Afternoon Tea at Sculpture by the Lakes

Posted on

June 2, 2024

Back in 2020, we were introduced to Sculpture by the Lakes near Dorchester and we have been keen to revisit ever since.

Our last visit was during lockdown, when their cafe wasn’t really open, so when I found out they did Afternoon Tea, I bought a voucher for my Mum for Mother’s Day back in March and we held off booking in the hope of some better weather in May.

The Great British weather has not been kind this year and we arrived on a blustery, but mostly dry day. Entrance to the sculptures isn’t included in the price of the afternoon tea, so we arrived a couple of hours before our booking to explore and work up an appetite.

Nestled in 26 acres of Dorset’s glorious countryside, Sculpture by the Lakes is an oasis for art lovers and collectors, created by renowned sculptor Simon Gudgeon and his wife, Monique.

The park has expanded since our last visit, with lots more sculptures to see around the lakes and peaceful pathways.

I was worried the weather might spoil the day, but some of the sculptures are wind chimes, which really added to the atmosphere as you walked around the carefully landscaped gardens and wild spaces.

There are also sculptures that move seamlessly with the wind and we stood watching them as they swooped, spun and glided silently.

There is the new “Form” sculpture show for 2024 and the highlight is a 5 metre ‘Icarus’ that you can walk underneath.

Two hours is the perfect amount of time for exploring, although you can spend as much, or as little time as you like in the park.

I also recommend you visit the makers yard, where you can see how some of the sculptures are created, as well as smaller versions of them.

The afternoon tea is available from their kitchen, which also serves a range of delicious meals and snacks.

The afternoon tea was served on a crafted tea stand, handmade by Simon Gudgeon which was filled with fluffy and flavourful pastries, generously filled sandwiches, and creamy cakes and scones and of course a pot of delicious Dorset Tea.

I wasn’t sure we would get through it all, but we gave it a good go and what we didn’t finish we took home in a goody bag.

I highly recommend a visit to Sculpture by the Lakes if you are looking for a relaxing and peaceful day out. There is plenty of seating dotted around the park if you want to take a picnic and spend the day there, or order a home-made picnic from their Kitchen.

Do you enjoy an afternoon tea?