Easter at Osterley

The National Trust is adept at hiding Easter eggs at wonderful locations all over Britain and Osterley Park and House is no exception. This impressive redbrick mansion, originally Tudor but transformed into neo-classical style by Robert Adam, stands in beautiful 18th century grounds, where children are invited to scour high and low, leaving no stone unturned, in an effort to follow the trail leading to the chocolate-y treats. Just like the eggs, Osterley itself is well-hidden - you wonder if it really is there at all and then stumble upon it in the middle of a residential area, making its presence even more magical. The ornamental lakes and blossoming flowers in springtime are really worth the trip westwards and little ones will have a ball in the acres of open space - after all that sugary chocolate, they may need to run off some excess energy too! Be sure to get there early as there's no booking and prizes are only available while stocks last. The trail starts on the Front Lawn if the weather is fine or at the Brewhouse in the Stableyard if wet.