The National Trust site of Biddulph Grange has the most extraordinary gardens. You can meander along long, wide paths, tiptoe through dark tunnels, tread carefully over rockery stepping stones, listen to little, trickling streams, and explore one of the largest stumperies in Britain. The flower beds are gorgeous with their famous Dahlias and roses in the summer months. It really is a unique place to visit, where else can you explore China, Egypt and Italy in one place.
Top Info
🚗 Free Carpark
🏠 Second Hand Bookshop
☕ Cafe serving lunches, cakes and drinks
🐕 Dogs Not Allowed
💧 Toilets at entrance and in cafe
🏞 Well constructed paths
🏞 Lots of steps, narrow pathways
🏞 Not suitable for pushchairs
🌳 Woodland with nature playground
🌹Beautiful Flowers in the summer
🐉China Bridge and Ornate Temple
🏞 Beautiful Lake with fish
🌉Bridges and Tunnels
👣 Different paths and routes to take
🚗Grange Road, Biddulph ST8 7SD
Biddulph Grange is one of our favourite local National Trust sites. The beautifully landscaped gardens are in the grounds of a historic Victorian Mansion which used to be a hospital in the 1920s. In 1988 the National Trust took ownership of the property and its gardens, which have now been nearly fully restored, including a long work digging out the Dahlia Walk area archaeology-style to find forgotten features. The gardens are so unusual and interesting. You can see ancient Egypt, China and Italy, venture down dark tunnels, over bridges and through Britain's oldest stumpery.
China
Explore different countries within the gardens including China and Ancient Egypt. China has just had lots of restoration work on it including restoring the gorgeous, decorative Chinese bridge and a lovely, colourful Chinese lookout house at the top of a raised part of the gardens. This is a stand out part of Biddulph Grange gardens. The view of the bridge is breathtaking from any angle and a beautiful feature. There is also a Golden Bull, a pagoda, monumental doorways, a joss house, a ‘Great Wall’ and a tower.
Egypt
With its own topiary pyramid guarded by a pair of sphinxes. If you are brave enough you can head inside the pyramid into a dark tunnel which then brings you out in another part of the garden.
Dahlia Walk
The Dahlia Walk is Biddulph’s most spectacularly colourful boarders. Dahlias are planted in tiers between huge buttressed yew hedging and provide a dazzling display of colour. Yew is used throughout the garden to create bays and 'rooms'. The dahlias flower spectacularly, reaching a peak in early September. Many types of dahlia are planted, such as pompon or ball, which would have been available in the late 19th century but some more modern types such as collarette are included.
Stumpery
The oldest stumpery in the country is at Biddulph Grange. The stumpery consists of a sunken path bordered by upside-down oak tree roots among which grow a great variety of ferns, delicate plants and mosses. The stumps are packed close together, interlacing each other and reaching up to three or four metres.
The path wriggles along between them, up and down, and in some places the stumps merge overhead to form a tunnel. It is, in a sense, a rockery made of wood.
Throughout the year the gardens change, In April the flower beds were full of multicoloured tulips & daffodils. In May you will be amazed by the Rhododendrons & in the summer the deep boards of the Dahlia walk are in full bloom.
As with all the National Trust sites, Biddulph puts on extra activities on during the school holidays. They like to celebrate every occasion at Biddulph, from Chinese New Year to their fun Halloween Trail and everything in between.
In February there is normally a new trail around the gardens. At Easter there is an Easter Egg Hunt. In the summer they fill the tennis lawn with garden games and things to tick off your "50 things to do before you are 11 and a half"
Woodland Play Ground
Hidden in the garden is a woodland assault course which is an extra attraction for when your visiting with children. There are stepping stones, balance beams, a seesaw, wobbly bridges and just general things to clamber on. The assault course takes you through the woodland and bring you back out into the garden so you can do it as part of a circular walk. My girls always really enjoy this part and how ever many times we visit they always challenge them selves to several balancing acts.
Food & Drinks
A small part of the house is used as a cafe, toilets, and a brand new second hand book shop. But the rest is off limits to all but residents. The cafe has indoor and outdoor seating and served the usual light lunches, cakes and drinks. The outdoor tables are in a very pretty setting right by the Mansion so is a lovely place to sit after your walk with a drink or ice cream.
Picnics
On your way back to the entrance if you turn right before the shop you will find the kitchen garden. This is an allotment type garden with vegetables and herbs growing it in.
By the entrance you will also spot a area of grassy area full of picnic tables. Biddulph don't encourage picnics inside the gardens but here is perfect to eat your own picnic before or after your visit.
Disabled Access
Please note that some areas of the garden are only accessible up quite steep and potentially slippery stone paths. Wheelchair users and anyone unsteady on their feet may have to give these areas a miss.
Walking around Biddulph is a lovely way to spend a few hours at any time of year. I always find that on each visit I see something different.
Entry Fees
Entry for adults (April 23) is £12 each and a family ticket is £30. Free for National Trust Members.
To read about more National Trust sites in the North West click here. National Trust Sites (daysoutandmealsout.com)
I visited Biddulph Grange for their Christmas Winter Light Trail. You can read all about it here. Festive Nights at Biddulph Grange (daysoutandmealsout.com)
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