Thanks to the staff for all your efforts. Had a great day at Calke Abbey today with my family. Calke Abbey is wonderful - one of the best NT properties in the Midlands for sure - house is great, but gardens are excellent and interesting too. Open safe areas to walk around - lots of interest, even at this time of year. Then we set off to see the abbey only to be told we couldn’t with out paying so it £10 something to go inside the abbey or £5 something to go round the gardens so we thought ok we’ll pay the £5 to see the garden as we’ve come all this way. It is timeless, like stepping back into times past. more. Always something new to learn about the house and gardens and excellent staff always on hand . Read 13 tips and reviews from 496 visitors about national trust, playground and picnics. Got there had lunch, jacket potato, sandwich and soup kind of menu available. After lunch we did the Red Walk and enjoyed the open air and views again. This is the worst NT I have been to in terms of diections. The cake pop maker … Lots of climbing and balancing to be done. 1 of 1 2 other reviews that are not currently recommended I parked at Staunton Harold as they have a lovely tea room and interesting shops Calke Explore. Also I will visit this place again just to see if my comments have had any impact. He took us through the deer park and was so knowledgable of both types of deer. There was so many things to have a go on. We had a sausage roll for lunch - the menu was missing sandwiches. If you do not book we cannot guarantee admission. New hand dryers, at last. We visited the Ice House and the Grotto whilst we were on the way back from the gardens. first. Park Entry has certainly smartened up the arrival and we were welcomed enthusiastically by the lady on duty.Calke Explore was quiet but enabled us to enjoy the tranquillity of the position and also chat to the charming staff in the kiosk. The ladies in the Ticket Office greeted us royally and gave us the information we requested, thank you.We didn't have time to visit much more as time was tight before we returned home to Devon. Checkout my map its a lot easier to get to Calke Explore and the House. Throughout the walk Bryan was so interesting to listen to and made this a unique experience. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Fantastic day out! Cracking Calke Visited yesterday and although a bit overcast and cool, enjoyed a nice stroll around the gardens and lakes Attempting to get back to a level of normality, the café was open and with lots of outdoor seating, somewhere to sit. The present building, named Calke Abbey in 1808, was never actually an abbey, but is a Baroque mansion built between 1701 and 1704. The Hallmark Hotel Derby Mickleover Court and The Great Northern are some of the better bets here. Excellent news. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Australia. National Trust Calke Abbey was one of the first National Trust locations to reopen following the coronavirus closures. Having excitedly booked an after-work slot to visit on June 3rd, I then became very nervous, having seen … Calke Explore has easy access to walking and cycling routes, exciting natural play areas nestled in the woods, and spaces for relaxation and reflection. Things to see and do at Calke Explore Whether you’re planning a family day out, a gentle bike ride, or a walk with the dog, Calke Explore has something for everyone, whatever the weather. Calke Abbey is a Grade I listed[1] country house near Ticknall, Derbyshire, England, in the care of the charitable National Trust.[2]. We ended back at the house. The Brew House is located in Calke. Rated 5 out of 5 by Lulamckenna from Really happy with the colour We’ve never gone for a darker shade before but we are so pleased with Calke green - our bedroom feels super cosy now and it was true perfect colour. It was such a special opportunity. whole place is Covid safe with one way systems and topped off places. A good day out and very relaxing atmosphere all round. I Ordered 2 lets explore Ocean VR packs for my Children for Christmas. Q: Why have you removed some of the existing natural play? Please choose a different date. To avoid disappointment please book your visit to Calke Abbey in advance, especially at busier times such as weekends and bank holidays. They had even opened a bit of the house to look round with a. one way system which was very well organised and we felt safe. There is even a human sized badger set which I think was the highlight for all the kids there! We also had lovely coffee ☕☕ and cake at the restaurant and sat outside under cover which was brilliant! I’ve visited a lot of places in Britain in my years of exploring this beautiful country but by far my favorite place so far is Calke Abbey. So if you are visiting Calke Abbey this summer make sure you stop of at Calke Explore first as it is on your way in just after you pay to enter the grounds 🙂 My favourite part of our visit is when J and the kids were kite flying, I got to sit on the grass and watch them and take it the beautiful scenery. Today we did the Calke Unlocked tour & really enjoyed it. Afterwards we continued through woodland to see ancient oak trees - one or two over a 1,000 years old. There are huge collections of rocks, fossils, shells, paintings, almost too many to mention, then there is the research collection of birds, many of them, from the days when the study of the same was a gentlemans pursuit. Well actually I didn't ask for directions the volunteer gave me directions to go from Calke Explore to the house and she told us to us the second gate and follow the directions so we did. The mansion is as it was left. So all in all we had a fantastic day out and the kids said how much they enjoyed themselves! Explore the neighbourhood. Also we asked for directions to go from the house back to Calke Explore becuase thats where the car was. Make up to 12 cake pops with the Babycakes Cake Pop Maker. see. There was no signs on the road either. Guests staying at this vacation home can use the fully equipped kitchen. Finished off with an easy walk and collected a few sweet chestnuts. Architectural Buildings, Churches & Cathedrals. , We have never been here before but we definitely was not disappointed!! If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Calke Abbey is a great place to while away an afternoon. This is an exceptional place to visit. The collections have not been exposed to much sunlight iin the past and in keeping with this the curtains are drawn to protect the collections. Sorry, but we were disappointed, as prior to our visit it wsn't made clear how few rooms were actually open. The tunnels to the brewery were well worth a visit, and the volunteer staff very helpful with a wealth of knowledge. Calke Abbey. With long public footpaths and trails around the grounds of this amazing location, this is certainly a recommended trip. I want to see the changes or this is a complete waste of time. Our guide, Rob, was very knowledgeable & made the tour both informative & fun. Don't waste your time traveling across town when you may as well stay at one of the 9 hotels that are 6 miles away from Calke Abbey. Once parked up we went to explore, signs which where clear told us where we could go and which way to exit an area. We returned to Calke after a break of a few months and we're delighted to see improvements all round. There were some new structures around the grounds - whatever you think of them (they're big and red) putting one next to the house and spoiling the view out over the parkland seems a strange decision. I did contact customer service when I saw that a Shark tooth was being offered recently and asked if it was possible to get them, Out standing customer service sent me 2 shark tooth . The parkland, gardens and Calke Explore remain open. On the surface it looks like a fairly unremarkable Stately Home – it looks like many others in a similar architectural style that you would find all over Britain. Calke Explore is just a small part of Calke Abbey. Also, we didn't realise that the house itself didn't open until 11am and we had booked a slot for 10am, so thank goodness it wasn't raining and we could tour the gardens. Calke Unlocked tour We visit Calke Park at least once a week to walk but rarely go in to the house itself. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the date(s) you selected. There are rooms that have curious knick knacks and stuff in them. Wanting to come for a day out cycling the Tramway Trail I arrived at Calke Abbey only to be told the entry was ticketed and I needed to have pre-booked. The cafe is also safe and there are tables and chairs spaced around the grounds for people to take their drinks to. Hotels near East Midlands Parkway Station, Hotels near (BHX) Birmingham Intl Airport, Hotels near (DSA) Doncaster Sheffield Airport, Dimmingsdale Nature Reserve: Tickets & Tours‎. The woods are a bit damp but not too muddy. The vacation home is equipped with a TV. The ladies in the Ticket Office greeted us royally and gave us the information we requested, thank you. But never fear, dear traveller: Calke Abbey accommodation won’t break the bank. What a fabulous experience. Afterwards we had a lovely lunch and then spent a leisurely couple of hours exploring the gardens. Read More . Kathleen Calke / Autism & Homeschool Resources | As an Autism Mom, SpEd Advocate & Behaviorist, I pin Free: IEP Advocacy Help, Behavior Analysis Tools, Academic & ABA Materials, Social Skills & Visual Supports - 11.48k Followers, 1.21k Following, 69777 pins Calke Abbey, Derbyshire, England. We also noticed that there seemed to be new rooms open in the garden area to peek in as you wandered around. Wonderful place! Our booked slot had us arriving in good time for a coffee and cake before we wandered around. The title I have borrowed from a Bodie, these places have alot in common, unlike many other National Trust properties, Calke feels to me, like you have just discovered it on an urban explorer type of visit, the house is like it has just been opened after many years left alone, the areas of access are made safe to visit (could be a little difficult if your on wheels). Thank you again Bryan - you are a superstar!!! more, Architectural Buildings, Churches & Cathedrals. Keep up the good work and we hope to be back for a seasonal visit in December. The girls absolutely loved it. The un-stately home and country estate. It is a natural play area with lots of activities inside. Explore. I would have given Calke a 5 star had it not been for the hideous red ironwork installations on the property. To sum up, we will go again knowing we will see other things we may have missed in our 4 and half hour visit, and the do have a nice coffee shop too. There were only four of us taken by Bryan one of the volunteers. With Wotif bringing you the best deals in travel, you can book accommodation near Calke Abbey without blowing your budget, and the money you'll save by snagging that central location at a cheap rate will pay you back in spades. Was really impressed on the drive up to abbey stopped and paid £4.20 per adult thought perfect as we only wanted to walk around out side have some lunch and walk. So much to see and do even if the weather was poor!!. There are lots of walks to try and it is close to the pretty Staunton Harold reservoir. Today we visited Calke Abbey for my partner’s birthday. It is best used either on its own on both walls and woodwork, or with a darker neutral like Old White to enhance its deep sage notes. Neither if which we'd seen on previous visits. If anyone is considering a guided walk - we can thoroughly recommend it. the car park at Calke Explore) offers a great alternative, where visitors can enjoy a secluded part of the estate away from the primary vehicle route. National Trust Calke Abbey, Ticknall, United Kingdom. The staff were very helpful as well!! This rich and traditional green is a cleaned version of a colour originally found in the breakfast room at Calke Abbey. Then it was a visit to the Humankind section, a thoughtful visit, on a issue relavant to the past and today. This left us just time to walk the Pink Walk around the ponds prior to lunch. Calke is a great place to visit but the house is very expensive. The site was an Augustinian priory from the 12th century until its dissolution by Henry VIII. Just to emphasise - we loved the place, but the NT need to give more information when you are making a booking. Despite the restriction on numbers in the house, I still felt hurried as people were building up behind us. ... Calke Abbey tells the story of the decline of a country house estate. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Then there are the tunnels, which my daughter absolutely loved as did I! However there is no information regarding booking for Calke Explore on the website, and no way to book solely for Calke Explore via the house website. On arrival we were given the option of a guided woodland walk. Not happy and the map is way to small to actually make sense of it when your lost. 10 Best Healthy Breakfast Foods to Eat What you should eat in the morning to boost energy, stop cravings and support your overall health. This is new for 2019 (I’m told – I hadn’t been before) and is a great place for outdoor adventures. It is particularly suitable for smaller rooms and studies due to its dark and masculine feel. It's been an exciting week as we have now re-opened Calke Explore again. Calke Explore was quiet but enabled us to enjoy the tranquillity of the position and also chat to the charming staff in the kiosk. Calke abbey is a beautiful place with wonderful surroundings, it has a good shop and cafe, it is full of historical gems which are easily overlooked unless you look carefully for them.Calke abbey is a really nice place to go for an afternoon walks. 74 reviews from CalArk employees about CalArk culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. All the arrangements for safe takeaways are in place. We started with the signed walk around the gardens. We was told to follow the pink rount and then pick up the red route so confusing. But before we left we paid a visit to the comfort station and yes! Always something new to see and what a wonderful splash of colours in the dahlias border. On this visit we didn’t have time to tour the house - that’s our next visit planned . Great winter walk as its nearly all on made up surfaces, if I came back in the summer I would take a few of the grass paths. The whole family enjoyed the new play area at Calke Explore. This product can be used at parties, sleepovers, holiday events or just for fun. It simply does not add to the feel of the place and distracts from the ambience. The. We hope to visit again. Although they're not in full flow at this time of year there was plenty to. The packs arrived on time and look fab, iv not taken them out of the box as they are gifts . The gardens are all prepared for winter with wallflowers planted and the vegetable garden with beds readied for the winter and looking and looking good. 2 hours later we reached the House. Keep up the good work NT, but please lose the horrid ironwork! Take a trip to Ashbourne if you want to experience it. Including stuffed animals, shells, fossils, crystals to name a few. We resisted playing on the natural play trail for too long so we could work hard to reopen the car park, temporary toilets and the kiosk for drinks, snacks and ice-cream. Add in the 4 or 5 signposted walks in the hundreds of acres of parkland and it's just a fabulous day out.....look to spend 3-5 hours Calke Abbey – June 3rd 2020. Please note that the Maroon walk is currently closed; however, diversions are in place for any visitors wishing to explore the National Forest Way via public rights It is trul, Calke Abbey is by far a treat for adults and kids alike, My Family and I spent the whole day visiting the house with fascinating history, wonderful gardens and it usually has some offering with a bar, Went for a walk round the lake and through the woods and then to the gardens. I can hardly believe it took me so long to make it here. Everything was very well organised from booking tickets on line, we arrived a little early but that was fine. Please tick if the photo I uploaded is useful. It was a wonderful place to visit and the grounds and gardens were really amazing!! On the estate are a large country house, preserved in the state in which, I'm a avid visitor of historic properties, and I love history; I have visited Chatsworth and Hardwick more times than I could count. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Located in Ticknall, Derbyshire, Calke Abbey has a striking beauty and this 18 th century home provides a truly mesmerising view and experience. Explore. Hotels near (BHX) Birmingham Intl Airport, Hotels near (DSA) Doncaster Sheffield Airport, Dimmingsdale Nature Reserve: Tickets & Tours‎, View all hotels near Calke Abbey on Tripadvisor, View all restaurants near Calke Abbey on Tripadvisor, View all attractions near Calke Abbey on Tripadvisor. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. So then a nice walk back to the ticket office as you can’t buy tickets there.We got our tickets and walked round outside of the abbey up to the church and round the garden spent around 2 hours there altogether with lunch and visit to the shop a beautiful building and grounds just unsure paying to walk around outside is fair. What an ambassador for the National Trust!!!! NT you picked a booger here, sorry!Other than that, I love Calke. You could even borrow a backpack gilled with games and binoculars to become a true explorer. Calke Abbey, Ticknall: See 2,433 reviews, articles, and 1,335 photos of Calke Abbey on Tripadvisor. Xx. These were very interesting even though everything is past its best at this time of year, and the dahlias were still blooming. Calke Abbey: Birthday treat - See 2,441 traveler reviews, 1,339 candid photos, and great deals for Ticknall, UK, at Tripadvisor. 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