Our Time at The Alnwick Garden
An autumn afternoon well spent
We visited The Alnwick Garden in mid-October on one of those glorious afternoons when Northumberland gets everything right: sunshine, dry skies and autumn colour.
We’re autumn people anyway, so it was always likely to suit us. But with the garden quiet and time to wander slowly through its different spaces, it really was lovely. We found ourselves wondering how much it must change from one week to the next, and whether annual passes might be in order.
We could imagine a rather different pace in summer. For us, this quieter October afternoon felt just right.
A beautiful garden, with a few frustrations
Our gripes were mostly about the things around the visit rather than the garden itself.
Once inside, we were asked for an additional £1 each to visit the Poison Garden. There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation, but it felt odd to pay another charge after buying admission. The amount wasn’t really the point.
Parking was another £3.95 on our visit. We’d much prefer a straightforward ticket covering the garden, parking and Lilidorei, so you know the full cost from the outset.
The online booking process also felt more complicated than it needed to be. That rather cooled our enthusiasm for annual passes: if we bought them, we’d want the freedom to turn up, show our passes and enjoy the garden without another round of online booking.
Coffee could be better
The café was the disappointing part of our afternoon. Service was very slow, and neither the coffee nor the cakes were particularly good.
In surroundings like these, a really enjoyable coffee stop should be part of the pleasure. On our visit, it didn’t quite match what was outside.
The dog arrangements felt unnecessarily fiddly too. Thursday and Sunday were the permitted days when we visited. From our perspective, a simpler, consistent policy would make planning a visit with Meg much easier.
Somewhere to bring Flynn
Lilidorei looked enormous fun, and we could certainly see ourselves returning with Flynn when he’s a little older. From what we saw, we imagined it being particularly exciting for children around two to eight, though that’s our impression rather than an official age recommendation.
And while we’re making a wish list, one clearly priced pass covering the garden, Lilidorei, parking and Alnwick Castle would be very welcome. There’s a wonderful family day out here; we’d just like arranging it to feel easier.
Heather & Sand verdict: A beautiful place to spend a quiet autumn afternoon, and somewhere we’d happily wander again. The garden was a pleasure; the café, extra charges and booking process left room for improvement. We came away tempted by annual passes, but wishing the practical side felt as welcoming as the gardens.
