Essential info for your family day out

• Parking. There's no charge to park for our visitors. Visitor reception is just next to the car park, where you show your memberships cards or buy your admission tickets. It's a short walk of 200 yards from the car park and visitor reception, up to the main house, shop, tea-room and the top of the gardens.
   
• Accessible parking is in the car park. A driver assisted golf buggy is available to help you get to the main house, shop and tea-room area.
   
• Pushchairs and paths. Most of the hard surfaces around the side are hand standing with a layer of loose gravel/stone chips on top, which will be fine and easy for your pushchair. There are some paths which are completely gravel/pebble so they may be tricker, and the path to the church is earth with woodchip on top which varies a lot depending on the time of year. 
  There are couple of steps up into the tea-room and onto the top terrace of the garden. If you are visiting without another adult who can help you, please ask a a property team member will gladly help you up these steps.
  If you can't get from one tier of the garden to another up the slopes and steps, you can access different parts of the garden from the main path next to the paddock through the big white gates and a small wooden gate lower down.
   
• Toilets are located just past the rear entrance to the shop, opposite the (Pebble Court) entrance to the house.This includes a wheelchair accessible toilet and baby changing facilities.
   
• Looking after the kids:  
  • ​​Baby changing facilities are in the outer area of the ladies/accessible toilets and are available to all.
  • The Stables tea-room has high-chairs and facilities for heating baby food.
  • The tea room also has children's pick and mix packed lunches.
     
• Entertaining the kids:  
  • ​​There are trails available from visitor reception to entertain children both inside and outside the house. Have a chat to the reception team about what your family would like to do.
  • We run events and activities regularly throughout the year. Have a look at our what's-on page to find out what's coming up soon.
  • Picnics and games are welcome in the paddock or parkland (please not in the formal garden).
  • Don't miss the corner of the paddock and spinney, where there are bug hotels, a small amount of wild play to explore, and where the chickens live. (Please don't feed the chickens human food, it can make them poorly.)
     
• Exploring the House  As one of the thousands of visitors viewing this historic house each year, we need your help to take care of it. 
  • Large bags can be left with us as you enter (although be aware they will be put in a normal room, not locked into lockers).
  • Please use our over-shoe covers if you have muddy footwear, or foam slippers if you have sharp heels.
  • Please ask a volunteer where to leave your pushchair when you come in (there is not enough space in the house for pushchairs). Hippy chick side hip carriers are available to borrow.
  • There are not many ropes and barriers in the house, but please keen an eye on your little ones and ask volunteers what can and can't be sat on, touched and picked up. You may be surprised how much can be touched (for example, don't miss having a go on the rocking horse in the nursery!)

We love to see so many families enjoying the atmosphere and history of Canons Ashby, and want to help you all enjoy yourselves. Please do ask a team member if you have any questions and they will do their best to help you.

                                                    Enjoy your day !