Easter weekend in the New Forest and we had every form of weather possible. There was gorgeous blue skies and sunshine one minute, then stormy hail stones, heavy rain and gales the next. We had planned a trip to Kingston Lacy National Trust, but we woke up on Easter Sunday to thunderous, menacing black skies and heavy rain.
We seriously debated whether we should just go home, but the weather forecast said heavy showers and sun, so we had a vote and chose to brave it out with our new waterproof trousers and headed to Kingston Lacy
On our arrival the sun came out and shone on us. The house looked huge and grand…beautiful. The children had their faces painted with bunny whiskers and we began the easter trail by hopping along the path. The first eggs on the trail were fantastic. The fabulous bushes in the garden were egg-shaped and had ribbons tied around them in bows, just like easter eggs.
We walked on through the woods to find more eggs. Luckily at one point there was also a den someone had previously made and the timing couldn’t have been better. The rain started, so we all crawled into the den for shelter until it stopped. We did find it rather amusing, if a little cramped for us grown ups, but the kids loved it.
The kitchen garden was the next stop. There wasn’t a lot to see, as it was so early in the year, but we did spot some herbs. The children had a great time playing on the tractors, then the biggest blackest cloud you could possibly imagine hovered over us, until it finally broke…the heavens opened and the torrential rain poured down on us with gale force winds and even hail.
The children sheltered in a play house while mummy and daddy stood under another shelter until it stopped. That was quite a storm! It didn’t seem to bother the children though, they were out playing again even before the rain stopped.
Continuing the trail, spotting the eggs, writing down their descriptions, we ended up back at the house, a great place to stop for lunch. There are two cafes to choose from in the stables and the kids found it quite amusing that we were eating where the horses used to live.
We collected our Easter bunny chocolate prize for completing the trail before checking out the house. It is a larger house than the previous national trust properties we’ve looked round. The children were fascinated with the pictures and ‘nude’ paintings, as well as all the books in the library. We always enjoy wandering round the house seeing how people used to live.
Kingston Lacy is a beautiful country mansion with wonderful gardens and parkland to explore and enjoy. It has so much more to offer than we got to see, we really hope to get back there again in the summer on a less rainy day.
Kingston Lacy always sounds so lovely but it’s somewhere I haven’t explored. The Easter Egg hunts were great though – lovely bunny faces!
This is our dilemma too last Easter. The weather. In the morning its stormy here and when we found a window when its sunny we went out but not that far.
Looks wonderful! I like the little touches like the egg shaped bushes tied with ribbon, very sweet! Looks like a great place for outdoor exploration and you did well going out for a walk in the heavy rain for Easter (we did too, but littlest was not happy and I got a total of one picture in the rain). Fantastic photos of your little ones enjoying the day.
What a fab place! I’m so glad the sun came out for you at the start. But well done to you all for braving the storms and staying out.
The easter trail looks great. I love the little tractors. The national trust always put on such amazing activities for little ones don’t they, even when there isn’t anything on like Easter or Christmas.
Sounds like a mixed bag of a day! Good thing you had wet weather gear! We went to Kingston Lacy NT last year and the grounds were amazing! We loved the sundial and the large oaks!
National Trust always put so much thought into their Easter Egg Hunts, their eggs are always so imaginative. They look so excited to start the trail with their bunny faces painted, you know they’re enjoying themselves when the rain doesn’t put them off. I bet you can’t wait to get out and enjoy Kingston Lacy in the sunshine.
I live in Hampshire but yet to visit Kingston Lacy. My kids would love the digger park! Thanks for sharing 🙂
It looks like you had a great egg hunt despite the weather. The egg-like bushes look great – it looks like the NT have really given consideration to how to make the most of the event for families.
And it just goes to prove, that even in torrential rain children will rarely have their play interrupted.