It was a huge pleasure to have BBC Radio 4 with us in November to meet and interview some members of the Painshill team past and present.

They were making a programme on Painshill for Open Country that aired on 12 December at 3pm.

Listen to it on BBC Sounds here

Learn all about our creator Charles Hamilton and his vision, how our beautiful landscape was almost completely lost and what we are doing to protect it. Listen to some of the sounds of Painshill and hear from some of the people behind the restoration.

 

 

Join Princess Alice Hospice for a festive fun run this December.

 

Help them provide crucial care and support for Princess Alice Hospice patients and their families this Christmas by getting sponsored to stroll, power walk, jog or run around our beautiful landscape.

The route will be 5k and you get your very own Santa suit!

The run at Painshill will take place on Saturday 7 December, starting at 10am.

Tickets are £18 for adults (including a Santa suit) and £8 for children (including an elf hat)

The event is run by Princess Alice Hospice. For more information and to sign up please visit their website or call 01372 461808

 

 

The 2019 Painshill harvest

On Monday 30 September, the team harvested the vineyard crop from 2019. It is estimated to have been about one and a half to two tonnes.

When harvesting, we rely on some of our amazing volunteers to help us. The grapes must be cut off quickly and taken straight to be pressed, before the juices run and are lost.

The team gathered early in the morning, just after sunrise, and were finished by 9.30.

  

Sunrise on harvest day. Photos by Graham Dash

The process to make wine takes 18 months to two years so the 2019 harvest will be delivered back in bottles sometime in 2021.

2017 wine available

We took delivery a couple of weeks ago of the 2017 wine, a sparkling Painshill Rosé made from mixing the Chardonnary and Pinot Noir grapes. It is available by the bottle in the Painshill Shop now!

2017 was a year of late frosts and the harvest was only enough for 500 bottles. With limited availability get it before it’s gone!

Fancy trying a glass?

This Autumn Tree Festival we will be selling it by the glass at the Temple of Bacchus

Take all the family on a fairy tale adventure this October half-term at Painshill. Our 18^th century landscape garden makes a wonderful day out in autumn, full of incredible tree colour and stunning vistas. Walk a journey around a wonderful landscape and discover mystical magical garden buildings.

Here are 10 fairy tale stories to discover this autumn…

1. Take a quest to find all the dragons!

During the whole of half term incredible huge dragons will take over the landscape around the Grade 1 listed Crystal Grotto. Release your inner knight and go on the Painshill quest to find all the statues and protect the Grotto. If you find all the dragons you might even win a prize! The dragon trail is included in general admission so you can also walk the gardens and enjoy all the follies.

 

2. Climb the steps of the Gothic Tower

There is nothing like walking through the woods and coming across a castle! Go on an adventure to our Gothic Tower and discover the wonderful view from the top.

 

3.Find the hidden Hermitage

Legend has it that the Painshill Hermit didn’t last long as a recluse. He was spotted after 3 weeks drinking in the local inn! Walk through the Painshill woods and discover his story and his home.

 

4. Watch fairy tale theatre

This Halloween The Cat’s Grin Theatre Company bring fairy tale theatre to the Painshill marquee. The performances incorporate three stories – Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and The Elves and the Shoemaker and are perfect for 4 to 9 year olds.

 

5. Make spooky tricks and delicious treats

Join Painshill for a Halloween Craft Afternoon Tea on Monday 28 or Tuesday 29 of October. Make paper bats and decorate biscuits while enjoying witches’ finger sandwiches, pumpkin scones, bug jelly and cake.

 

6. Discover a crystal covered cave

Our Grade 1 listed Crystal Grotto is a magical place, perfect for making up a fairy tale. Find it on Grotto Island and stand in awe of the amazing sparkling space.

 

7. Ride a horse drawn wagon

On Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 October Painshill will be celebrating all things autumn trees with our Autumn Tree Festival. Come along to enjoy autumn colour, discover some of the incredibly huge trees we have and take a ride on a horse drawn wagon.

 

8. Treat yourself to cake

Mr Hamilton’s Tea Room is open daily to enjoy hot lunches, drinks, light bites and, of course, cake!

 

9. Make a splash!

This Autumn Tree Festival we will have a wet welly walk! Make a splash in the mud and really embrace the outdoors. Don’t forget your boots!

 

10. Get back to nature

Autumn is a beautiful season. We hope you will join us at Painshill for a walk through a living changing work of art. Embrace the fresh bright days and feel the crisp leaves under foot.

 

Our wonderful volunteers were recognised by the Visitor Experience Forum last night, picking up the award for the best Volunteer Led Visitor Experience 2019.

Tricia Powers, a volunteer at Painshill, was there to pick up the award:

“I’ve been volunteering at Painshill for four years as a Ranger following in my Father’s footsteps as he volunteered from 1983-93. I love the diversity of the visitors as well as the inclusivity of the volunteers. It’s a magical place and I love volunteering there! It was a very exciting evening and I was thrilled to be one of the representatives of the volunteers.”

The volunteers at Painshill take on hugely varied work, from running the Visitor Centre tills to gardening work out in the landscape. With only a handful of staff, Painshill Park Trust is a charity reliant on a team of 160 who give their time to welcome visitors, run promotion stands, maintain the Grade 1 listed landscape and look after the garden buildings.

There is a team of ‘greasers’ responsible for the running and maintenance of the Painshill Watermill who ensure it keeps pumping water into the historic Serpentine Lake and a team of admin volunteers, without whom tasks such as processing memberships would not be possible.

This year they have undertaken intensive work in the Painshill landscape, including unique projects like the planting around the newly restored Temple of Bacchus and the building of a new children’s play area.

Volunteers help run a number of annual events, including Christmas Illuminations, an Easter Egg Hunt and Painshill Summer Weekend.

Thanks to the volunteer landscape rangers and the maintenance team the Crystal Grotto is now open to the public Tue – Sun rather than just weekends and Painshill has welcomed more visitors this year than ever before.

Director, Paul Griffiths, describes how much they mean to Painshill:

“The work the volunteers do at Painshill is vital to ensuring we maintain the landscape for current and future generations. The Painshill Park Trust is immensely grateful to them for their time, passion and energy. It was wonderful to have their commitment and work recognised by a national award“

If you would like to get involved and make a huge difference to Painshill as well as meet new friends, learn new skills and get outdoors, find out more here.

 

PLEASE NOTE: the Alzheimer’s Society Memory Walk is taking place this Sunday 6th October at Painshill. Painshill will be open to visitors but may be slightly busier than usual. The Gothic Tower will be closed on Sunday 6th Oct (open as usual all other days during the week of 30th Sep). 

Alzheimer’s Society is calling on family, friends and colleagues to unite against dementia this autumn by joining a Memory Walk.

Dementia devastates lives, but every pound raised through Memory Walk will help Alzheimer’s Society provide vital information and support, improve care, fund research and create lasting change for people affected by the condition.

This year, Memory Walk will bring together over 120,000 walkers, with the hope of raising over £9 million.

There are 43 walks taking place in September and October across England, Wales and Northern Ireland – including five longer marathon style walks. Memory Walk is coming to Surrey on 06/10/2019 – 9.30am –Surrey Memory Walk – Painshill, Portsmouth Road, Cobham KT11 1JE.

Someone develops dementia every three minutes. Locally, dementia affects around 16,250 people in Surrey.

Unite against dementia and register now at www.memorywalk.org.uk.

Pop Painshill on your list for a great day out this summer. There is lots to keep all ages entertained!

Here are 10 things to do in the landscape over the holidays.

 

1. Scoot the landscape

Scooters and bikes are allowed into the Painshill landscape for the under 5s. So small children can get around the site more easily and with a lot more fun. Pick up a map to find out routes with made up pathways.

 

2. Visit the natural play area

Made with materials from around the landscape, Painshill’s natural play area (new for this summer!) has a log house, dens, stepping stones and balance logs. Relax at the nearby picnic tables while your family play.

 

3. Watch classic children’s stories outdoors

Cat’s Grin Theatre bring outdoor stories to Painshill on the first two weekends in Aug. Join them for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland or Wind in the Willows in the perfect garden setting.

 

4. Join a wild day camp

Ages 8 to 12 can really get back to nature with our Painshill Summer Holiday Day Camps. Give them a wild time with bushcraft, campfire cooking, den building and more. They are days of pure outdoor fun.

 

5. Walk your family dog

Dogs are allowed into Painshill on short leads, so the whole family can come in and enjoy!

 

6. Have ice-cream in the Gothic Tower

Throughout the summer the Gothic Tower Café is open every day. Walk the whole landscape and you definitely deserve a treat! Head there for ice-cream or a piece of cake.

 

7. Get colouring

Painshill colouring packs are now available. Kids can build their own Painshill out of paper and learn all about each garden building while getting creative with colours.

 

8. Go bird spotting

Lots of ducks, geese and birds live around Painshill. See what you can spot together and pick up a chart in the Visitor Centre to tick them all off.

 

9. Pick up an activity card

Families can pick up free activity cards in the Visitor Centre. Explore nature with one of the many suggested activities and remember to share your family’s creations with us @painshill.

 

10. Enjoy a piece of cake!

Our refurbished Tea Room is now open. Pop in on your visit for lunch, a light bite or tea and cake.

The peaceful Painshill offers the perfect spot to relax. The tranquil gardens are large enough that, even on a busy day, you can always find a quiet corner. Here’s five ways you can use the landscape garden to re-connect with nature and restore yourself.

 

1. Bring along a picnic

There are plenty of wildflower meadows, fields of grass and banks by the lake that make great places to sit down and relax with your family or friends. Bring along a blanket and your favourite foods and enjoy being outside in the landscape.

2. Stroll along the Serpentine

Painshill was made for walking! And walking has proven benefits on your mental and physical health. Walk the work of art and take in all of the beautiful views or simply stroll around the shorter lake route– every step helps!

3. Join a class and get moving

Painshill is a wonderful venue for a host of different classes. Sign up for Yoga or Tai Chi and learn the benefits of these strength building exercises. Beginners are welcome for many of the classes so you can always try a taster session. Take a look at the current events programme and look out for Wellbeing Week in June to book.

4. Walk a dog

Nothing connects you to the joy of life quite as much as a dog! Dogs are welcome in Painshill and there are always dog water bowls available. Don’t have a dog of your own? Why not volunteer with the Hersham Hounds? This local charity is devoted to caring for retired racing greyhounds and volunteers regularly bring them into Painshill.

5. Get creative

Painshill was inspired by landscape painting and what better way to get involved than bringing your own sketching materials or camera and capturing it. Photography or drawing can really make you notice your surroundings and reconnect you with nature. Don’t know where to begin? Come along to one of the workshops run at Painshill and start learning.

 

Wellbeing Week at Painshill starts on Mon 24 June and celebrates all that gardens can do to benefit for our mental and physical health.

Volunteer’s Week

To celebrate Volunteer’s Week this June, Painshill are delighted to launch our new Volunteer Interview Blog!

Each month we will be showcasing a volunteer from our team who gives their time to keep Painshill running and looking stunning.

Around 140 volunteers work for Painshil. They worked a total of 15,000 hours during 2018. This figure covers the Landscape, Visitor Centre, Crystal Grotto, Watermill and the Tower Café.

We are extremely grateful to all our volunteers for their dedication and effort. They are vital to Painshill and its success!

 

Volunteer Interview of the month – June 19

Sue Cockle

 

What is your role at Painshill?

Currently I am doing some administration work in the office, but in my 3 years of volunteering I’ve done lots of roles here at Painshill. I started out as a Ranger and continue to do this, it is great as you get to walk around the landscape and enjoy all it has to offer. I’ve worked in the pop-up café at the Gothic Tower, I have also filled in at the Visitor Centre, plus lots of other things when events take place, not to mention helping bringing in the grape harvest. It was while working in the Visitor Centre that a member of staff made me aware that they needed help in the office and so since Autumn last year I have been helping out there.

 

Why did you choose Painshill to volunteer at?

Having retired I was looking to find some voluntary work but did not want to work in the ubiquitous charity shop. I was looking to find something to do that involved being outdoors. While searching a website offering volunteer opportunities locally I saw something for Painshill. When checking their website, I saw they were having an open morning soon encouraging new volunteers, so I went along and the rest as they say is history. There were lots of different roles, everyone seemed really friendly and there was lots of flexibility about how much time volunteers could give. One of the volunteers took us through the landscape to the Crystal Grotto and I realised what a beautiful place it is, I had not visited in years and realised what a hidden gem it is.

 

What is the thing you love most about your work at Painshill?

I enjoy the camaraderie of all those who give their time to Painshill whether employees,  volunteers or the trustees, everyone is so enthusiastic about the place.  I also love  it when new visitors say what a wonderful place it is and that they must come back again.

 

What is your favourite spot at Painshill?

The Temple of Bacchus is possibly my favourite. When I first started volunteering there was just an outline of where the building stood, and in my time here I have seen it restored. It is not just the building that I like but  the view out over the Surrey countryside from where it is situated within the landscape is stunning. Hamilton really had an eye for drawing you to a location with his follies only for it to reveal some other vista from it.

 

We are delighted to announce that, this August, Painshill will be presenting Open Air Cinema. Join us for starlit screenings in the stunning landscaped gardens.

BOOK NOW FOR A STAR IS BORN

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY: SOLD OUT

Our historic Serpentine Lake makes an incredible backdrop for two of the best films of 2018. On Friday 16 August we will be showing the award-winning Bohemian Rhapsody and on Saturday 17 August we screen A Star is Born starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.

Winner of four Oscars and the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Bohemian Rhapsody stars Rami Malek in an extraordinary performance as singer Freddie Mercury. In an enthralling celebration of Queen and their music, the film follows the band’s meteoric rise, their revolutionary sound, Freddie’s solo career and chronicles the band’s reunion and one of the greatest performances in rock history.

In A Star is Born four-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper and music superstar Lady Gaga fuse their considerable talents to depict the raw and passionate tale of Jack and Ally, two artistic souls coming together, on stage and in life. Theirs is a complex journey through the beauty and the heartbreak of a relationship struggling to survive.

Films will start at 8:30pm but the gate will open at 7.00pm leaving you plenty of time to also enjoy the landscape. Bring a picnic along and spread your blanket out on the grass or purchase food and light refreshments. There will be a fully licensed bar on site.

There couldn’t be a better place to watch these amazing films. Set under the backdrop of the Gothic Temple, don’t miss your chance to enjoy a magical night of cinema below the summer’s night sky.

Tickets are on sale now!

BOOK NOW FOR A STAR IS BORN