Sound to Sketch - The Big Draw
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Visitors can collect a free sketching bag and draw their own views of the estate, with suggested inspiration in the Kitchen Gardens, Courtyard and by the Ice Pond.
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a predominantly rural English county known for historic towns, seaside resorts, nature reserves, and rich cultural heritage.
Near Gunby Hall
Gunby Hall is a Grade I listed historic country house in Lincolnshire featuring significant art collections and Victorian walled gardens set within a Capability Brown styled park. The estate includes a clock tower, a stable block, and an active parish church on site, offering a combined indoor and outdoor visitor experience.
Our Place, Our Marks - the Big Draw
7 Oct, 10–11 Oct…
Visitors can pause to observe and listen to the surroundings at Tattershall Castle, then use chalk to add their impressions to a shared drawing board. The collaborative artwork develops as visitors contribute throughout the season.
Near Tattershall College
Tattershall College is the ruin of a 15th-century grammar school founded by the 3rd Baron Cromwell in Lincolnshire, featuring remains of Gothic architecture and an adjacent almshouse, now managed as a heritage site.
Paint the Gardens
10 Oct, 24 Oct
Visitors can collect free art materials at the garden entrance and draw or paint their favourite spots in the gardens at Belton Estate.
Near Belton House
Belton House is a Grade I listed English country house in Lincolnshire, surrounded by formal gardens and a deer park. It offers indoor attractions including historic rooms, exhibitions, and a restaurant in the restored stables, alongside outdoor experiences in its extensive gardens, parkland, and adventure playground for families.
Tattershall's Ghostly Tales & Tower Secrets
10 Oct, 17 Oct…
Join Will the Peasant on an interactive family tour of Tattershall Castle, hearing ghost stories and exploring the castle’s history, rooms and tower secrets. The route includes climbing 149 steps to the top of the tower.
Sound to Sketch - The Big Draw
7 Oct, 10–11 Oct…
Visitors can borrow a sketching bag and use its drawing materials to create their own pictures inspired by Tattershall Castle, its towers, moat and grounds.
Near Tattershall Castle
Tattershall Castle is a historically significant 15th-century brick castle in Lincolnshire featuring a Great Tower with interior rooms and rooftop views, surrounded by moats, and preserved by the National Trust for public visits and events.
Sarah Watson art exhibition
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
An exhibition of landscape artworks by Sarah Watson, including scenes from Lincolnshire to Iceland and two large abstract paintings. The works are displayed around Grantham House.
Belton Dog Walk
10 Oct, 14 Nov
Join a dog ranger for a leisurely circular walk around Belton Estate, learning about the Brownlow family's dogs and experiencing the estate's habitats, landscapes and wildlife.
2 miles from Grantham House
Grantham House is a historic town house built in 1380, owned by the National Trust, featuring architectural elements from several centuries and set within extensive gardens. Open daily as a community space with free entry, a café, and a second-hand bookshop, it offers visitors a blend of indoor and outdoor experiences with rich historical significance.
Located in Grantham
Grantham is a historic market town in Lincolnshire known for its rich heritage including the birthplace of Margaret Thatcher and education of Isaac Newton. It offers cultural attractions, historic architecture, riverside walks, and a lively town centre with shops, pubs, and restaurants.
Cheer Up Chuckaboo Trail
7–11 Oct, 14–16 Oct
Visitors follow a trail exploring the meanings of Victorian slang words and phrases from the 1800s. Trail sheets include a prize.
Near The Workhouse, Southwell
The Workhouse in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, is a well-preserved 19th-century workhouse museum operated by the National Trust, showcasing historic rooms and offering educational programs for children. It highlights historic poor law practices and Victorian-era workhouse life.
Located in Southwell
Southwell is a historic cathedral and market town in Nottinghamshire, England, known for its beautiful Southwell Minster, rich history, and vibrant cultural festivals such as the Southwell Music Festival and Gate to Southwell Festival.
Yoga at Grantham House
9–10 Oct, 16–17 Oct…
A gentle vinyasa flow yoga class led by Grow Your Wings Yoga, with mindful movement and breathing in Grantham House’s restored rooms or outdoor spaces depending on the weather.
2 miles from Harlaxton Manor
Harlaxton Manor is a large Victorian-era manor house in Lincolnshire, renowned for its unique blend of Elizabethan, Jacobean, and Baroque architectural styles, with accessible interior facilities and historic tours available by appointment.
Guided Walk from Gunby to Bratoft Manor
10–11 Oct, 17–18 Oct…
Join a guided, three-mile walk from Gunby to Bratoft Manor, passing through the former medieval village of Gunby. A guide shares information about the estate’s history and natural features along the route.
Walls of Wonder
9 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Walls of Wonder is an exhibition of Laura Andrew’s paintings inspired by the historic wallpapers and textiles of Gunby Hall. The works reinterpret their patterns, colours and stories through contemporary art.
Near Gunby Estate: Monksthorpe Chapel
Monksthorpe Chapel is a unique late 17th-century chapel designed to look like a barn, set within the extensive Gunby Estate offering both historical indoor exploration of Gunby Hall and vast outdoor gardens and grounds for visitors to enjoy.
Mystery of the Medieval Mice Trail
7 Oct, 10–11 Oct…
Visitors follow a mystery trail through Tattershall Castle, completing six mouse-door challenges to collect clues, solve a code and find the stolen mouse cheese.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ trail
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Children follow a trail inspired by Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar™, spotting fruit and snacks, discovering facts, and taking part in games and activities in Belton’s Italian Garden.
Stranger Folk at Belton
10 Oct–1 Nov (next week)
Families can use the Stranger Folk app to follow a story-led outdoor adventure around Belton Estate, completing activities to help seal a rift between the human and spirit worlds. The app is recommended for children aged 7 to 11.
Pick Your Own Pumpkins at Doddington
8–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Visitors can choose from around 30 varieties of pumpkins, squashes and gourds at Doddington’s pumpkin patch, reached by a spooky walk through the Kitchen Garden. There are also hidden golden-bottomed pumpkins to find and a giant pumpkin on display in the Farm Shop.
Near Doddington Hall & Gardens
Doddington Gardens in Lincoln feature restored Elizabethan gardens with formal East Front and West Garden, a Wild Garden, and a productive Kitchen Garden, alongside wildlife planting and seasonal colors. The gardens offer accessible facilities, refreshments, and parking, with free access for RHS members on specified days.
The Big Draw
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
As part of The Big Draw Festival, visitors can take part in drawing activities at Gunby Estate during October 2026. Pencils and paper can be borrowed from Visitor Reception.
Our Place, Our Marks - the Big Draw
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Visitors can slow down and take in the sights and sounds of Gunby Estate, then use chalk to add their own drawing to a collaborative artwork in the Garden. The artwork grows through the season as visitors contribute.
Wings, Wonders & Wildlife Trail
7 Oct 2026–20 Feb 2027 (another 134 days)
Follow a self-led trail through the Sandilands nature reserve to learn about six migratory birds that visit the Lincolnshire coast and try wildlife challenges along the way.
Have a Go Sessions: Knitting at Gainsborough Old Hall
10 Oct (this Saturday)
A free knitting session at Gainsborough Old Hall where craft volunteers help attendees learn the basics or build their knitting skills and confidence. Materials are provided.
Near Gainsborough Old Hall
Gainsborough Old Hall is a well-preserved Tudor manor house in Lincolnshire, showcasing medieval architecture, historic interiors including a medieval kitchen, and intriguing features like witches' marks and a reputed haunting. It is managed by English Heritage and open as a museum for visitors.
Located in Gainsborough
Gainsborough is a historic market town in Lincolnshire, England known for its medieval Old Hall, riverside charm, historic churches, cultural venues, and river heritage.
An 'Ode to the Garden' Photography Competition
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Photographers are invited to enter images of Gunby’s gardens and parkland, featuring plants, wildlife or nature at the historic estate. Selected winning images will be displayed at the IGPOTY 20 exhibition at Gunby in 2027.
Stranger Folk - The Folklore Mystery Journey
10 Oct–23 Dec (next week)
Visitors use the Stranger Folk app to follow clues and take on folklore-inspired challenges while exploring Gunby’s gardens, parkland and historic landscape. The family activity follows a story about finding hidden cracks between the natural world and a world of magic.
2 miles from Monksthorpe
Monksthorpe is a hamlet in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, featuring a Grade II* listed Baptist chapel and an open air baptismal font, both cared for by the National Trust. It is notable for its historic religious architecture and outdoor heritage setting.
Belton's Butterfly and Moth Trail
7 Oct 2026–31 Oct 2027 (another 387 days)
Follow an outdoor trail of eight giant moth and butterfly models through Belton’s parkland, and learn about species sighted at the estate.