Audley End House and Gardens, Saffron Walden

Great park and house. Made for a lovely weekend. Nice to explore and relax in the gardens. Restaurant should have been better staffed so a full menu could be available. The Cornish Pasties and sausage rolls were good, but I would have preferred a few choices.

Audley End House was just opening up for spring when we arrived. There were few visitors when we arrived just after midday and we toured the house first. The house itself is well set out with knowledge guides and information sheets in the main rooms. The nursery was particularly interactive for kids (the rest not so much). Some of the rooms were poorly lit, presumably for the preservation of the exhibits, stuffed animals & birds, tapestries etc. The ceilings are spectacular ... so don't forget to look up. The tea room has an odd layout and the queue was substantial at lunchtime. By 2pm they still had plenty left (the pasties were a favourite) and the staff were helpful. The dining area was tight, especially with prams & pushchairs. Highchairs are available but I could see several mums were not impressed by their cleanliness. The plates, bowls, cutlery etc. was all disposable but some metal forks/knives/spoons were available in the 'dresser' if you know where to look. The kitchen gardens are tidy but uninspiring as they are not growing anything yet, and we didn't have time to see the stables as they shut at 3:30. The shop was small but as they are changing the products lots were half price. They are clearly developing some additional spaces, a shop and seating in the courtyard area.