Search for medieval beasts at Buckland Abbey

This half-term, the team at Buckland Abbey are challenging visitors to find all the medieval beasts that are hiding around the National Trust estate.

From 24 October to 1 November, sixteen creatures will be mysteriously located around Buckland’s estate. Along the way, a trail booklet will allow visitors to capture what they discover by rubbing each creature onto the pages within. By the end, the booklet will turn into a medieval-style bestiary to be taken home and enjoyed.

Speaking about the trail Richard Burrow, Visitor Experience Officer at Buckland Abbey, said: ‘It’s a fun way to learn about the historic names of creatures that may have been at Buckland during the thirteenth century. Will you be able to hunt for the herinacius, catch the coney or round up the ranas?’

The best trail starts at Visitor Welcome where a trail booklet can be picked up. Trails costs £1 per person.

The beast trail is spread across two of the four walking routes in Buckland Abbey’s grounds, but families are invited to step out and discover some of the areas of the estate they may not have seen before. The longest of the four routes, the Amicia walk, is approximately three hours long and includes a zip-wire along the way. The shortest, the Abbots walk, is approximately an hour long and is suitable for pushchairs and the off-road tramper available to hire from Visitor Welcome.

Richard continued: ‘The routes also take in some of the spectacular viewpoints on the estate, and are particularly splendid now the autumnal colour has appeared’.

Buckland Abbey is open daily until 1 November and then during the weekends from 7 November. For more details of upcoming events and opening times visit Buckland’s website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/buckland, or call 01822 853607.

Image caption: Noah’s on the hunt for the beasties hiding around Buckland Abbey. Image credit: Steven Haywood.