IN the heart of Warwickshire’s leafy countryside a beautiful stately home is hidden amongst a jaw-dropping 6,500 acres.

Redditch Advertiser reporter Liz Sharpe recently visited the Ragley Estate, to find out more about the Grade I listed Palladian mansion and its grounds, which recently re-opened for the 2016 season.

The estate consists of five main parts including tourist attraction Ragley Hall, Park & Gardens spanning 400 acres.

First impressions are often the most lasting, and for me as this was my first visit, I was enchanted from the moment I began my walk up the winding pathway. I reached the top panting and red-faced but with a smile.

I had spent the walk watching the lambs that could be seen for miles around hopping about happily in the fields.

The hall was designed by Dr Robert Hooke, and built for Edward Conway, 1st Earl of Conway.

The vast grounds would suit any rambler’s demands and picnic fans can find many spots to enjoy their treats.

Many wonders await visitors inside the mansion, we enter through The Great Hall and instantly my eyes are drawn to the delicately sculptured celling.

Used often for functions including weddings, we are told the figures over each fireplace symbolise war and peace.

Whilst in the breakfast room we are shown something quite magical, a secret room hidden behind a false bookcase, it’s like something out of Harry Potter.

There are many fine paintings of various Marquesses of Hertford mixed with recent photographs of the current Marquess of Hertford Henry Seymour and his family who live in the property, and there’s something rather lovely that we know this house is lived in and loved.

Graham Rust’s The Temptation fills the The South Staircase Hall at Ragley, this spectacular piece, commissioned in 1969 by the 8th Marquess of Hertford is so detailed it took 14 years to complete, just one of many reasons Ragley is must-see for me.

Back outside, the sun glistens on the Ragley Lake. Hiring a boat or taking part in water-sports would be a fantastic way to spend a sunny day out here.

Going back to its beginnings, Ragley recently embarked on a project to replant 4,000 trees, following the original plan from the Ordnance Survey 1st edition of 1881 with a mix of 80 per cent oak and natural broadleaf varieties.

Other works included re-instating 1,000 metres of fencing, restoring the lake cascade, the Victorian pump house and original bathing hut, together with the clearance and restoration of a Victorian decoy pond.

The Estate is home to many spectacular events including the Game Fair, Classic Car and Motor Show, Battle Proms Concert and Great British Food Festival.

Guided walks and talks about the gardens and its links to famous landscape designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown will be held over 2016, in time to celebrate the 300th anniversary of his birth.

Tickets to Ragley Hall, Park and Gardens are £10.50 for adults, children up to 16 are £6.50, senior citizens cost £9 and under 5s go free.

• I would urge those who struggle with walking far distances or with young children to come in a car and avoid my mistake of walking the driveway, which is of considerable length.

For more information visit ragley.co.uk.