Wimpole Estate Cambridge in a nutshell: a unique working estate including a mansion next to gorgeous Dutch gardens and a croquet lawn, a home farm with rare breed animals, a huge parkland and an adventure playground. One of our favourite National Trust properties near Cambridge and relatively close to London to make a delightful daytrip.
A day is not enough to go round and soak in the beauty or the history, eat fruit from the orchard, go wild in the playground and see all the barns and animals.
We and our friends drove 1 hour and 20min from Kensington each way, but given how much fun we all had, it’s already on the list to go back!
We had a picnic by Wimpole Estate Cambridge mansion and by the croquet lawn – the landscapes are just amazing and the kids can play and run around whilst the adults could enjoy some bubbles or beer. We had quite dramatic summer skies but luckily no rain and pleasant 21 degrees.
My youngest son and I went on a tour of this spectacular architectural pedigree mansion: superb paintings, ceilings, bath house, Baroque chapel, library and fun basement including butlers’ rooms.
A rich mixture of mainly 18th-century decorations loved by lots of historical characters, including Queen Victoria who spent a couple of overnights.
Post lunch with our friends we explored the working farm – lots of cute baby animals and then headed to the playground.
I thoroughly enjoyed my youngest nap time and took him around the walled gardens.
Later on, friends and other kids joined in, they loved the apples from the yard, the little pond with the fish and simply going round so much gorgeous colours and flowers. Very zen and back to nature!
We have concluded the day purchasing local goodies – cheese and brioches – mostly devoured on the car on the way back.
A gem so close to London afterall – highly recommending Wimpole Estate Cambridge with kids or without! For similar driving distance, chec another gem of National Trust that we love: Waddesdon Manor, we wrote about in here. For our favourite days out within an hour drive of London, head here. Less time to drive? Do check our list with 6 fabulous gardens and gorgeous countryside within 30 minutes drive from London.
Ps: thank you Wimpole Estate Cambridge National Trust for the complimentary Family day pass, excited kids – ours and our friends; impressions and pics entirely ours.