Visiting Stowe: What to expect during your visit

In this article you’ll find everything you need to know about what's open and what to expect from your visit. Please rememeber we welcome dogs on leads at Stowe, and only balance bikes in the garden.

Parking and arrival

It is free to park at the New Inn for members and non-members. We've introduced advance booking to keep everyone safe and maintain social distancing. To avoid disappointment please book in advance, especially at busier times such as weekends, school holidays and bank holidays. However, where space is available on weekdays, pre-booking isn't always necessary. Please have your tickets close to hand and you’ll be asked for your surname on arrival.

We've set up a welcome point with our friendly team as you enter the garden, to check your booking and welcome you to the garden. If you are a member, please have your membership cards to show us too, and keep them with you throughout your visit. 

Once you have parked in our car park, it is about a 10 minute walk to the entrance to the garden. Please relax and take your time and when you are ready, arrive at the entrance to the garden to check in. If you are meeting friends, using the facilities or enjoying something to eat and drink before your walk at the New Inn, don't worry about checking in with us at the garden at the same time as your booking. 

Staying safe

 

To help keep everyone safe, please follow social distancing and government guidance when you visit. Look out for signs while you’re here which will explain any changes to how you can access different parts of the site. There are one way systems in place on your arrival and in Lamport Garden, but in all other areas we encourage you to give people space and enjoy the views. Please bring a facemask with you to wear in our indoor spaces. If you’re showing any of the symptoms of coronavirus, or if you've been in contact with anyone that has the virus in the last 10 days, please don’t visit. We also ask that you follow government guidelines.

Facilities

We have temporary unisex toilets available at the New Inn when you arrive, as well as at Bell Gate, the entrance to the garden. In both locations you'll find access and baby change facilities.These are sanitised and cleaned by our team throughout the day. There are currently no toilets open in the garden, so make use of the facilites when you arrive and at Bell Gate before heading off on your walk. 

What's open?

• Our gardens are open daily 10am-5pm, opening at 9am on weekends 
• You'll find our shop open daily, 10am-5pm
• Our Cafe is open the same hours as the garden, with our takeaway Potting Shed Kiosk open 10am-4pm
• Our picnic area, located at the New Inn is open. Please take your litter home with you

Accessibility

When you arrive, you will park at the New Inn. It is then a 10 minute walk down Bell Gate drive, with views across the parkland and into the garden. We aren't able to offer a buggy service at this time. 

Our mini-crosser (subject to availability) can be hired by visitors with pre-booked tickets to visit Stowe by calling our Estate Office - 01280 817156. Our mini-crosser can be loaned for a two hour session, either 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm. 

Our mini-crosser will be sanitised by our team before and after each use. The timings for loans above take into account time for our team to be able to do this safely. While our mini-crosser is free, we would welcome a donation of £5 for help with running costs. This can be done by texting the keyword TRUST to: 70515 to donate £5.

There are plenty of benches around Stowe for you to pause at as you walk. 

Dogs

Dogs on leads are welcome in the garden everywhere. Please use the dog bins for dog waste. We also have dog drinking bowls at several points around the New Inn.

Exploring the garden

We recommend good footwear when visiting the garden all year round. We have hard standing paths round most of the garden, and would suggest comfortable footwear as you might be covering a lot of ground!

You'll find a large map of the gardens at Stowe when you arrive. We recommend taking a photo of the map to help you find the perfect route for your visit today. In spring you can spot trees coming into bud, blossom emerging and cheery spring flowers.

Bikes at Stowe

We’re sorry but standard bicycles are not permitted in the garden regardless of the cyclist's age to keep the garden a safe environment for everyone. We welcome under 5s on trikes, starter bikes with stabilisers, or balance bikes (no pedals), and under 11s on push/kick scooters. 

And lastly...

How to book

All visitors must book a ticket in advance, including members. Entry and parking is free for members, but please bring your membership card with you. Non-members will need to pay in advance.

• Please book one ticket per person, except for children aged 5 or under as they don’t need a ticket.
• You’ll need to choose a 30-minute arrival time for the day you want to visit.
• The timeslot is for your arrival time only 
• Tickets are for your use only and are not available for resale
• We'll send your booking confirmation by email. Please make sure you fill in your correct email address when you book to ensure you receive your confirmation email.

Every Friday we'll release new bookings for visits the following week. You can book up to 18 hours before a timeslot. 

Due to limited spaces, we’re asking that you only book once a week to allow others a chance to visit.