Popular dates that are a walk in the park!

Getting out and about in nature is a great way to spend a date. Not only do you get the endorphin rush from the exercise, but the experience of being out amongst the greenery and colour is also perfect for calming anxiety. If this sounds like just the date for you, then read on.

We are teamed up with First Tunnels, one of the UK’s leading Polytunnel suppliers, to offer you their expert insight into recommended places to visit for garden walking date.

There is a lot of choice! With over 2500 miles worth of National Trails and 250 parks and gardens, you will be one of nearly 28 million people choosing to visit National Trust Locations.

Stourhead
Stourhead, in the Cotswolds, is a Grade 1 listed Palladian mansion. Better still, there are over 2500 acres of landscaped gardens to explore. Maintained by the National Trust, you will pay £18 to enter, but you will fall in love with the flowers, the woodland and farmland as well as the many monuments, bridges, temples and other features to enjoy.

As a place to walk, there are lots of talking points to keep that conversation going. And, if eye contact is awkward, there are lots of places to admire. The artificially created lake is wildly romantic.

Iford Manor Estate

Ilford Manor is at Bradford on Avon in the county of Wiltshire. It is a Grade 1 listed garden and perfect for the most romantic of walks. It was a garden designed by Harold Peto over 100 years ago and looked after by the Cartwright-Hignett family for the past fifty years or more. With the Japanese garden, the statues from Rome, Greece and other European cities, there is so much to see and talk about. If you are looking for a romantic place to sit and wonder at the beauty of the world, try the terraces with the views over the Frome Valley.

Scotney Castle

Scotney Castle is at Lamberhurst in Tunbridge Wells. It is a beautiful 14^th-century moated castle and Victorian country mansion. For those looking for a walking date, there are many romantic and beautifully crafted gardens to explore. The castle is also hidden within the woodland, which is ripe for exploration. For those in love with history, the castle dates to 1137, but the absolute joy is for those who want to immerse themselves in the naturalistic planting and woodland; it is the best place ever to enjoy a picnic.

Chatsworth House

Chatsworth House is one of the National Trusts more famous properties, located in Bakewell in Derbyshire. There are 105 acres of land to explore on your date, giving you ample time to get to know each other. It is a beautiful and historic location, filled with rock gardens, water features and sculptures. You can even book to go inside the more than 300-year-old house that has seen some comings and goings.

There is a maze for those with an adventurous spirit who might want to get lost with a loved one. However, if you would rather have a sign-posted route, then you can follow one of the many different walking trails through the property.

Chelsea Physic Garden

Another property with a rich history, Chelsea Physic Garden in Chelsea, London, is best known for its vast range of plants. The garden was actually established to grow plants for medicines, and even now, it contributes to the ongoing understanding of scientists. While fast-paced and bustling London is all around, this is a place where you can find some peace – a haven away from the noisy life beyond.

While there are some permanent plant displays to discuss with a potential future love, there are also seasonal plant display should you wish to keep coming back. There is enough to see to keep you busy, as there are more than 5000 plant varieties on display.

Buscot Park

Built between 1779-1783, this part in Faringdon Oxfordshire is a piece of UK history that needs to be witnessed. Buscot Park has extensive grounds surrounding the house, and there are woodland walks, water gardens and many features taken from Italian architecture. It really is the place for some romance. The woodland avenues are a favourite for dating couples walking under the canopy of the leaves.

The house was built by Edward Lovedon but was subsequently owned by Robert Tertius, who drove himself to bankruptcy trying to turn the land into a model agricultural estate. Fortunately, it was sold to Lord Faringdon and was later bequeathed to the National Trust.

Belvoir Castle

What better place to take someone on a date than a fairy tale castle in stunning gardens? Belvoir Castle is in Grantham, Leicestershire, and there are a variety of gardens on different themes. One of the most spectacular features is the spiral walk, though the Japanese woodland is unique. The garden walks alone could keep you busy for the day without venturing out into the main trails that wind their way through the estate. This is one stunning landscape.

If you get bored of all that beauty, there is also the Engine Yard centre, where you can grab some food and drink and the odd gift too.

Enough for any love

So, you see, there are hundreds of the most amazing spots take someone on the perfect date. You can relax in some of the most romantic and historic locations in the UK, giving you ample to talk about and plenty of beauty around to make the heart sing.

For over 20 years First Tunnels have been leading the way in the supply of ‘Domestic’ and ‘Commercial’ Polytunnels to help extend the growing season for gardeners whether growing fruit and vegetables as a hobby or commercial crops, plants and flowers. First Tunnels have even supplied celebrity gardeners including Alan Titchmarsh, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Bob Flowerdew.