Summer walk with picnic spots at Croome near Worcester
Make the most of the summer days with a chance to enjoy a picnic or relax in one of our many deckchairs on your stroll around Croome.
Map
Start:
National Trust Croome, Visitor Centre, near High Green, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR8 9DW
1
Leave the RAF visitor centre and follow the path through the Wilderness Walk to the Church.
2
Turn right at the Church and follow the gravel path down through the gate into the Evergreen Shrubbery.
3
Continue along the path as it meanders through the shrubs leading to an open area with four white plinths which mark the spots where Coade-stone statues of the Four Seasons once stood. Continue along the path passing the flower beds.
The Four Seasons
The Four Seasons are a set of four stone statues, each representing a tradition season; spring, summer, autumn and winter.
4
Just after the flowers beds turn left off the path onto the grass and follow the mown route to see the statue of Pan.
Statue of Pan
In the days before lawn mowers sheep would have played an important part in keeping the grass short in the park so it's fitting to have a statue of the classical god of sheep and shepherds placed here.
5
Continue on and turn left to re-join the gravel path passing the Temple Greenhouse. This is great spot to picnic or just relax in the deckchairs taking in views across the meadows to the Court.
6
Continue along the path passing the statue of a Druid on your right.
The Druid
Many 18th century landscape gardens contained reminders of Britain's ancient past. In Croome's case there is a statue of a Druid, symbolising an ancient tradition of British liberty, holding out against the Romans and subsequent invaders.
7
Follow the path under the Dry Arch Bridge then turn right and follow the path around the lakeside passing Sabrina and the Grotto; this is great shady spot to rest.
Sabrina in Coade stone
Croome’s collection of Coade stone, scattered throughout the grounds, is one of the largest and most important in the country. Coade stone is a highly mouldable and versatile artificial stone, with unique properties that made it far superior to real stone in resisting the effects of erosion and weathering. It was first introduced to Croome by 'Capability' Brown in 1778, when the ‘Tablets of a Grecian Wedding’ were inserted in the Island Pavillion.
8
Remain on the path and just before going over first bridge by the Island Pavilion head right onto a smaller path in the bushes. This takes you to the back of the lake and the remains of the boathouse.
Boathouse remains.
You will be able to see the stone walls that formed the base of the walls of the boathouse and a pile of bricks that were once a dividing wall between the two sides of the boathouse.
9
Continue past the remains of the boathouse and turn left to re-join the gravel path returning towards the lake. At the fork either turn left to picnic at the Island Pavilion or right to continue on around lakeside.
10
After continuing along the lakeside, to the right of the wooden rope handled bridge there is a gate into the parkland, go through the gate with river on your left and head towards house.
11
You will reach the Chinese Bridge, where there are many shady spots under trees or picnic benches near the Court to enjoy a picnic.
The Chinese Bridge
The Chinese Bridge that crossed the 'river' is one of the few features of the park that was here before 'Capabilty' Brown, though the one you can see today is a reconstruction.
12
Cross the bridge and walk to the house, follow the path to the left and return up the hill to the Church then back through the Wilderness Walk to the visitor centre.
13
If you prefer you can walk to the house and follow the path to the right, pass the house, through the gate into the Home Shrubbery and up to the Rotunda. To the left there is a flat walk passing the entrance to the Walled Gardens and the bird hide back to the Church then back through the Wilderness Walk to the visitor centre.
End:
National Trust Croome, Visitor Centre, near High Green, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR8 9DW
