Mottisfont is a beautiful 18th century house with a medieval priory. Set in 1,600 acres of wildlife-rich Hampshire countryside, there is nothing like getting back to nature. George loved it here; so much space to run around in and they accept dogs on lead so Wilson loved having an adventure with us too.
The gardens start with a wooden walkway and bridge. The River Test flows through the grounds around the house and there are lots of beautiful bridges. The river is really well looked after and provides habitats for a huge variety of species. We saw dragonflies and huge trout that jumped out of the water to feed. There are a couple of different walks you can do along the river and through woodland.
There are lots of open grass areas for picnics, as well as wooded areas. There are also convenient picnic benches dotted all around. We found the ‘Wild Play’ area down another walkway along the river before the bridge. The playground area had really interesting wooden structures to climb on. George really enjoyed challenging his balancing on these beams and nets. There is also a water play area that looks really good but it is awaiting structural refurbishment next year.
The gardens are picturesque. We especially loved the walled garden, which has its own microclimate. They grow a huge amount of different vegetables that you can sample for a small donation. We took home some runner beans that George enjoyed helping me trim and cook for our dinner. The rose garden is just beautiful; so much work goes into looking after these world-class roses. They have a National collection of old-fashioned roses.
After a walk through the gardens, we stopped at one of the many eateries for an ice cream. There is a lovely hot drink hut in the walled garden, an ice-cream trailer in the gardens just outside the walled garden, the Old Kitchen Café open daily, and the Coach House Café open on weekends. There is plenty of seating and tables in all these areas.
We then took a walk past the Shepard’s Hut where a shepherd once lived, close to his flock. This is decorated like it might have been when he really lived there; George really enjoyed having a nose around in here!
We took the Meadow Walk so that Wilson could stretch his legs. These leads back to the house and formal gardens, past the lime walk and yes octagon. The lawn area in front o the house is perfect for a picnic, and there are statues and an old summerhouse to explore.
There are lots of activities set up for children around the site. There is a crockery challenge in the garden, where they have to stand on different wobble boards as their plate is piled higher and higher.
This summer there is an ‘Adventures with the Ahlbergs’ activity trail, full of games and challenges inspired by Happy Families, The Jolly Postman and more. George really enjoyed spotting the different characters from Each Peach Pair Plum in the Beech Circle. There is an exhibition 22 July – 5 November of the Ahlberg’s work including artworks that have never been shown publicly before. We didn’t go into the house as dogs are not allowed, but I was informed there is a room dedicated to The Jolly Postman series including original, handcrafted first drafts. There is also an interactive room for younger visitors dedicated to baby books such as Peepo and The Baby’s Catalogue. In autumn, the baby book display will be replaced with original artworks from the Funnybones series. Really looking forward to coming back for this without our dog!
