ran across our path.

 

 

 

The House

You can also visit the house but we did not do this. 

It is used as a filming location, including for The Crown. 

 

 

 

RHS Membership

At the time of writing, the Loseley Park gardens are free to visit with RHS membership. We would visit again but only when entry was free.  

Nearest Town: Guildford
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU3 1HS

Opens: Various times throughout the year and during the week. Please check their website before planning your visit.

Adult Cost Range: £10 to £14.99
Child Cost Range: £0 to £4.99
Free if: Under 5 or with RHS membership at set times.

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or buy food from the cafe.
Facilities: Cafe, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic area, snacks, ice creams.

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Car park by the play area.
Cost of Parking: Free

Animals You Might See: Geese, Canada geese, ducks and butterflies.

Information Written: May 2016