A shower of snowdrops at Lydiard Park

By Emma Kirkup

Towards the end of January I made a trip to the tranquil setting of Lydiard Park. The morning had been cold and blustery but luckily by the time I pulled up at the car park the weather was beginning to turn for the better. I’d heard that some of the snowdrops were already making an appearance here so I went for a bit of an investigation.

Within the woodland area by Lydiard House I saw small clusters of these delicate winter flowers and as I approached the churchyard I could see the beginnings of areas carpeted by snowdrops. Stopping to take some photos, it’s easy to forget that this parkland is on the edge of a town!

There are promises of much more dramatic displays over the next few weeks, particularly in an area near to the Coach House tea room and Walled Garden where visitors are asked to keep off the lawn section to protect the flowers. I would imagine it would certainly be worth a visit in mid to late February to see the progress here.

In addition to the snowdrops, there are other delights to discover at Lydiard Park. Although the House is closed until April, visitors can still pay the small admission to go into the Walled Garden area. If you fancy a foodie treat then look out for Lydiard Park’s special offer on afternoon teas at The Coach House during February as well.

There are also long walks that you can do around the lake area. Spot the birds and other wildlife and see if you can find the Ice House – an area where food items were stored in the days before refrigerators existed. There’s also a play park for younger visitors.

You could easily combine a visit to Lydiard Park with nearby attractions of STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway, the Cotswold Water Park (also great for bird spotting and for nature lovers) or with a browse of the shops at the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet.

And if you fancy heading to some other Wiltshire locations for a bit of snowdrop spotting then please check out the following blog.