A lovely, unusual National Trust property (Waddesdon Manor (Aylesbury))

Member Name: Deb_C

Product:	Waddesdon Manor (Aylesbury)
Date:	16/10/09 (31 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: beautiful house, immaculate gardens, nice aviary

Disadvantages: a little over-priced

I first visited Waddesdon Manor when I'd just joined the National Trust & was exploring the various properties near to where I live. If you visit a lot of National Trust properties, I think it is fair to say that certain ones stand out far more than others, & this is one of the most impressive properties I've visited.

When you first arrive, you drive past some lovely little buildings in the village of Waddesdon which I believe were originally built for the staff of the estate. The architectural style is very pretty & unusual.

You have to drive up a very long, winding drive to get to the parking area near to the manor itself, but there are nice views of the estate's parkland & you can look out for wildlife such as pheasants.

If you are a member of the National Trust, then you get to park & visit the gardens & the house for free, however I do think the entry fee for non-members is a little over-priced (currently £10 to visit the house & garden on weekdays, £15 at weekends & £13.20 for peak season weekdays. If you just want to visit the grounds it's £5.50 or £7 depending on which day you go).

Although it can be expensive, there is a lot to see. The house is beautiful to look around & one of the best ones I have visited. However, if you don't want to pay to go in the house then the grounds are just as good if not better. The gardens are immaculate with lovely flowers & some very clever flower sculptures. If you have ever visited any French chateaux then it is clear that these had a very strong influence on the style of the house & gardens.

One of my favourite areas is the aviary, which is involved in the breeding & conservation of many endangered birds. My favourite bird to look out for is the sweet little Roul-Roul crested partridge, & also the Fairy Bluebird.

There is a lovely shop to visit, which sells a lot more than the average National Trust shop, including foods, wine, cards & gift-wrap, books & all sorts of interesting gift items. There's also a nice children's shop down in the stables area, along with a nice but slightly over-priced cafe. I've never been in the main restaurant but it looks very posh!

Please note the property is closed on Mondays & Tuesdays, but open on all other days until 1st November. See the property's website for special Christmas opening times & events. The website doesn't currently list the 2010 opening times but I think it only has limited opening times January-March.

Summary: A very nice place to visit