Review: My Amazing Day Out at Waterperry Gardens – Through My Eyes!
By two curious and happy little explorers (aged 7 and 5)
Have you ever been somewhere that feels like it came out of a storybook? Like, one minute you’re in the car with your snack boxes and sunglasses, and the next, you’ve fallen into a magical world full of flowers, secret trails, and hidden mice? Well, that’s what happened to us when we went to Waterperry Gardens for the first time!
It was sunny and warm (but not too hot!), and Daddy said it was the perfect day for an adventure. He told us we were going on a walk, but it turned out to be way more exciting than just walking – it was a proper quest! We were going to do the Alice in Wonderland Orienteering Trail, which is running all through the summer holidays until 1st September, so if you haven’t done it yet – GO!
Before we even started, we got given a special trail sheet and a map, and even a compass. A real compass! Daddy helped us work out which way was north (I think north is always the way the fun is), and then off we went. It was like stepping into Alice’s world – not the one on the telly, but a real one with trees and paths and statues and hidden surprises around every corner.
The clues were SO cool. Some were easy, like spotting characters in the flower beds, but others were super tricky. We had to look up in trees, behind signs, and under benches. Sometimes we got a bit stuck, but we worked together (Team Family!) and kept going. Daddy kept saying, “There’s no need to rush,” and we liked that. We stopped to smell flowers, watch butterflies dance in the sunshine, and even saw a robin hopping along the path with us. He looked like he wanted to play too!
There were other families there too – lots of other children, and even babies in pushchairs. So if your legs get tired easily, don’t worry – you can still do the trail. It only took us about an hour, and we’re quite little, so we think that’s pretty good going!
And the best bit? When we finished the trail… we got a PRIZE! A proper kaleidoscope! It was the prettiest thing ever – full of swirly, colourful patterns that changed every time we twisted it. We both took turns peeking through it, and even Daddy said “wow” when he had a go.
By then, our tummies were super rumbly, so we went to the Waterperry Tea Room for lunch. We both chose jacket potatoes with beans and cheese (because that’s our favourite!) and they were MASSIVE. Like, bigger-than-our-hands massive. The outside was all crispy and golden, and the inside was soft and warm. We had homemade apple juice too, and it was made with apples from Waterperry’s very own orchard! We didn’t even know gardens could make drinks! It was cold and fresh and tasted like sunshine and happy trees.
After lunch, Daddy said, “Let’s see what else we can find,” and off we went again, this time to the Rural Life Museum.
Now this museum is brilliant, and guess what? It’s FREE to go in! That made Daddy really happy (he said, “That’s a good deal!”). Inside the museum, there were loads of old tools – from waaaay back in time when people didn’t even have electricity. Some things were so strange-looking that even Daddy didn’t know what they were! But there were friendly volunteers who told us all about them.
But the best part? The knitted mouse hunt! 🐭 There were six tiny knitted mice hidden all around the museum, and we had to find them. It was like a secret game, and we LOVED it! We found the first five quite fast – But the last one… oh, it was so hard! We looked everywhere, even behind an old bicycle! In the end, we had to ask the volunteer for a clue, and she smiled and whispered something that helped us find it. Victory! We were SO proud!
Inside the museum, there was also a pretend old classroom. There was a tiny wooden desk and a chalkboard (Daddy called it a “slate”). We tried writing our names with the chalk, and it felt funny – like scratching on a stone. Daddy said that’s what school was like when he was little, but we’re not sure if he was joking or serious… either way, we’re happy we have smartboards and iPads at school now!
Next, Daddy wanted to look at plants in the garden centre. He loves gardening and was looking for something “colourful for the patio.” He picked up about ten different plants, sniffed them, looked confused, and said, “Hmm…” a lot. Then he laughed and said, “I don’t remember what we’ve already got at home – we’d better come back with Mummy!” So we didn’t buy anything, but it was fun wandering around the flowers and seeing all the bees buzzing around.
Just before we left, we went into the Gallery. There’s a free art exhibition called Bug, Bird, Beast and it was amazing! There were pictures, sculptures, and artworks of all kinds of animals – some were really big, some were tiny, and some were made with the strangest things. One bird was made of shiny buttons, and another looked like it was made out of clouds. There were insects with glittery wings, metal lizards, and even a wooden snake curled around a branch!
We liked getting really close to the art to see all the tiny bits, It made us want to go home and make our own animals with cardboard and glue and glitter (lots of glitter!).
Waterperry Gardens is just so lovely. It’s full of nature and fun and things to learn and things to find and things to giggle about. We liked that we could go at our own pace – there wasn’t any rushing, no one telling us to hurry, just time to explore and enjoy and be together.
So if you’re reading this and wondering where to go for a day out – whether you're little like us or big like Daddy – we say go to Waterperry Gardens! Do the trail, find the mice, drink the apple juice, and don’t forget to spin your kaleidoscope at least a hundred times. Just remember to wear comfy shoes and bring your biggest adventure smiles!
Flo & Aurora Clapson x
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