Arley Hall & Gardens is one of our go to places when we are after a pleasant walk, a play area and a place to get a treat to eat.
It really is a lovely hidden gem. Based in Northwich, easily accessible from the M56 motorway the drive up to Arley is so pretty and very well sign posted.
The Gardens are stunning! Even in the off season months, the different features of the gardens are interesting and lovely to walk around.
But, my word, they are truly breathtaking in the summer. The gardens are amongst the finest in Britain, they are filled with variety and historical interest and the double herbaceous boarders are particularly magnificent.
Every time I visit I notice different flowers and plants popping up as the hard working gardens are always there tending to the garden, working with seasonal plants.
Top Info
• Beautiful Gardens
• Stunning Hall open at certain days of the year
• Woodland Walk
• Picnic area
• Cafe
• Children's Play area
• Host to events through out the year
• Annual membership available and really reasonable
• Adults £11, child £5, family £30 at Peak times, March-Oct.
The entrance is based in a lovely courtyard where there is a beautiful shop selling gifts from local suppliers, and there’s also the Gardener’s kitchen cafe and toilets.
The Hall
The Hall is only open a few times a month, these dates can be found on their website and social media. The hall is situated at the very heart of the Estate and overlooks the famous Gardens and beautifully landscaped Park. It was built in 1832 and is filled with beautifully decorated rooms full of history, with elaborate woodwork and furniture. It's an impressive home to wonder around.
The Gardens
There are many different areas of the gardens at Arley.
The Herb & Scented Garden
The Vinery
The Kitchen Garden
The Walled Garden
Double Herbaceous Boarder
The Furlong Walk
Flag Garden
Pleached Lime Avenue
The Tea Cottage
The Rose Garden
The Fish Garden
The Ilex Avenue
The Rootery
The Grove and Woodland Walk
The gardens are one of my favourites in Cheshire. There are so many different areas and features to explore, from the Rose Gardens to the hidden cave in the Rootery. The Double Herbaceous Boarder is jam packed with beautiful plants and flowers and in the high of summer it is a wash with colours.
Another favourite feature in the gardens is the Tea Cottage. This black and white cottage sits within the flower beds and it so cute. It is full of history and my girls love going inside and reading the wording on the walls about it.
The Gardener's Kitchen Cafe
The Gardener's Kitchen Cafe is a lovely place to stop for lunch, cake, or ice cream. A hot counter filled with freshly made curries or pies, beautiful deli sandwiches, and a large selection of homemade cakes. I have done a full review just for the cafe as its such a fabulous asset to Arley, which you can find here.
Playzone
The Playzone is perfect for children to play and run around in. There is a zip wire, sandpit, swings, and slides. There’s also a willow dome that makes the perfect den in the woods. This is also the perfect place to have a picnic as there are plenty of picnic tables. From the courtyard you walk away the clock tower, and past the cafe and toilets. Turn right, once you are at the Chapel, the play area is opposite, through the trees and a wood gate.
The woodland walk starts just next to the play area. It is a great family walk as children can explore and run around along the paths, it loops around so you end where you started although we lost our bearings a bit at one point.
It’s also hard to miss out that Arley Hall has featured in lots of TV programs and films. Most recently in the series "Fool me Once" but also was Thomas Shelbys home in "Peaky Blinders", Mr Tumbles home from CBeebies and has features numerous times in Corronation Street and other soaps for weddings and funerals.
I actually have an annual pass. You only have to go 2-3 times to make it worthwhile. Included is free parking, 10% off in the cafe and shop, and discounted entry to their special events.
Arley Hall & Gardens host a wide variety of extra events through out the year including, outdoor theatre, fireworks, Totally Roarsome trail and their annual garden festival in the summer and in the winter their hall is decorated for Christmas and they are hosting a fab Santa experience by Sneaky Experience.
PRICING June 24
Garden Entry
ADULT £12 CHILD (4-16) £6 FAMILY (2+3) £33
Car Parking £3
Annual Pass June 24
Individual Adult £44
Family 2 + 3 £100
You also receive the following additional benefits:
10% discount on tickets to the annual Arley Garden Festival
10% discount in the Arley Gift Shop
10% discount in the Arley Hall Plant Nursery
10% discount on all food and drink purchases in The Gardener’s Kitchen café
Free Parking (normally £3 per car)
Arley Hall & Gardens Events
Arley Hall hosts lots of events throughout the year.
I am very lucky to work along side Arley Hall and get invited to a lot of their events to help promote and share the events.
Here are ones I've been to:
Get outside and explore the woodland. But you won't be alone. The woodland was jam packed with amazing characters and creatures. There was so many more than i thought there would be and there was some "Roarsome" themes. The 2km family friendly trail is a fun activity for children who are walking up to age 12.
Discover Tree Climbing is a company who set up Tree Climbing sessions at Arley Hall during school holidays for children and adults to have a go at climbing using the double rope method. We climbed all the way up to the canopy of a massive Turkey Oak Tree reaching 17.5 meters high.
The beautiful hall at Arley was the perfect setting for this Nutcracker story. The grand rooms had been magically transformed into enchanting rooms of wonder. Each room was dressed exquisitely and the performers were wonderful. For that 45 minutes you were in a winter wonderland of singing, dancing and live theatre performances.
Visited multiple times in 2023
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