Last week we had the enormous pleasure of being invited along to see the absolutely incredible Elephant Family at Sudeley Castle, a magnificent sculpture trail where the life sized herd of 100 elephant sculptures begin their migration, before heading on to London parks, then the USA as part of their global tour. Having been in lockdown for so long, I can’t tell you how excited we were for a day out, especially where elephants are involved as they are one of my all time favourite creatures having spent time caring for them in Thailand many moons ago! The elephants will be there until the 31st of May 2021.
Here is some information to help plan your day and know what to expect with the new safety measures in place.
Parking at Sudeley Castle
Sudeley Castle has a large free car park situated close to the entrance. It was busy when we arrived but we managed to find a space easily. There is matting down but can get a little muddy if there has been a lot of rain, something we have experienced more in the Autumn and Winter when visiting the Christmas lightshows.
Timed Entry
Tickets are sold in half hour slots. When we were there we didn’t feel that there were too many people at any point. Obviously at some of the more impressive displays, like the breathtaking first view of the elephants parading across the lawns, there were people stopping to take photos but everyone was very respectful of each other.
The Trail
The trail leads one way through the castle grounds with various points along the way where the elephants are gathered. It didn’t feel crowded even at these ‘pause points’. The path itself is buggy and wheelchair friendly and although there are some areas with steps, there seem to be pathways to get around it. Please do consult with them before you go to be sure though. The busiest point was probably the yew mazes which the children love to run around in but you could just keep going along the path to avoid them if you didn’t want to mix.
Refreshments
The restaurant is open in the centre of the castle selling a variety of hot and cold drinks and food. There is a one way system and it didn’t feel busy even with us visiting just after 1pm, there were plenty of tables free to sit outside. You order your hot food and then wait outside to be called to come in to collect it. All food and drinks are served in eco-friendly packaging with wooden cutlery. My mum and I had a delicious soup and a sourdough toastie and the children had sausage rolls. The food is all exceptional quality, homemade, very fresh with locally sourced ingredients and delicious. There were also baked potatoes on the menu and half portions were available for lots of the dishes for children although this isn’t stated anywhere, the lady told me when I asked. There were also sandwiches and cakes. Outside the entrance near the car park is another tea room with hot and cold drinks, cakes and snacks and ice creams. There is also a large picnic area with plenty of tables by the playground if you prefer to bring your own.
Toilets
There are toilets in the shop at the entrance and also in the middle by the restaurant. There were no queues, plenty of hand sanitiser available as you go in and it felt very safe.
The Rare Breed Pheasant Aviary
I’m not sure if it’s new or not but something we have never discovered before on our trips to Sudeley Castle is the rare breed pheasant aviary. The children were amazed by the huge variety. There are also peacocks roaming around the grounds and everyone was thrilled to see this one showing off!
The Playground at Sudeley Castle
One of the highlights for the children was spending time in the playground, it really is an absolute dream come true for them and honestly they would have been thrilled with a trip that just involved time in there and an ice cream it’s so good! There is an enormous wooden castle with multiple levels and so many things to see and do within the ‘walls’, an assault course, plenty of space for parents to sit and an area for smaller children. The best bit for the children was the zip line, always a big hit. The playground is accessed by a long walkway making it feel very safe as it would be very hard for a child to leave without you noticing if you position yourself near it.
Prices at Sudeley Castle
We had complimentary press tickets but it would have been £37 for a family (2 adults and 2 children) as the prices have been lowered to reflect the fact that the castle isn’t open at the moment. Tickets are limited and must be booked in advance. (Please check the website for accurate pricing before visiting as everything changes so quickly at the moment!)
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