Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, is home to Charlecote Park, a grand Tudor house surrounded by a deer park where around 200 of the majestic creatures roam freely
Our last-minute picnic of a single cheese roll each, a handful of pineapple chunks and a half-eaten bag of Thai sweet chilli crisps seemed rather pitiful compared to the lavish feasts spread out on blankets across the park. However, the enchanting surroundings instantly transformed our humble lunch into the most memorable picnic we’d ever had.
My partner and I had made the 40-minute journey from Birmingham to Wellesbourne in Warwickshire with one destination in mind – Charlecote Park. More specifically, we were eager to see its unique inhabitants. The grand Tudor mansion at this National Trust site is encircled by a deer park, home to around 200 of these magnificent creatures who freely wander the estate.
Arriving at the bustling car park just before lunchtime on a Saturday, it was clear that many others shared our plan. Although there’s a cafe and restaurant on the grounds, most visitors we saw were armed with picnic baskets, had food tucked under their prams or were already settled at one of the numerous wooden tables.
Some were lounging on blankets by the river, children playing games and chasing frisbees nearby, reports Birmingham Live. The view was picture-perfect – the imposing mansion standing proudly to our right, with the expansive green parkland stretching beyond the Avon to our left. We’d saved a bit of money by forgoing a tour of the Grade I-listed house, but the Grade II-listed grounds provided plenty to discover.
After a quick snack, we crossed the bridge and strolled through the fields. It wasn’t long before we spotted our first fallow deer, their coats a blend of browns, pure white and some speckled like Bambi, taking shelter under a distant tree. We could just about see their little tails wagging.
We followed the path around the meadow, never getting much closer to the herd, but we did pass right by a large group of snoozing Jacob sheep. Interestingly, a signpost informed us that the Lucy family, who have called Charlecote home for over 900 years, were the first to bring this breed to Britain.
Just when we thought we’d had our best glimpse of the Charlecote deer, a dozen of them suddenly appeared and leaped across the track just a few metres in front of us. We couldn’t believe our eyes, and the shocked expressions on the faces of the few people nearby told us they were equally stunned.
After lingering for a few minutes to watch the graceful does make their way down to the riverbank, we continued our walk – past the immaculate gardens, the bustling cafe, a laundry room where kids can play dress-up and a thatched Granny’s Summerhouse cottage that looked like my dream home. We then entered another gated field with a lake at its edge.
The park was so vast, there were moments when no one else was in sight. As if the day hadn’t been thrilling enough, a herd of stags with antlers resembling tree branches emerged from the bushes and began grazing on a grassy patch at the hilltop next to us. They occasionally locked horns but seemed entirely unperturbed by our presence.
By the time we’d hiked back to the house, browsed through the potted plants and rough blankets for sale in the gift shop, and finally returned to the car, our feet were sore and we’d easily exceeded our daily 10,000 steps. The entire day felt like a scene from a fairy tale, having a picnic in the grounds of an elegant country house and interacting with forest creatures.
Regrettably, Granny’s Summerhouse doesn’t offer overnight stays (I did check), but if you’re up for a Snow White-like day, entry to Charlecote Park starts from £13 for adults, or it’s free for visitors with a National Trust membership pass.
