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Hot Weather During Your Visit

Visiting this Summer? Check you're prepared with our Hot Weather page.

Our top tips for keeping safe in the sun

Check our website and social media pages for any updates regarding any changes due to weather warnings
Remember to pre-book your tickets so you can be through the gates quicker and spend less time in a hot car
Keep hydrated, bring water bottles these can be refilled in the Great Court and various other points at the Palace, please ask our team who can help
Bring a wide brimmed hat, you will look stylish and keep the sun off
Bring sun cream with you

Make the most of our doggy facilities

If you bring a dog with you – see information on our dog page
Do not leave dogs in cars during hot weather
It is advised that you walk them early in the morning and later in the evening
There is dog ice cream available at the Palace to cool your pooch down
There are water bowls available for dogs at our Flagstaff Gate, East Courtyard and next to the Pizzeria

Our Parkland and Gardens are dry at this time of year, therefore please follow this guidance

Extinguish cigarettes properly, don’t throw the end on the ground and never throw cigarette ends out of car windows
Don’t leave bottles or glass in woodland/grassland; sunlight shining through glass can start fires. Take them home and put them in a waste or recycling bin
Do not bring disposable BBQ’s under any circumstances
Please do not leave your car engine running once you have parked up, this can cause fires on the grassland
If you see a fire, do not attempt to tackle it - leave the area as quickly as possible and report it to the Fire and Rescue Service by calling 999 and alert the team

Blandford Fly Notice

Please be aware of Blandford flys around the Estate and Parkland during the spring and summer months. The Blandford fly is a 2-3mm blood sucking black fly, which gives a nasty and painful bite during the summer months, particularly in May and June. To avoid being bitten we recommend wearing socks that cover the ankles and carrying insect repellent. Please take extra care when near areas of water as this is where we have seen an increase in numbers of the insects flying around.

What to do if bitten by a Blandford Fly

If you get bitten follow this Public Health England advice:

Clean the bite area and dry gently
Don’t scratch the bite, as this can lead to infection
Apply a cold compress or calamine lotion
Antihistamine creams are not recommended, as they can sometimes cause skin reactions
Cover large blisters with a dry dressing
If bites are on the lower limbs, there may be swelling of the ankles and feet for several days. Don’t worry about this, simply rest with your feet supported on a stool