Hestercombe Gardens
Latest Reviews
A lovely place to visit, the garden is really nice with plenty to see! If you get hungry, there's a delightful eatery by a charming water fountain where you can grab a bite to eat.
However, I'm giving it 3 stars because the waterfall, the main attraction, was barely flowing when I visited. After following the stream, it was clear the reason was due to it being clogged with leaves and debris in every section. To improve the experience, the stream really needs to be cleaned, so visitors can fully enjoy the beauty of the waterfall.
However, I'm giving it 3 stars because the waterfall, the main attraction, was barely flowing when I visited. After following the stream, it was clear the reason was due to it being clogged with leaves and debris in every section. To improve the experience, the stream really needs to be cleaned, so visitors can fully enjoy the beauty of the waterfall.
Source: google.com
As always the exhibition in the gallery was good. Frustrated at having to endure table service in the cafe. Didn't tour the house or gardens
Source: google.com
Beautiful gardens and a lovely venue for a wedding. The shop and art exhibition were interesting and the cafe/restaurant was very good.; situated in the stable block with a picturesque courtyard
Source: google.com
Great day out for a long ramble. Lots of beautiful places to stop and picnic, ramble about and explore.
Witchy huts, secluded woods, old barrack buildings and temple style buildings. Several large ponds and a waterfall, ponds with lots of ducks and a resident swan too. (You can get bags of duck/fish food from reception)
Some of the pathways are very steep and unsuitable for people with limited walking function, but these paths are clearly marked. Plenty of meadows and winding pathways to explore for the dogs, and a small play area at the start of Hestercombe. (There were dog water bowls placed about the grounds too)
There are toilets at the start, the restaurant area, and the building with the old farm machinery by the duck ponds and in the main house. There's a good selection of hot foods and cakes from the restaurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Lots of benches are scattered throughout the grounds for regular rest stops. The more formal gardens are beautiful with their flower beds and walkways, overall a very enjoyable day out.
Witchy huts, secluded woods, old barrack buildings and temple style buildings. Several large ponds and a waterfall, ponds with lots of ducks and a resident swan too. (You can get bags of duck/fish food from reception)
Some of the pathways are very steep and unsuitable for people with limited walking function, but these paths are clearly marked. Plenty of meadows and winding pathways to explore for the dogs, and a small play area at the start of Hestercombe. (There were dog water bowls placed about the grounds too)
There are toilets at the start, the restaurant area, and the building with the old farm machinery by the duck ponds and in the main house. There's a good selection of hot foods and cakes from the restaurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Lots of benches are scattered throughout the grounds for regular rest stops. The more formal gardens are beautiful with their flower beds and walkways, overall a very enjoyable day out.
Source: google.com
I was using a small mobility scooter to go around the paths which were accessible, some of them were a bit scary to navigate . Not much in the way of flowers so need to go back maybe in June.
Source: google.com
Excellent, great day out. Recommended.
Source: google.com
Lovely planned gardens in front of house, but not a great deal inside the manor house
Source: google.com
Attractive looking building that has beautiful interior decoration that is well worth checking out. The house is unfurnished with displays on the ground floor detailing the history of the house and grounds, whilst the upstairs rooms are used as a gallery for modern artworks. The formal garden is stunning, one of the best I have ever seen. The wider landscape garden area is also attractive despite the cascades water feature not working on my visit.
Source: google.com
Fab!
Source: google.com
Visited on a whim. on 2-1 gardens offer, thus excellent value. Gardens are varied, accessible and dog friendly. All staff very passionate about Hestercombe, except restaurant service was very slow (needs to be sorted). Tea and cake was tasty.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Fascinating and lovely garden, I particularly liked the water channels running through the garden. Nearly as good as the coffee and walnut cake.
Source: google.com
Great day out even midweek in the rain. We loved how dog friendly the site is. All staff very helpful and accommodating. We had lunch and the food is good quality at an acceptable price. Art exhibitions within the upstairs area of the house aren't to everyone's taste but are suitably entertaining.
Source: google.com
Lovely house and gardens , easy way to spend a day , particularly if the weather's
Source: google.com
It's ok, the cafe does nice drinks and brownies. But the rest of it is very expensive for what it is.
Source: google.com
Whilst the gardens are mildly pretty, they are not nearly impressive enough for this to be the main selling point of the venue. Many of the plants looked like they were half dead, and the formal gardens were depressingly small.
The walks themselves are quite enjoyable, although I can’t help but feel there is a lot of missed potential in them- much of the walk is barebones, and none of it was signposted, making navigating them unnecessarily challenging. Not only this, but the walk is not suited for the elderly or anyone who might have mobility issues. The walk would benefit massively from some little play areas, and possibly more signage indicating the history of the area.
The house was not particularly interesting or inviting.
Now for my biggest gripe- the price. We paid £45 for a family, which is extortionate considering the fact that nothing about the place is particularly outstanding, and that we only spent about three hours and had done literally all there was to do, twice over.
I cannot help but feel that the house and gardens are an example of severely missed potential, and that The National Trust or English Heritage would make the most of what could be a really lovely day out.
The walks themselves are quite enjoyable, although I can’t help but feel there is a lot of missed potential in them- much of the walk is barebones, and none of it was signposted, making navigating them unnecessarily challenging. Not only this, but the walk is not suited for the elderly or anyone who might have mobility issues. The walk would benefit massively from some little play areas, and possibly more signage indicating the history of the area.
The house was not particularly interesting or inviting.
Now for my biggest gripe- the price. We paid £45 for a family, which is extortionate considering the fact that nothing about the place is particularly outstanding, and that we only spent about three hours and had done literally all there was to do, twice over.
I cannot help but feel that the house and gardens are an example of severely missed potential, and that The National Trust or English Heritage would make the most of what could be a really lovely day out.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We had such a lovely day at Hestercombe House & Gardens yesterday. The gardens are vast & beautiful, and the house is very grand/brimming with historical interest.
We also enjoyed a cake & coffee at the cafe.
A couple of us have accessibility issues and they were really accommodating -- concessions were offered when it came to entrance fees, and there is a flat path route if you have trouble with steps.
The only thing I'd change, is that once you enter the cafe from the house grounds, you can't exit the same way back. This is ok assuming you're visiting the cafe at the end of your visit. But we went at the middle of our visit so would have been forced to do a huge detour to get back to where we were, which would've been hard for my Mum in her 80s. We asked a member of staff if there was a shortcut -- he reluctantly allowed us to go through the private function room and agreed that the entrance to the cafe should also serve as an exit. Hopefully the owners will read this and take note 🙏
Apart from that it was the perfect day & we would definitely recommend 🌸🏰✨️ 💛
We also enjoyed a cake & coffee at the cafe.
A couple of us have accessibility issues and they were really accommodating -- concessions were offered when it came to entrance fees, and there is a flat path route if you have trouble with steps.
The only thing I'd change, is that once you enter the cafe from the house grounds, you can't exit the same way back. This is ok assuming you're visiting the cafe at the end of your visit. But we went at the middle of our visit so would have been forced to do a huge detour to get back to where we were, which would've been hard for my Mum in her 80s. We asked a member of staff if there was a shortcut -- he reluctantly allowed us to go through the private function room and agreed that the entrance to the cafe should also serve as an exit. Hopefully the owners will read this and take note 🙏
Apart from that it was the perfect day & we would definitely recommend 🌸🏰✨️ 💛
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Visited on a bank holiday Monday and found It very peaceful and quiet. Gardens beautifully maintained and choice of cafe or restaurant was great … neither was too busy and food was good. Spent about 3.5 hours here and felt we had good value for money. A very pleasant surprise after a VERY disappointing visit to a very neglected Barrington Court the previous day.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Beautiful gardens and views across Tone Vale.
Source: google.com
Wonderful to see such a beautiful laid out gardens.
Source: google.com
The gardens were amazing! So beautiful. It's a shame there was not any furniture in the house. But the 2nd hand bookshop was great.
Source: google.com
Something to discover every day of the year!
Source: google.com
Interesting gardens. The house isn't open for tours, but there is often an art exhibition in the house. The gardens are worth a visit, with three styles of gardens; landscape, Victorian and Edwardian. There's also an old mill house and two video shows introducing the history and background to the estate.
There's a good café.
Some of the paths in the landscape garden are uneven and can be a little muddy in places, so suitable walking shoes would be a good idea.
All good 😎 👍 👍 👍
There's a good café.
Some of the paths in the landscape garden are uneven and can be a little muddy in places, so suitable walking shoes would be a good idea.
All good 😎 👍 👍 👍
Source: google.com
Great afternoon at Hestercombe.
Source: google.com
Quite a nice morning in Hestercombe only to be spoilt by an arrogant vile member of staff in the restaurant. He would be sacked on the spot for his attitude if I were his manager.
Source: google.com
Beautiful grounds and gardens. Maintained to a high standard. Plants available to purchase and a lovely cafe and restaurant too, serving healthy, clean, meals and drinks. Good access for disabilities too and dogs (on a lead) are welcome. Highly reccomended. Easy location to access.
Source: google.com
