Stow Hall Gardens

Description

If you are hunting for the best things to do with kids in Norfolk, Stow Hall Gardens provides a brilliant outdoor day trip for families. This historic 20-acre attraction offers plenty of beautiful spaces for children to explore safely in nature.

Standard ticket prices are highly affordable for families on a budget, starting from just £2.00 for children and £8.00 for adults. You can also purchase seasonal family memberships to enjoy unlimited entry during the public opening months.

If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids, this beautiful walled estate balances historic architecture with wide open spaces. It is an excellent spot to enjoy fresh air while learning about how local food and plants are grown.

Features

  • Paid
  • Host birthday parties: No

Features

What makes Stow Hall Gardens unique?

  • Educational Day Out: Children can pick up an interactive trail booklet to learn about local insects, plants, and active tree cultivation across the estate.
  • Sensory Play and Sights: The paths are surrounded by over 200 colourful rose varieties, sprawling woodland pathways, and towering ancient trees.
  • Historic Restoration Projects: Families can see how this private estate has been open to the public to continue the horticultural legacy of Lady Rose Hare.

What are the best things to see at Stow Hall Gardens?

  • The Walled Orchard: This traditional enclosed garden contains a unique collection of rare local apple varieties that have grown here for generations. Children can view the neat rows of fruit trees and spot how they change across the spring and summer seasons.
  • The Rose Collections: The estate is home to more than 200 distinct rose varieties that fill the air with sweet scents when in full bloom. Families can walk along the gravel paths to observe a spectacular range of sizes, shapes, and vibrant colours.
  • The Cascading Wisteria: This impressive floral display features ancient wisteria climbing gracefully around the historic, textured brickwork of the estate. It creates a stunning backdrop for family photos during the peak flowering weeks of early summer.
  • The Second-Hand Book Summer House: Tucked away in a quiet corner of the 20-acre grounds, this charming wooden shelter is filled with a variety of pre-owned books. It provides a peaceful spot where parents and older children can sit down to browse and relax.
  • The Children's Adventure Trails: These seasonal activity routes encourage young visitors to complete nature-themed challenges and creative puzzles as they move through the trees. Each booklet costs just £1 and includes games, leaf sketching, and bug spotting.

Your family can explore several specific highlights and points of interest across the grounds:

  • The Walled Apple Orchard
  • The 200-Variety Rose Beds
  • The Avenue of Ancient Trees
  • The Historic Brickwork Wisteria Display
  • The Second-Hand Book Summer House
  • The Fork Handles Café Courtyard
  • The Open Woodland Walking Paths
  • The Quiet Reflection Lawns

Beyond the Main Attraction: Families can expand their trip by visiting Church Wood nearby to experience marked woodland walks, den building, and a bug rubbing trail. You can also head to Church Farm Stow Bardolph for an independent afternoon of animal encounters and indoor play.

Facilities

  • Toilets: Accessible public facilities are located on-site near the main entrance areas.
  • Food Options: The Fork Handles Café serves a seasonal rustic menu of brunch, light lunches, coffee, and home-made cakes.

What to see

What Visitors Love

  • The extremely low entry cost for children makes it a top choice for an affordable family afternoon.
  • Being able to access the on-site café without paying any garden admission fees offers excellent flexibility for quick visits.
  • The peaceful layout means that families can easily find a quiet, shaded lawn area to sit back and relax.

What Visitors Don't Like

  • The entire estate closes completely to the public during the cold winter months of the year.
  • Some of the gravel pathways can occasionally feel slightly uneven for families pushchair pushing.

FAQ

  • Are dogs allowed inside Stow Hall Gardens?: Yes, four-legged companions are completely welcome to join your family walk in both the 20-acre gardens and the café. You must keep them securely on a short lead at all times and clean up after them using the provided on-site waste bins.
  • Can we visit the café without paying for the gardens?: Yes, families can enter the on-site food venue to enjoy brunch or home-made cakes without purchasing any garden tickets. Simply follow the main entry track to the car park and walk straight to the café building.
  • When are the special quiet sessions held?: The monthly reflective morning sessions take place between 09:30am and 11:30am on select weekdays from May through to September. These events cost £25 per person and provide a phone-free, screen-free environment to experience the quiet power of nature.

Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

  • Adult Ticket: £8.00
  • Child Ticket (Aged 2–16): £2.00
  • Group Ticket (10 or More People): £7.00 per person
  • Individual Annual Membership: £50.00
  • Child Annual Membership: £14.00
  • Family Annual Membership (2 Adults + 2 Children): £123.00
  • Pair Annual Membership: £95.00
  • Trio Annual Membership: £135.00

Pricing URL: https://stowhallgardens.co.uk/opening-times-and-prices/

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

The grounds are open from 10:00am to 4:00pm, Wednesday through to Sunday, between 25th March and 4th October 2026. They are also open on bank holiday Mondays but remain closed on winter days.

Address: Stow Hall Gardens, Stow Bardolph, King's Lynn, UK

Post Code: PE34 3HU

Council: King's Lynn and West

County: Norfolk

  • By Car: Drivers can use the postcode PE34 3HU to navigate to Stow Bardolph in West Norfolk. Enter through the main gates and follow the designated track up to the visitor car park on the left side.
  • By Bus: Local bus routes connect the village of Stow Bardolph to surrounding West Norfolk residential hubs. Check local timetables for current rural links operating during the summer season.
  • By Train: The nearest rail station is located at Downham Market, which connects directly to major regional train networks. From the station, visitors can take a short taxi ride or follow local walking routes to reach the estate gates.

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