Warnford Snowdrops
Children will enjoy walking among the enchanting snowdrops, getting a juice and cake in the church and exploring the ‘secret’ garden usually off limits to the public.
Snowdrops fill the gardens in February
The Basics
Time: 25 minutes, but add time to stop and enjoy the snowdrops
Distance:
Terrain: Gentle, grassy garden paths
Pushchair: Keep to the paths to preserve the lawns
Dogs: Yes, on a short lead
Refreshments: Volunteers sell tea and cakes inside the church
Toilets: Yes
Public Transport: There is no public transport to this location
Parking: In a field beside the church (Postcode: SO32 3LB - W3W: compiler/december/working)
The flint folly/bath house is a private residence
Snowdrop events at Warnford Church – open on Saturdays in 2025.
The organisers have decided that the Warnford Snowdrop events held on Sundays in February for more than 50 years in aid of Warnford church will be closed in 2025 - there will however be a limited ticketed event open on Saturdays.
For more than 50 years a wonderful team of local volunteers have welcomed visitors to enjoy the remarkable display of Snowdrops in the woodlands around the church in Warnford Park. Throughout this time it has been possible to park all the visitor’s cars on the site – however in 2023 and 2024 the event appeared widely on social media and the number of visitors brought the traffic on the A32 to a standstill and blocked the local lanes with parked cars.
The Snowdrop Sunday events have not been advertised in the past however visitors sharing their experience on social media has created a level of interest that the current on-site parking arrangements cannot accommodate. The organisers would like to continue to welcome visitors in the future and so they have taken advice on how to ensure the safety of their visitors and other road users. They have decided that the safest course of action to avoid the traffic problems that they have experienced is to close the Sunday events for one year.
Closing the Sunday events in 2025 will be disappointing news to everyone who has visited and supported the church in the past however there will be a limited opportunity to enjoy the Snowdrop display on Saturday afternoons in February in 2025 using a ticketed system with timed entry times. Details of how to purchase tickets for the Saturday opening will be available on the Warnford Snowdrops website www.warnfordsnowdrops.org.uk - we would be grateful if you could share this information with your friends and family who have visited to see the Snowdrops in the past.
We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank everyone who has visited our treasured Snowdrop Sundays in the past – we very much look forward to welcoming you on Saturdays in 2025.
In February thousands upon thousands of snowdrops carpet the churchyard and woodlands surrounding The Church of Our Lady, Warnford. The owners of Warnford Park kindly allow The Rector and Churchwardens to invite the public to enjoy them each Sunday afternoon through February.
The walk is on a private estate and access is only permitted on pre-booked Saturdays through February.
Stewards will provide you with a print out explaining this route and interesting features along the way.
Access is free, but a donation towards church funds is appreciated.
As this is a private estate, please keep to the owner’s wishes by sticking to the paths and avoiding children or dogs trampling or picking the snowdrops.
There are some interesting historic buildings such as the ruin of King John’s House and a flint folly/bath house
Did you know?
The original manor house was demolished in the 1950s. It was requisitioned by the War Office in World War II and never reoccupied by the owners afterwards. The parkland and gardens are Grade II listed and it is suggested Capability Brown may have had a hand in their design.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one at Terwic, near Rogate where you can view a field of lupins, but like at Warnford, only for a few weeks of the year.
