Several years ago we visited Fritton Lake for a fun afternoon with the kids, and on the way home we swung by Somerleyton Hall to take a few pictures and determined that we would visit again soon to take a proper look at this impressive stately home and gardens.
It took a bit longer than we planned but we did indeed return and it was worth the wait. Here’s a few pictures from when we visited. These were taken in the spring, hence the sun, blossom and lack of winter coats. We figured we would hold on to these to release early in the year to brighten up a winters day. Hope they do the job!
Parents review -With the boys reaching tween and teenage this was a good place to visit. Plenty of space for them to burn off a bit of energy and some interesting things to see too. I’ve noticed as they get older their interests do change and certainly our teenager takes great interest in Norfolk’s stately homes (though he is very much in to history.)
The maze was particularly helpful in burning off some energy as they jogged around (cautiously, I might add, to be aware of other users) to see who could get to the centre and back out again quickest.
I found the grounds, the architecture, everything was just stunning. Indeed, I stopped often along the paths just to admire it all. The boys want to visit again, which is always a win because teens/tweens are hard to please.
Field Notes
We spent somewhere between 1 to 2 hours exploring the gardens, maze, greenhouses, orangery etc. Your stay would be longer if you access the house too.
There are paths all around the grounds, so unless you go off the path you shouldn’t get muddy. i.e. you probably don’t need to take wellies. Of course, with kids, it might be worth packing. Afterall, when have kids ever stayed on the path?!
There are places to eat and drink. We find taking snacks for the kids is always a good idea, wherever you go.
We’ve got a few more photos of Somerleyton Hall and Gardens to follow in the next few days. You can also click here to see more heritage places, including stately homes and gardens, on NorfolkPlaces.