Family fun at Capel Manor Gardens, North London

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” -J.R.R Tolkien

If you’re ever pottering around North London way, there’s a little gem tucked away in Enfield, not too far from Crews Hill. It’s called Capel Manor Gardens and it’s the perfect place for little legs to run off some steam, whilst the big people breathe in the green and enjoy an oasis of colour!

Family fun at Capel Manor Gardens

We’ve been reluctant to do any big trips this year… after THIS year. So instead, we’ve been opting for visits to organised outdoorsy places. A family visit to Capel Manor Gardens was one of them back in the summer and it was such a big hit that I thought I’d share our highlights with you.

When you get there

Capel Manor Gardens has a little free car park. It wasn’t too busy when we went, and we did go on a beautiful day. But even so, I would say you would need to arrive early to avoid disappointment.

It’s unassuming from the outside, but once through the reception doors and into the gardens, the site opens out and you realise that what looks like an itty-bitty place, is actually a 30 acre estate!

It’s worth pointing out that Capel Manor Gardens takes the safety of its visitors very seriously, and we found that you had to complete a track and trace form before going in, and there were some inside areas (like the shop) that required you to wear a face mask.

The Gardens

Oh the gardens! There are over 60 gardens and landscapes to take in at Capel Manor Gardens. Each one is individually themed, and bursting with colour.

There are formal ones, playful ones, ones with fruit hanging from low branches and veg dangling overhead. Dens, steps, bridges, and secret passages. Hidden pathways and plenty of twists and turns to discover. 

They all surround a stunning Georgian House and Victorian stables, which hug onto a secret walled garden, complete with greenhouses filled with treasures!

We ended up ducking out of the rain in one of them, and I’ll forever remember that peaceful feeling as the rain poured down and we were snug inside, chattering and marvelling at all the sights.

Animal fun

Tucked out of sight behind the restaurant area, there are also animals to be discovered at Capel Manor Gardens. We had been before (pre Covid) for a Fairy festival and hadn’t found them before, so this was a lovely surprise for us all.

There were lemurs, alpacas, meerkats, wallabies, shetland ponies (so cute!) and other various birds to marvel at. I wish we’d taken a photo, but there was a fabulous parrot (?) of some kind that copied when you whistled at it. 

Facilities

The toilet facilities looked well managed and socially distanced on our visit – and given the current climate, it was something that I looked into before we went. I’m afraid I didn’t check the baby facilities, but I would imagine they had them as it is a venue that encourages families. 

There were lots of places to sit if you fancied bringing food with you, especially if you have fussy eaters. But, there is also a lovely little restaurant, which again was very well organised. We did pop in, and were the only ones in there. We took out food to-go, and sat at one of the picnic benches. It was piping hot and very good value. (We’d definitely eat there again)

*Just look at those chips!

Our overall thoughts

We spent a lot of time weaving in and out of the gardens on our visit. Taking in the open green space that felt amazing on our eyes *how does ‘green’ do that?* and just all-round relaxing. Little button adores flowers, and she thoroughly enjoyed finding new species and overall just having the space and freedom to run and explore.

I think that the day surprised my two Buttons, who were adamant, at the start, that we’d only be there for an hour or so. But we ended up staying for the whole day, and it was me that had to call time on our adventures. 

So, would we recommend a visit? Absolutely! 

Capel Manor Gardens are currently only open Saturdays and Sundays to the public. At the time of publishing, prices are:

£7.00 per adult

£4.00 per child

Under 3’s free

£20.00 for a family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children 

If you end up going, let us know what you think?

Looking for more days out? You can find more of our adventures here.

#Blogtober20 day 9 (imagine)