A BEAUTIFUL DAY AT HIGHCLERE CASTLE

 

Oh what a perfect day!

My parents, Belle & myself are huge Downton Abbey fans & have been wanting to go to visit Highclere. I can safely say it was one of the best days of the summer and we all loved every minute. I’ve watched the series and the films many times and Isabelle & I had another binge watch in the week leading up to our visit to get us in the mood for the wonderful era in which Downton is set.

Situated in Newbury, Berkshire, it’s a good 4 hour drive from our village in West Yorkshire but it was most definitely worth it. We were blessed with beautiful weather so when we arrived we took advantage of the outdoor bar and had pimms on the lawn!

Our tickets to go inside the house were for 1pm but you can arrive at any time prior to this and enjoy the grounds. We arrived mid morning and enjoyed a wonderful couple of hours exploring the beautiful grounds & gardens and having a spot of lunch. It really is a spectacular place and I definitely did feel like Lady Mary wandering around.

On entering the stunning house you are met with a lovely feeling of familiarity and it is wonderful to see all the beautiful rooms and the stunning staircase that we’ve grown to love throughout the series. 

The ‘below stairs’ scenes are not filmed in the house as, with the house being lived in today, the kitchens are all updated for present day use. However, the rest of the house has kept all its original features & art work and is a spectacle to see.

We were never rushed and could spend our day exploring inside and outside at leisure which we loved and, although there were plenty of visitors, it was so well organised that you never felt crowed in any of the areas.

There are plenty of places to eat and drink along with a lovely gift shop so we did treat ourselves to a couple of souvenirs.

My parents. Belle & I had a wonderful day and if you’re a Downton fan I can highly recommend a visit.

Visit the website for an updated list of prices. 

www.highclerecastle.co.uk