Stowe's 'Stowedrops' walk

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Berkshire

A blanket of snowdrops in front of a rotunda which is surrounded by trees at Stowe, Buckinghamshire. — Snowdrops at Stowe, Buckinghamshire | © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole

Explore recently reinstated paths through Lamport Garden as you take a new route, surrounding yourself with swathes of snowdrops, or as we fondly like to call them ‘Stowedrops’, and enjoy new views across the lakes and beyond.

Near to

Stowe Gardens

Start point

Bell Gate.

Trail information

View route

Print trail

Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 2.5 (km: 4)

Duration1 hour 3 mins to 2 hours

Dog friendly***

*Mix of paths, some uneven. For more details, please see Terrain section.
**Route follows paths in the garden, some uneven, on gravel or grass. For further details, please see section marked Access.
***Dogs welcome on leads. For more details, please see Facilities section.

Planning your visit

Please note this trail is only accessible when Stowe is open.

Address
New Inn Farm, Buckingham, MK18 5EQ
Directions via Google Maps
On foot
1½ miles from Buckingham, take a stroll up Stowe Avenue for spectacular views to arrive at The New Inn visitor centre.
By bus
Oxford to Cambridge stops in Buckingham town, 1.5 miles from Stowe. The Arriva X60 bus runs from Aylesbury to Milton Keynes, stopping in Buckingham town, 1.5 miles from Stowe.
By road
3 miles north-west of Buckingham town, just off the A422 Buckingham to Banbury Road. From M40 take exits 9 to 11, from M1 exits 13 or 15a. Satnav: MK18 5EQ.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome on leads throughout the garden, parkland, shop and Parlour Rooms. Assistance dogs only are allowed in the café. You're welcome to make use of our water bowls around site. Please pick up after your dog and place waste in the doggy bins provided.
Car park
Free parking for members and non-members. Plenty of accessible parking available.
Toilet
At New Inn and the entrance to the garden (including accessible toilet). Baby change facilities at New Inn. New Inn and café corridor toilets are fitted with automatic hand-dryers.
Café
Shop
Kiosk
Visitor information kiosk available.
Designated parking
Please be aware that there is an approx. 800m walk from the car park to the garden. Shuttle buggies are available on request if you require assistance getting to and from the garden. Please speak to a member of the team on arrival to make use of the buggy service.
Accessible toilet
Accessible toilet located in the corridor outside the café.
Shop accessible
Seating available
Seating is available at regular intervals along the visitor route. Picnic benches available in the picnic area to the left of the New Inn. Indoor and outdoor seating available for the café.
Accessible route and/or map
Total stages: 7
Total stages: 7
Start point
Bell Gate.
Stage 1
Start you walk at Bell Gate. Head down Pegg's Terrace towards Hawkwell Mead. The avenue is made up of London plane trees, look up and see if you can spot the spherical catkins which hang down from the tree on long stems.
Stage 2
Pause at the Temple of Friendship, once a complete temple it was destroyed by fire in the 1840s and has remained a ruin ever since.
Stage 3
As you walk towards Lamport Garden you’ll see the Chinese House. In the winter months this special little building is wrapped in a canvas awning to protect it. It dates from around 1738 and the exterior is decorated with Chinese scenes, flowers and calligraphy painted by Italian artist Francesco Sleter. Come back in April to admire it in all its glory when it will also be surrounded by eighteenth century style tulips.
Stage 4
As you enter Lamport Garden, you should begin to spy aconites, cyclamen and snowdrops. We have two species here at Stowe; Galanthus nivalis which is a single snowdrop and Galanthus flore pleno which is a double snowdrop. Creating impressive drifts and swathes, you need to get up close to really appreciate the intricate shapes of these delicate flowers.
Stage 5
Lamport is one of the more hidden areas of the garden; this nineteenth-century rock and water garden contrasts significantly to the landscaping of the rest Stowe. It was built around 1830 when Lamport Manor was purchased and then knocked down to create the garden. As you continue along the path, make sure you take in the views out to Stowe Castle and across to the Gothic Temple. As you walk towards the Gothic Temple look down the hill and take in Octagon Lake, from this view you can see the original design intent of a river running through the landscape.
Stage 6
The many trees in the Elysian Fields create a cosy microclimate that is perfect for snowdrops. Look out for drifts around the base of the trees and along the water’s edge. You may also see winter aconites adding spots of yellow amongst the white of the snowdrops or sniff out the ‘stinking’ hellebores which can also be found in the Elysian Fields.
Stage 7
As you leave the Elysian Fields look towards the Doric Arch where you can see Apollo and the Nine Muses.
End point
New Inn Farm, Buckingham, MK18 5EQ
Trail map
Stowe Gardens 'Stowedrop' Walk Map | © Stowe Gardens
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Stowe Gardens, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 5EQ

01280817156

stowe@nationaltrust.org.uk

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