We had a fantastic day out at Ragley Hall on Sunday. There was so much to see and do, we needed to virtually drag our 9 year old daughter home when we were told that the gates were shutting in 10 minutes!
As well as the house itself, with its collection of paintings and porcelain, there are also the beautiful gardens and Woodland Walk to enjoy. Well worth a look are the Stables, built in 1780, which house Ragley's collection of 19th Century Carriages. Also in the Stables is the Jerwood Foundation Sculpture Studio.
As it was Halloween Half Term when we visited, the house was decorated for Halloween, there was Spooky Storytelling in the Library (highly recommended!), craft activities - our daughter made a broomstick bookmark, and a haunted trail through the House. We learnt a lot about Halloween customs and traditions as well as having fun spotting the number of rats in each room!
Before going to see the Adventure Playground, we enjoyed tea and cake on the terrace overlooking the gardens. We were fortunate in that it was a beautiful day, full of autumnal sunshine. We all had a go at the 3D maze, our daughter enjoyed the trampoline followed by the rope swing.
We really cannot recommend Ragley Hall highly enough for an enjoyable day out for all the family, with something to interest everyone. There is ample free car parking, and plenty of space to enjoy a picnic too.