Vineyards, villages and historic sights in Essex
Itinerary Summary
1 Morning
Green Island Gardens
Start your day on the outskirts of Colchester in the little village of Ardleigh. This is where you will find Green Island Gardens, a haven of tranquility. 20 acres of professionally designed gardens by the owner Fiona Edmond including the terrace garden, Japanese garden, water garden, seaside garden, gravel gardens and extensive woodland gardens, hosting a wealth of unusual plants. A horticultural paradise that looks good all year round!
Green Island Gardens
1 Morning
Hedingham Castle and Gardens
Your next stop this morning will be the wonderful Hedingham Castle and Gardens in the small village of Castle Hedingham. The 900 year old keep stands in 160 acres of spectacularly landscaped gardens and woodland, where the Lindsey family - descendants of the original owners - the De Veres, live today. It is romantic, ancient and full of history. Privately owned, its character is unique.
Hedingham Castle
1 Lunch
The Little Book Cafe
On the way to your afternoon activity, stop at the market town of Halstead. The High Street is set on a hill, and right at the top you’ll find The Little Book Café – a delightful, quirky place for a lunch stop – you may even find a book on Essex to browse whilst you’re there! If you like antiques, you may also like to visit the Mill Antiques Centre too, one of the largest in the county – you’ll find this at the bottom of the hill.
The Little Book Cafe
1 Afternoon
Layer Marney Tower and Gardens
After lunch make your way over to the village of Layer Marney, around 20 minutes drive, where you will find Layer Marney Tower and Gardens – home to the tallest Tudor gatehouse in the UK. It’s a magnificent building standing 80 foot high, with stunning views over the Essex countryside and set in delightful grounds where you can also view the local parish church. The Tower stands on the shores of the River Blackwater, and the building was initiated by Lord Henry Marney in the 1520s, a close friend of Henry VIII at the time. Originally designed to be a grand palace, what you can see today are the aspirations of a 16th century Lord.
Layer Marney Tower
1 Evening
Prested Hall
Dinner and accommodation this evening will be at Prested Hall. This Grade II listed manor house was stylishly extended in the 1930s and contains some fantastic art nouveau eatures.
Prested Hall
2 Morning
Audley End House and Gardens
From Prested Hall, take an hour’s drive up to Saffron Walden to visit Audley End House and Gardens. Here you will discover an authentic Victorian kitchen garden and more in the grounds of a magnificent 17th century country house. The immaculate gardens are brimming with seasonal fruit and vegetables, much like it would have been in the Victorian times.
Audley End House and Gardens
2 Lunch
Lunch at the Eight Bells
From here, less than a five minute drive, stop at the Eight Bells for a hearty, home-cooked lunch in a cosy, oak-beamed pub setting. The menu is a selection of local and seasonal produce, fine wines, and if you visit on a Sunday, be sure to have a traditional Sunday roast.
The Eight Bells
2 Afternoon
Afternoon at Saffron Grange Vineyard
After all of your exploring, you'll want to finish the trip with a pop, and where better to head than a vineyard? Saffron Grange Vineyard is the place to be as it's one of the county's best kept secrets. Hop on a tour (which run on select Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the growing season) or buy some souvenirs of their award winning wines at their shop which is open Mon-Sat 10am to 4pm.
