Farming estate begins its open days for the new season in Ellesmere

The Oteley Estate will be holding the events every month throughout the year, the first market on Saturday.

Its stable yard will be transformed into a marketplace, with local businesses taking up stands selling food, drink, and gifts.

The markets are free to attend and entry to explore the private 10 acres of gardens which overlook the mere is £6 for over 16s with children going free.

Clare Mainwaring from the family team said: “We are really excited to welcome visitors back to our market and gardens. We launched the events last year and loved giving local businesses a platform to sell in the area, as well as welcoming so many lovely visitors on to the estate.

“Our events will be monthly this year, and a perfect place to stock up on our home-grown meat boxes of beef, lamb, and pork, as well local treats and tipples, to provide the perfect place to support local businesses.

“Spring has brought the gardens back in to bloom again, which we hope visitors will enjoy, as well as exploring our boathouse, walled garden, tower, Swiss Cottage and the spectacular view across the mere. We have an extraordinary new addition to the garden – a wooden eel carved from the trunk of a stone pine tree that fell in November.”

The estate has more in store than just their local markets. The farming family has joined forces with Shropshire Festivals to host this year’s Shropshire Tasty Trail on April 9 and 10.

Walkers will enjoy a 7.5 mile walk around the estate, stopping off for a starter, main and dessert along the way, which will use meat raised on the farm and vegetables grown in their kitchen garden. The route through farmland is not usually accessible to the public and has been looked after by the same family since the 1500s.

On May 8 the gardens will be open as part of the National Garden Scheme Open Day.

Saturday's market will run from 10am until 5pm with the last entry at 3pm. Free parking is available.