Take a tour of Welford Park – home of the Great British Bake Off tent
The Great British Bake Off is back on our screens this month, and it’s not just the inspiring bakes we’ll be enjoying - the series’ location is also a joy
The Great British Bake Off location scouts chose Welford Park as the perfect spot to stage the baking competition because of its beautiful natural backdrops, and its stunning changes over the filming period.
The tent is erected in April and stays for the 10 weeks it takes to film a series, taking the gardens from late winter right into summer.
GBBO moved to the Newbury estate in 2014, when the show hit the big time, moving from BBC Two to BBC One.
Mary, Paul, Mel, Sue and the contestants are put up locally every weekend (the show is filmed each weekend so everyone can maintain their ordinary lives), but for any other keen visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the stunning Queen Anne House and grounds, there's only one time of year you can visit.
At the end of the winter each year, the private home opens its grounds, letting visitors in to marvel at the impressive snowdrop display.
Around 50 varieties of snowdrop grow in the garden, creating a blanket of white during February and March.
Deborah Puxley inherited the estate in 1997, and lives there with her family. Mary has admitted she's the fondest of the gardens, and often joins Deborah on a walk around, deadheading the roses.
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Next year's snowdrop visiting dates will be 1st February to 5th March. Find out more at welfordpark.co.uk.
Like this? Then you'll love these Secrets of the Great British Bake Off tent.
Heather Young has been Ideal Home’s Editor since late 2020, and Editor-In-Chief since 2023. She is an interiors journalist and editor who’s been working for some of the UK’s leading interiors magazines for over 20 years, both in-house and as a freelancer.
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