Location: Stratford-upon-Avon
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10 Nature & Parks in Stratford-upon-Avon That You Shouldn't Miss
Stratford-upon-Avon is steeped in the history of its most famous resident, William Shakespeare. This Warwickshire country town contains the home where Shakespeare was born, the cottage where Anne Hathaway resided before their marriage and the church where the couple is buried. Need a break from the Bard? The town also boasts Europe's largest butterfly farm.
Restaurants in Stratford-upon-Avon
1. S&D Falconry
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 132 reviews
2. Bancroft Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 276 reviews
Located in front of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and alongside the River Avon, this delightful park and garden area has a holiday feel with open-air performers.
Reviewed By 251Stephanie123 - Chesterfield, United Kingdom
This was our first time visiting Stratford-Upon-Avon. The place is beautiful and this area is a must see. There’s the statues, barges, buskers, Street entertainers, cafes, restaurants and shops all within close proximity to these gardens. An ideal place to take a picnic or snap a few photos as well as a meeting place for friends and family. There is also lots of parking close by- all very reasonably priced.
3. Anne Hathaway's Cottage & Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,200 reviews
This fifteenth-century, charming thatched cottage was the childhood home of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's sweet-heart and wife. Experienced guides share tales about the Hathaway family who lived here from the mid-1500s to the early 1900s. There are nine acres of gardens and grounds to explore including a woodland walk, the Shakespeare arboretum and a living willow cabin where you may listen to some of Shakespeare's sonnets.
Reviewed By F12MPpeters - Rome, Italy
Review covers a visit to Anne Hathaway’s family home at Shottery a couple of km outside the commercial centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. William Shakespeare – English poet, actor and playwright and generally considered the best-known writer in the English Language. And here we were briefly exploring the place where the Hathaway Family lived and where, it is reputed that William courted, impregnated and married Anne Hathaway – in that order; the first of three children – Susanna – was born to the couple six months later. William was just 18 at the time and his wife 26. Anne Hathaway’s cottage, in reality the farmhouse where she lived as child that has, since1892 (when it was acquired by the Shakespeare Birth Trust) evolved into today’s tourist icon - part of the Shakespeare Heritage Industry based upon Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare and his work are part of the background of English/Anglo school kids everywhere - those of us who read/learned/explored/acted their Henry V or Much Ado About Nothing or Midsummer Night’s Dream for their school-leaving certificates and/or amateur dramatics and/or because we liked the stories, enjoyed the plays, treasured the history or simply became captured by the language. Following through with an interest in the man and his times is an easy option and more particularly when the weather is fine for exploring glimpses of Tudor England in the 21st century. We had left London early that morning on a elegant train hauled by a period steam locomotive for a day of adventure in the Midlands. At Warwick we switched to coaches with which to follow in ‘William’s footprints’ – although not literally; like most rural people of 400 years ago he would have had to walk everywhere. We had comfortable wheels. It was our first time in the area and things had clearly changed from those original days. Anne Hathaway’s place is now a twelve-roomed farmhouse – so only a ‘cottage’ in the sense that it started small in the 15th century – the lowest/stepped down part of the existing structure. In fact, it was not originally a cottage at all, but an enclosed barn-like hall with an open hearth at centre (and, presumably, a hole in the roof). The original building was converted into a comfortable farmhouse in Shakespeare’s time with the addition of a second floor and a couple of chimney flues – wooden frame, lathe, plaster, fill/cladding and thatched roof. Voilà, here’s your image of a typical English country cottage – robust/efficient/low-cost design that was still being used countrywide through to the early 19th century. By the mid-1700s the structure had doubled in size with the addition of the larger/up slope part of the structure. And, later still, a short brick/wooden framed extension was added to the lower end of the original building. A couple of useful/descriptive wall boards on site provide an easy to follow timeline in pictures over the years. Stand at the highest point in the garden – where there’s an artistic woven seat overlooking the farmhouse, and you can sit and study the flow of the thatched roof over the upper windows; the snug and tidy condition of the entire building. Three chimneys, two of which are internal and centred on the roof line – imagine just how warm the building would have been in winter. Where would the livestock, stored feed and equipment, hand-tools, etc. have been kept? Where did the family store their bulk farm food? There may originally have been 36 ha of farmland, but the cottage today has 4 ha that include orchards, sculpture garden and an arboretum that contains all the trees mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays (so the guide says). We wandered the garden next to the cottage which had a veritable team of gardeners tending the decorative beds, plants and shrubs. This is where you wait your turn for the guided tour of the property – so lots of time in which to enjoy the ambience of the house within its immediate garden. Once inside you follow the guide and her stories through the narrow passageways, around the sharp corners and up (and down) the narrow staircases taking in the different rooms, making sure to clear those low and potentially hazardous roof beams and door lintels where required; people were small in stature in those days. There were beds in the upstairs rooms some with canopies and others without (and, again, small by comparison with today), books open next to the beds described the Hathaway Family’s debt and the early history of the ‘Shakespeare Courting Chair’. There is a robust well-serviced kitchen too on the ground floor with late 19th century images. What you see is what you get – this sanitized glimpse of a family home from the 15th century firmly, if briefly, linked to the life and times of William Shakespeare. And William Shakespeare? Following their marriage the couple went to live in Stratford town, but London eventually dominated his working life. Annual visits kept him in contact with his wife/children who remained in Stratford. He returned after retiring from the stage to spend the final years of his life where he had started … and died in 1616 aged 51. And Anne Hathaway’s cottage? The last of the Hathaway Family – tenants at the time - left the place just over 100 years ago in 1911. Many interesting stories then … of this the world’s most famous English writer … but, we had a train with an iconic English locomotive to catch for our return to London that evening. Peter Steele 27 May 2020
4. Hall's Croft
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 911 reviews
Explore the beautifully furnished Jacobean home of Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna and her husband, the physician John Hall. Wander into the tranquil walled garden and discover the fragrant medicinal herbs, as John Hall would have used in his remedies. Explore 'Method in the Madness', a new exhibition exploring medicine John Hall. Enjoy refreshment in the cafe.
Reviewed By 674lizk - Grange-over-Sands, United Kingdom
We went from the RSC along the river to the Holy Trinity church and then to Halls Croft...and there was hardly anyone there! (In August!). Lovely house to look round, some interesting medical history, as it’s Shakespeare’s daughters house (married to a physician). Has a really peaceful garden and great cafe. Friendly staff. Definitely do this one- you can walk down into the mayhem that is Henley St afterwards. Is part of the £22 ticket so well worth it.
5. Stratford-upon-Avon Canal
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,023 reviews
Stretching 25 miles from the Birmingham suburbs to the River Avon in Stratford, this scenic waterway passes through enchanting countryside in the very heart of England, cutting through the Forest of Arden and an area rich in Shakespearean history.
Reviewed By janpridham1960 - Liverpool, United Kingdom
an idyllic way to spend 2 hours and watch the world go by on a balmy sunny afternoon in Stratford-upon-Avon. Well worth the fee for the boat trip with commentary, see the fantastic dwellings along the sides of the canal, the Church where Shakespeare is buried, watch University rowers speed past you practising, families of ducks navigating along side you, it's simply outstanding. You get to go past the Royal Shakespeare company theatre too. All in all fabulous, tranquil and immensely enjoyable
6. The Greenway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 161 reviews
Stratford Bike HIre and Carriages Cafe are refurbished railway carriages located at the start of the Stratford Greenway. There is also another cafe carriage at Milcote
Reviewed By Heslomonick - Birmingham, United Kingdom
We came here for the first time on a Monday during the April 2021 Easter holidays, just after lockdown had eased a little. We walked from Stratford town centre and it only took 10 minutes along a nice path. The car park is spacious and we were pleased to see if had sufficient room for us to come with the trailer on the back of the car for our bikes. The parking charges seemed reasonable (you can only pay by card). When we were there at 12pm and again the next day at 1pm there were plenty of spaces. Shortly after the car park there’s a bike hire and cafe both housed in disused railway carriages and also a small wooden train for young children to play on in a gated area. We had bacon/sausage sandwiches at the cafe using the outdoor seating. There are 5 wooden tables outside. We managed to get a table on both days at lunchtime but when we cycled past at about 2.30pm on the Tuesday the tables were all full. Only one person can go into the cafe to order because of covid. They take credit cards and there’s one toilet at the back of the railway carriage for customers. The outdoor seating overlooks Stratford Race Course which was a bonus. The second day we went with our bikes and cycled all the way only the Greenway with our children aged nearly 7 and 9. It’s flat and straight all the way and the paths aren’t too narrow so you can pass pedestrians fairly easily. There are a few Farm tracks you cross so we slowed down for those to make sure there were no tractors coming. There are a few benches along the way but not tons. There are a few circular gates where you need to either squeeze your bike through or alternatively carry the bikes over the wooden slats on the ground. This wasn’t too onerous for us but might be worse if you had a trailer bike with a child on the back. We also had to cross a fairly minor road before getting to the second cafe also housed within a railway carriage with seating outdoors (we didn’t go there). After 5 miles you reach the end of the Greenway - you can tell because you end up at a busier road. So we just turned back and cycled back. The children enjoyed the bike ride and it was more relaxing than other bike rides involving narrow paths or steep inclines as we could just let the children ride ahead without worrying about them.
7. The Recreation Ground
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 89 reviews
Known as the "Rec" to local people, this is the home of many annual activities including the Stratford Marathon and Stratford Regatta, plus a bandstand featuring musical performances throughout the summer season.
Reviewed By AlisonHappyTraveller - Sevenoaks District, United Kingdom
Our 4 boys enjoyed playing mini golf together on the Rec (the mini golf is towards the river from the play ground) There s a friendly shop with tables and chairs outside, where you can get a tea or coffee, ice creams, chocolates. The mums sat and chatted while the kids enjoyed 2 rounds.
8. The Welcombe Hills
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By Gscholland - Dartington, United Kingdom
Enjoyed a nice walk around here at dusk. Nice area with great views. Area was clean and had visitor info boards and audio tour via QR code you can scan on your smartphone
9. The River Avon Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 387 reviews
Reviewed By PatriciaH672 - London, United Kingdom
After months of us hibernating in lockdown this was a great way to blow off the cobwebs. Beautiful scenic walk around Stratford upon Avon. We were blessed with good weather and really wish we'd brought a picnic with us as a result. Lots of people we passed along the route had done this and it's a really good idea. so much to see from the River, to cornfields, the bridge, the forestry and it's a nice 3.5 mile route. We did it 'backwards' to most people as we wanted to go to Holy Trinity Church first and then begin it and thus we finished back beside the canal in time for a nice ice cream. Perfect
10. Avon Bank Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 55 reviews
Reviewed By Boro_Steve
We were visiting Stratford-upon-Avon for the day and decided to follow the river via the footpath. Beautiful autumn colours on the trees and it was great sitting and watching the swans ducks and canoeists on the river. We walked along one side and came back along the other bank. It was a great way to pass away a couple of hours. I guess it would be fab in the summer months for little ones to run around!
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