After a visit to Boom Circus, I visited Belvoir Castle during the Easter Weekeend and it was a very recommendable experience

After a whirlwind of acrobatics and laughter, I found myself in an entirely different scenario as I explored the grounds and the castle itself.

Over the Easter Weekend, I went to Boom Circus at Belvoir Castle, but after all that activity, we had the chance to visit the castle, which is home to the Duke and Duchess of Rutland and their family.

It wasn’t my first time in the grounds as I had taken part in the Tough Mudder challenge alongside my former Grantham Journal colleague Katie Green there, and exploring the grounds with mud all over me was a whole different experience.

This time, I was there to explore, to pause, to wander. And what a contrast it was.

Walking through the entrance of Belvoir Castle felt like stepping into a new world, with its beautiful gardens and plaques with bits of history of the manor as I made my way to the castle entrance.

When I actually went inside, it felt more than just entering a museum or a castle, but entering someone’s home, and technically, that’s exactly what it is, as the Rutland family still lives there.

With their family portraits and not just museum pieces, they’re real-life experiences — smiling faces from weddings, holidays, and parties that decorate the rooms.

At one point, I even asked my boyfriend if he also felt like he was intruding on someone’s home, despite looking through the different grand rooms and imagining what it would be like to live in this place, even just for a day.

Don’t get me wrong, despite it being open to the public and being a ‘family home’, it was nothing short of magical.

The castle interiors are absolutely stunning, with a lot of memories and history surrounding every room, from the duchess’ salon to the bedrooms.

And if you have a chapel, beer cellar, and a dining room as big as the one at Belvoir Castle in your family home, that’s when you know you are doing very well.

Despite the interior being beautiful and replenished with so much life, for me the real showstopper was outside with the massive, beautifully green gardens.

From statues to cherry blossom, there was something to please everyone and provide tranquillity within the green space. — I felt like I was in Bridgerton, looking for my perfect match or waiting to see the Queen.

After a few hours of exploring the castle and its grounds, we headed down to the Engine Yard, which is full of independent shops sitting in converted 19th-century buildings.

From a local farm produce shop, a bar and a coffee shop to a rescue animal farm, everywhere you walked just looked very magical, and it belonged exactly where it was.

Lucky for us, when visiting the farm, there were two new rescue donkeys who just arrived the day before and were lovely.

But for me, my favourite part of the animal farm was without doubt the little pigs who were running around to greet visitors and also the new born lambs who were cuddling with their mum next to the shops.

If you are looking for a day out that feels like a time travel, a little like a fairytale and a lot of fresh air — Belvoir Castle is waiting for you.