Bressingham Gardens and Steam Museum - great for all the children big and small (Blooms of Bressingham)

Member Name: rrharmston

Product:	Blooms of Bressingham
Date:	22/01/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots to do with trains, gallopers and gardens, cheap season ticket, garden centre next door,

Disadvantages: Expensive for one off trip for amount there

Blooms of Bressingham consists of a large garden centre with cafe and a pay to enter gardens and steam museum section with Dad's army exhibit. There is also a small aquatics shop selling tanks, fish and accessories but I think this is a seperate business.

The Steam Museum, Gardens and Garden Centre about 2.5 miles west of Diss and 14 miles east of Thetford on the A1066. Diss can also be a nice place to stop and feed the ducks on the mere or use the playground on the park nearby if you have children (Cafe in the bookshop next to the meer does nice cakes and lunches).

If you are planning a visit I would go to http://www.bressinghamsteammuseumguide.co.uk/ and download the current brochure as the trains and gallopers don't run every day out of season. Also the price varies depending on wether the trains are running ie steam day or non steam day or if you just want to visit the gardens. The pricing structure is complicated further by gift aid or non gift aid payments. The full adult price including gardens, trains and gallopers is £12.00 with children costin £8.00 or free if under the age of three. If you intend to visit regularly the season ticket is around £25 per adult and includes trains etc.

Bressingham has over five miles of narrow-gauge steam railway, with a Garden Railway (10.25 inch gauge), the Nursery Railway (2 feet / 610 mm gauge) or the Waveney Valley Railway (15 inch / 375mm gauge). There's also a standard gauge track, which often offers rides to visitors. You are allowed to eat your own picnics in the gardens as long as you clear up the mess. A very good option if you have young children.

The train rides are good value with I think a maximum of four running on journeys between ten minutes and half an hour. Just long enough to keep the little ones amused. My own daughter loves the gallopers - you get three free goes with the full price adult ticket and this is worth it although expect to queue if busy and also the music is slightly out of tune!

There is also a Dads Army exhibit which I believe has video footage of the real dad's army recruits and also information on the vehicles and some models. These include a large fire engine with ringing bell, carts and a small model of Jones's van. There are also some fake shop displays and a sweet shop which occasionally sells old fashioned sweets. The dads armt exhibit was looking a little run down on the outside the last time we were there.

Summary: Buy the season ticket and your onto a winner