Even though Prince Edward Island located in Canada is a small area, they offer a lot of excitement and some of the most beautiful luscious green countryside scenery. It is a great spot for couples or families of all ages to go to and have a fun time. One place that is a must see on the island is the Woodleigh Replicas and Gardens. They are located on Route 234 in Burlington just north of Kensington. You can spend hours walking around the grounds here.
The Woodleigh Replicas and Gardens are located on 45 acres of beautiful countryside. Throughout the rolling hills and colorful gardens are 30 different replicas of the most spectacular castles and cathedrals that can be found on the British Isles. They have been in business since 1958 when the grounds were officially opened to the public. Currently the Steele Family owns and operates the business and keep customers coming back for more ever year.
They have an amazing replica of St Paul’s Cathedral from London which is known for hosting the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. It is amazing to stand next to this replica. It looks like the Cathedral and is made with great detail but it is only about 20 feet high!
The Yorkminster replica of the beautiful church that is located in York was amazing to see also. They said that this replica took them 5 years to complete this project! Can you imagine working on building something for 5 years? But when you look at the replica and all the detail in it, you will see why it took that long. The building is made up of thousands of panels of stained glass and 145 windows.
These are just a few of the 30 replicas that they have to look at on the grounds. They also have a 3 foot replica of Anne Hathaway’s cottage, the ancient Dunvegan Castle of Scotland, the tower of London, the Temple of Flora, Shakespeare’s birthplace and many others! It is a lot of fun to look at all of them and take pictures next to them. You feel like you are walking through a miniature fantasy world.
All the replicas range in sizes, depending on what structure it is. There are a few of them that are large enough that you can walk through them also, which is very neat. The Tower of London is one of the replicas that you can walk through. In here you can see the fully furnished Waterloo Barracks. This is the famous site that holds the British Crown Jewels. The replica of the Tower also has its own full scale replicas of the Jewels. These are located in the White Tower and the crowns look very realistic.
The area is also known as Prince Edward Island’s largest show garden. The area is filled with beautiful flowers, large shade trees, amazing water fountains, wishing wells and statues. They say that each spring gardeners plant over 10,000 annuals and hundreds of perennials. You can see by looking at the gardens that they take great care of the gardens.
There are also a few different gift shops, craft shops, and antique stores on the property. Here you can buy some really great souvenirs and gifts. There are a lot of unique items in here! The place also has an area for the kids where they have daily treasure hunts that look like a lot of fun. They also have the Highland Games area. Here you can participate in fun activities like sack races and many other fun activities.
The Medieval Faire is a lot of fun to attend also. There are lots of people dressed up as characters walking around the grounds and performing acts in different places. In one area, the kids can go up to the King and Queen and be knighted with a sword. In another area you can listen to them telling stories and watch them act out scenes. They also have jousting contests with real horses, parades with music, and many other fun activities that go on. It is truly a Medieval party!
The Woodleigh Replicas and Gardens are open from June 5th to September 25th yearly. They open at 9 am daily and close between 5 pm to 7 pm depending on what month it is. There is an admission charge but it is well worth it to see this area. They close during the winters to the public, but throughout the season they are constantly making upgrades and changes things around to keep things exciting.
Like I said you can spend hours walking around and looking at everything they have to offer and it is fun for all ages. It is a great way to see some of Prince Edward Island’s gorgeous countryside scenery. It is also a day full of a lot of British history but is still fun. So make sure you check this amazing place out!
