All Things Norfolk Directory - Entries tagged with Walks

Delightful natural woodland and water garden with a private Broad. 

The Sensory Garden is the first thing you’ll see as you walk into Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden. It has been designed with our visually and mobility impaired customers in mind.

In spring the garden 'springs' into life again. The primroses come into flower along the Broads Walk and the woodland paths. In May the glorious sight of bluebells will delight you, and our spectacular candelabra primulas, together with azaleas and rhododendrons.

There's lots of activity among the water birds and if you are lucky you may see a flash of vivid blue as the kingfisher dives for its prey.

In Summer there are flowers and shrubs including hydrangeas – in particular along our Hydrangea Walk – foxgloves and many other wild flowers. Several varieties of butterflies can be seen on our butterfly path.

Autumn brings its own special pleasure, the glow of the golds, reds and browns of the trees as they shed their leaves. The stark contrast of bare branches in Winter has a different kind of beauty, and withering birds come to shelter in the broads.

In December you can buy Christmas trees, wreaths and gifts and Father Christmas will visit before Christmas with gifts for children.

Fairhaven has three miles of peaceful walks. Boat trips are available on our Private Broad and South Walsham Broad from Easter to the end of October, including trips to St Benet's Abbey.

There is a plant sales area which specialises in woodland and bog plants, a Gift Shop, small provisions shop and the Kingfisher Tearoom for breakfast (from 9.15am) morning coffees, lunches and afternoon teas, using the best of local produce. Free entry to tearoom, shop and plant sales.

Dogs welcome on leads (small charge for poop scoop).

Situated nearby to Loddon and Beccles our gardens surround Raveningham Hall, home to Sir Nicholas and Lady Bacon (and home to the Bacon family since 1735).

Enjoy the beauty of our varied and ever-changing floral seasons. The Gardens are set out as the Edwardian plans with large herbaceous borders surrounding a Victorian walled kitchen garden. In the 1960s the planting was enhanced by the inspiration of Priscilla, Lady Bacon an energetic plantswoman who collected many rare species from around the world transforming the garden over 50 years. The walled kitchen garden was brought back to full working order in the last 20 years and is now producing fruit and vegetables for the House. There is a fine late 19th century Boulton and Paul range of glasshouses, stocked conservatory and melon pits, all in working order.

A Millennium project by Nicholas Bacon to build a lake on the North side of the House is now firmly established as is an Arboretum that was planted after the destruction of a wood in the 1987 gale; this gave an opportunity to plant a large variety of trees and shrubs under a plan designed by the eminent plantsman Roy Lancaster. New additions to the garden include a Herb Garden, a Stumpery and a garden designed around Francis Bacon’s essays based on the passage of time.

The main specialities of the garden are snowdrops followed by bulbs in early spring, later in the season agapanthus are a main feature. Our Gardens are circa 10 acres all in a glorious 18th Century parkland setting with sculpture by Susan Bacon in and around the gardens. Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome.

Main Season Opening Times

We are open for both individual visits and Group Tours of 10-30 people.

Our Gardens and Tea Room are open throughout February 11-4pm (closed Saturdays) and on set days April to August. Please see our website www.raveningham.com  for opening days & times.

Friends of Raveningham Gardens

Become a friend and visit throughout our opening times for just £20 per person.

Please contact sonya@raveningham.com 01508 548480 for all enquiries, individual or group.

We look forward to welcoming you to our living garden.