I went to UK’s ‘most desirable’ village with ‘magic’ crystal grotto | UK | Travel

The UK boasts so many stunning beauty spots, but one location that is definitely worth a visit this summer is Cobham in Surrey. It was voted the second most desirable place to live in the UK by the Telegraph last year, thanks to its relaxing atmosphere, pretty scenery and wide range of pubs, shops and independent eateries.

This charming village is the perfect place to spend the day exploring, eating and drinking, especially if the weather is nice. Painshill Park is a particularly lovely spot, and it’s home to a famous crystal grotto that is the perfect place to take pictures. Surrey Live writer Laura Nightingale finally paid it a visit after wanting to go for years, and she was not disappointed. 

She said: “I was invited to the 18th Century landscaped garden to celebrate the start of the school summer holidays, and we headed straight to the grotto.

“We picked up a map from the ticket office and followed the accessible path around the lake, keeping the large open water to our right hand side.”

The grotto was a 15 minute walk away, and en route, they passed the Mr Hamilton’s tearoom, a play area and a beautiful vineyard slope.

To her daughter’s delight, they also spotted a gaggle of ducks, especially as they got closer to the island housing the magical grotto.

Laura continued: “We strolled over the Woolett Bridge (there is another entrance via the Chinese Bridge on the other side of the lake but that was closed when we visited), to reach the naturalistic cave with shimmering, bubbling water, rough rock and stalactites covered in sparkling crystals.

“It was a breath-taking sight. We parked the buggy outside on a patch of grass, and ventured inside the incredible man-made feature. Fellow adults stood in awe of the enchanting sight, and there was an eerie silence inside as we were captivated by its charm.”

This illumination causes the crystals to twinkle as it reflects off the coral pools and lake water, which Laura described as ‘simply sensational’.

After exploring the grotto, they crossed the bridge to complete the tour around the scenic lake.

They managed to spot the Turkish Tent and the grand Gothic Temple on the return journey to the gift shop. King George III, during his visit years ago, said the view from the building was his favourite.

Raving about the park, Laura concluded: “I thought Painshill Park was a great place to take the kids during the school summer holidays. Not only will the grotto amaze youngsters, the site is just so convenient and easy to get around.

“Parking is free, there are toilets, a café, coffee shop, plenty of places to roll out a picnic blanket (in the sunshine or under the trees), a play park and a clean, flat path to push a pram.”