You may recall that we recently visited the National Trust run Ashridge Estate recently. It’s somewhere i just know we will be getting to know more over the next few years. As we were heading home I we realised that we had an ideal opportunity to visit somewhere else close by too. We spent a short time discovering Pitstone Windmill, and I can thoroughly recommend adding it to any visit to the wider estate.
Set in a field on the outskirts of Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire, discovering Pitstone Windmill is easy to do. Although it’s not often to view inside, you can park up in a lay-by by the side of the field and walk around this beautiful old post windmill. Which is exactly what we did.
We often visit Brill windmill as it’s close to home, but discovering Pitstone Windmill is ideal for younger children as it sits on a very flat field without any cows to keep you company!
My son and I are both fascinated by windmills and love to get up close to them. My son is also certainly getting braver, as this is the first time we’ve ever been able to persuade him to climb a windmill ladder!
I was amazed when he just kept going.
He’s getting very brave these days. He even managed to get back down without any dramas. He was braver than me, that was for sure.
My Instagram page was awash with comments about the great colour coordination between my son and the wheel on the turning pole. I’d like to say it was all planned, but you know it was pure fluke! You might also have spotted this as My Sunday Photo last weekend.
My son loves engineering and one day I want to show him a windmill in action so he can truly grasp what wonderful machines they are. For now we will just have to use our imaginations.
Since we’ve come home I’ve done some investigating and I think we’ll try a walk from the windmill up to Ivinghoe Beacon at some point, as that’s still very much on our list of places to visit. But for now, we just enjoyed looking over towards it from the field as we returned to our car to head home.
Discovering Pitstone Windmill was well worth the stop and we will certainly try to get back on a day when it’s open to go inside in the future.
Have you been? Or can you recommend a windmill we should visit near you?
This looks like a lovely place to visit…I am fascinated by windmills and can just sit and look at them for ages. The ones we have been to have not been open to view inside either, but my three love walking round them, up the ladders/stairs, seeing the view, and imagining how it worked and what went on in there. They are lovely buildings ooopppsssss #countrykids!!
They are really interesting aren’t they
I loved visiting windmills when I was younger – will have to see if there are any locally so I can take the kids
Fab aren’t they
I love these old fashioned wind mills, it’s great to see Monkey so excited to be up close to the windmill. It’s a shame you couldn’t get inside to view that, but at least you’ll be able to visit when it is and know what to expect. I’m impressed by Monkey’s bravery, I get jittery on steps like this so he did great.
Thanks for linking up with me on #CountryKids
Yes I don’t do ladders or steps like this either
Always so great to see an actual windmill – we live next to one but it’s a pub now – not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing! #CountryKids
Oh that’s a bit different
My girls are fascinated with windmills so would love this x
It’s a lovely one
Its my dream to see and explore a windmill! Love your photos as they showed me details that I have never seen before =) #countrykids
They are wonderful buildings to get up close to
What a wonderful place – I don’t think I have ever been up that close to a windmill but I am always fascinated by them from a distance so would love to visit one! Thanks so much for linking up with #ourweekendhappy
They are wonderful to see
I find windmills fascinating. They are awesome to photograph too. I spent ages photographing windmills when I went to Holland. #CountryKids
I would love to see them in Holland one day.
This looks like a great place to explore, I like that it doesn’t include cows in the surrounding field as I am not keen on them at all! Must take my two to a windmill xx #CountryKids
Lol, yes definitely cow free zone
This looks like such a lovely place to explore and the flat field leading up to it looks like it could be doable with Jessica’s buggy if needed. Love the accidental colour coordination and well done to Monkey for managing to get up and down the windmill ladder. #countrykids
Yes it’s very child friendly in that field
Looks like a fun little outing! Windmills are quite impressive up close, I think. I can’t think of any windmills near us niw, but when we lived in South Sweden there were quite a few, including one or two that you could get to see in action on open days. x
#CountryKids
That must have been great.