Trentham Gardens & Estate | 84%
Stone Road, Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 8AX
5 4 5 4 4 3 4 3 5 5 = 42/50
Ways to Wellbeing Score = 84%
Summary
Former country estate now operated as a major visitor attraction. Trentham Gardens is a ‘pay to enter’ park with beautifully planted formal Italianate gardens, fountains, historical building remnants – plus extensive parkland with lakeside and riverside walks.
Large retail complex with garden centre, plus timber cabin retail village with niche retail outlets. To the south entrance can be found the Monkey Forest and Adventure Zone, plus ‘free access’ to the wider Trentham Estate with extensive woodland walks, including panamoric viewpoint at the top of Monument Walk.
Open 8am until 8pm exit for annual pass holders, 9am for day visitirs. Open every day except Christmas Day, with reduced access times over Winter.
Connect (People & Nature) ***** 5
Numerous cafes & restaurants | Organised events calendar | Seasonal events e.g. live music, fireworks, Christmas lights | Rangers/gardening staff | Good seating and picnic benches | Wheelchairs available | Conferencing/activity venue | Miniature steam railway & pleasure boat rides (seasonal/small charge)
Be Active (Body) ***** 4
Marked and mapped trails and walks | Fishing (private club) | Boat club activities (canoeing, rowing etc) | Play park for kids (within gardens) | Barefoot walk and maze (within gardens) | High rope adventure course (Arial Extreme – chargeable) | Ice skating (seasonal/chargeable) | Charity events and fun runs
Take Notice (Place) ***** 5
Formal planted gardens, wildflower meadows and grasses | Woodland wildlife | Water birds, including bird hides overlooking river and wetlands | Lakeside walks including water overflow cascade | Woodland walks and way-marked trails with the possibility of occasional deer sightings | Monkey forest (chargeable)
Keep Learning (Mind) ***** 4
Wildlife interpretation boards | Heritage interpretation boards (timeline on website) | Wildlife activities (some chargeable) | Curated walks (some chargeable)
Give (Spirit) ***** 4
Volunteer opportunities | Gardening & nature conservation scheme | Free annual pass rewards (for volunteering) | Host charity events
Care (Planet) ***** 3
Plenty of waste & dog poo bins | Well managed grounds | Free from litter
Be Creative (Self) ***** 4
Numerous art sculptures by various accomplished artists | Wire fairy sculpture trails | Bronze sculptures | Tree carvings and willow sculptures
Value ***** 3
Entrance fees for gardens and lake | Some activities by other providers are chargeable extra (e.g Monkey Forest and Arial Extreme) | Season passes available (better value for regular visitors, providing some retail outlet discounts) | Free pass rewards for volunteering | Free access to wider estate and woodland walks | Free parking
Upkeep ***** 5
High standards of maintenance & litter free | Clean toilets (various locations) | Well maintained gardens and grounds
Secure/Feeling Safe ***** 5
On-site security | On-site rangers, gardeners and support staff | Robust emergency plans | Very low risk of anti-social behaviour
Conclusion
Gardens are second to none – overall one of our favourite ‘therapeutic landscapes’ – and yet it’s so close to home. Likewise the presentation of the main retail and garden centre is first class – someone certainly has a good eye for attractive design and professional product presentation. On the leisure side there’s plenty to do – from spring and Easter holiday activities, to summer rock concerts and charity fun runs, to an autumn firework display, and in the winter the fun doesn’t stop, with festive markets, a Christmas lights switch on and you can even take to the ice – if you get your skates on!