The Queen's Norfolk residence is a big draw for visitors and is even more popular in platinum jubilee year - so what can you do when you get there?
Talk a walk in the woods
In fact, take a walk around pretty much the entire estate. Sandringham has 243 hectares open for the public to enjoy and has thoughtfully marked out lots of paths and even provided a map to help you navigate them. There’s a great-looking children’s playground too. The woods are planted with a mixture of evergreen and deciduous trees, mainly Corsican and Scots pine mixed with oak, sweet chestnut and birch. The routes are cycle and dog-friendly, too, with some wheelchair accessible.
A little retail therapy
Sandringham’s shop is, as you would hope, properly posh, full of luxurious items like exotically flavoured biscuits, Sandringham’s own gin, teddy bears and luxury dog treats. You can also buy various Sandringham experience vouchers – and in the Platinum Jubilee year you might find some easy early Christmas gifts for your royal-loving family members, as well as a few smart celebration treats.
Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee
What better place to celebrate in Norfolk than Sandringham? You can join in the official Platinum Jubilee Beacon lighting, accompanied by live music from a piper and the Hunstanton Band.pr listen to renowned singer Katherine Jenkins, joined by The Military Wives, in concert. Then there’s the ‘Platinum Party at the Palace’, a live screening of the Platinum Party at Buckingham Palace, and finally a pageant of motoring. Full details on the Sandringham website.
Have a nice cup of tea
In fact, you can go the whole hog and have a full afternoon tea, with lots of nice little cakes, sandwiches and goodies, all in the restaurant at Sandringham. If you like, you can also have a light meal there, with range of dishes inspired by and sourced from the Sandringham estate and using local suppliers. The estate also has a take-away service, so you can grab a picnic too.
Treat yourself to some timber
Sandringham sawmill has been serving the estate for years, producing fencing, gates and wooden structures for use around the grounds. They opened up to the public in 1988, and sell around 175 products for retail including sawn timber, fence panels and posts, garden furniture and firewood. You could buy a fence post as a souvenir; more useful than an ornamental teapot, if not as easy to get home.
Take a Land Rover tour
Her Majesty is famously fond of Land Rovers, having been photographed countless times at the wheel on her estates. You can join in (though not with the Queen at the wheel) with a two-hour tour of the estate in a Defender, taking in the exterior of Sandringham House and Gardens and the entire estate, driven by an expert guide who lives and works on the estate. The tour ends with afternoon tea.
For more details see sandringhamestate.co.uk
