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Visiting Ickworth with the family

Family cycling at Ickworth
Explore Ickworth by bike | © Jim Woolf

There are loads of different family activities designed to help you explore and discover the Ickworth estate. However you choose to spend your day with us, your adventure starts here.

Head outside and enjoy all that Ickworth Estate has to offer this spring. Explore the Albana woodland with its emerging bulbs, or take a stroll through the parkland to discover the breathtaking views across the canal lake. Spend time with friends and family in the Italianate Garden and surround yourself with the season's fresh, colourful blooms.   

Planning your family visit

  • There are toilets, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities at the Welcome Point and on the lower ground floor of the West Wing near the second-hand bookshop.
  • The multi-use trail, Geraldine's, Erskine's and Albana walks are pushchair and buggy friendly.

  • Please note that when visiting the house, pushchairs will need to stay outside to protect the historic floors, but hip seats can be provided.

  • The team at the Welcome Point are always happy to provide maps and advice or point you in the right direction.

  • Bike hire and trailer hire is available from our cycle hub in the main carpark.

February Half Term at Ickworth Estate

17 - 23 February

Snowdrop walks for the whole family

Wander the peaceful Geraldine's Walk to spot the earliest blooms on the estate. Snowdrops spring up across the forest floor from as early as January, and there are special snowdrop walks for those who want to know a little more about them.

Snowdrop walks with the gardener: 17 February, £7 per person

One of our knowledgeable gardeners will lead you around our snowdrops, delving into Ickworth’s planting history and highlighting the different varieties of snowdrop that call the estate home.

Find out more and book your tickets here

 

Snowdrop talks with volunteers: 19-23 February, £5 per person

The team will guide you through the woods sharing snowdrop highlights as you go.

Find out more and book your tickets here

 

Children's Snowdrop Story Walks, 20-21 February, £5 per child

Taking place in Geraldine and Erskine’s wood, these walks are aimed at our younger visitors and combine information about the snowdrops with some special stories along the way.

Find out more and book your tickets here

 

 

A close up of a group of white snowdrop flowers with a blurred building seen behind on the right
Large displays of snowdrops can be seen at Ickworth Estate, Suffolk | © National Trust/Ray Dale

What to do when it's raining

We know that the British weather can often be unpredictable but we don't want to let a bit of rain spoil your visit to Ickworth. If you don't want to don your waterproofs and brave the rain then you can get out of it by visiting our hands-on and child-friendly basement in the historic house. You can open the drawers and discover the tools and materials that would have been used by the servants, seeing how they lived and worked. There are even some games you can try out in the servants' hall.

What to do when it's a bit warmer

We have plenty of shady spots to keep you cool in hot weather during your visit to Ickworth Estate:

  • The Servant's Quarters in the Basement are nice and cool and there's lots to keep youngsters entertained.
  • The Albana Walk is dense with trees and has plenty of leaf cover. There are always birds chirping and squirrels scampering around.
  • The outdoor seating area behind Porter's Lodge is great if you want to sit with a coffee or a bite to eat.
  • The Stumpery in the Italianate Garden offers cool dark relief from the sun when it's too hot. There are hardwood stumps, evergreen trees and shade loving ferns here all year round. (Sorry assistance dogs only).
View of the Rotunda from the path with newly restored roof at Ickworth, Suffolk

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