Hedingham Castle is surrounded by lakes and woodlands. In particular, the valley walk is famous for its snowdrops in February and a carpet of bluebells in May. To reach the Castle one must cross the Tudor bridge which spans the moat. The Castle grounds play host to several medieval events during the summer months including jousting tournaments on the Inner Bailey and mock battles.

Marks Hall boasts two hundred acres of gardens and arboretum with a tree collection representing all the continents of the world. An easy walk from the Visitor Centre is the stunningly redesigned Walled Garden. The five individual gardens within seventeenth century walls combine the best of contemporary and traditional. The double long border is the longest in East Anglia and includes both long established shrubs and interesting new plantings.

There is something to appeal throughout the year from snowdrop time to late autumn colour, and often there is a self guided walk sheet available to highlight the most interesting vistas and plants.

The Visitor Centre, housed in a restored Essex barn, offers information, a gift shop and a café with home made fare for morning coffee, lunch, and afternoon tea.

Not far from Marks Hall is Paycocke’s which is a National Trust property. This is a merchant's house dating from the 15th Century and demonstrates the wealth generated from the wool trade in the 15th and 16th centuries in East Anglia.

Colne Valley Railway has a large collection of operational vintage steam and diesel trains, carriages and wagons that represent the railway heritage. Colne Valley Railway is set out over 20 acres and there is a miniature garden, a visitor centre and a station shop. You can also enter Colne Valley Farm Park which is accessible through the railway and set by the River Colne.

Hedingham Castle is set near many beautiful and picturesque villages such as Thaxted, Coggeshall, Lavenham, Nayland and Kersey. Larger towns include Newmarket - famous for its racing, Sudbury, Cambridge which offers a great day out exploring the universities and punting on the River Cam and Colchester which is home to Colchester Zoo, High Woods Country Park and the Beth Chatto gardens.

Other local places of interest include Audley End (situated in Saffron Walden) which is a 17th Century country mansion, formerly the site of Walden Abbey, Wandlebury Ring and Wandlebury Country Park, an iron age hill-fort, set just outside Cambridge, Flatford Mill which was home to the artist John Constable and Dedham Art and Craft Centre, one of East Anglia’s finest art and craft centres which also incorporates a toy museum.

Please CLICK HERE for the history of Hedingham Castle.