Wray Castle is an unusual National Trust property in that you are told not to expect to find a well-furnished, pristine historic country house on a visit here. Children will love Wray however, and outside of the school holidays, I think there is plenty of intrigue to make it a destination for people of all…
Category: National Trust
Lake District walks at low level: the best FREE sources of inspiration online
If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you’ll know that I’m not a fell walker, and that exploring the mountains isn’t something I aim to write about, even though they are an important and beautiful part of the Lake District (there are other great bloggers who do that, so I’ll leave it to the…
Brantwood, Coniston: A haven of peace and tranquility
Recently I wrote about my rediscovery of the Coniston area after not having visited for some years. I enjoyed the scenery from on board the National Trust’s Steam Yacht Gondola so much that I returned just two days later to visit another of Coniston’s local gems, Brantwood. Brantwood is a house and 250-acre fellside estate…
Enjoy a taste of Victorian splendour on Steam Yacht Gondola
In my opinion, one of the best ways to enjoy the outstanding scenery around Coniston is from Coniston Water itself, so if you’re looking for a unique, relaxing (and dry) way to do this, a trip on board the National Trust’s Steam Yacht Gondola won’t disappoint! It was with just seconds to spare that I…
A look through the square window: Claife Viewing Station on the western shore of Windermere
Claife Viewing Station, on the western shore of Windermere, has been on my gem-hunting list for some time now. The remains of this historic viewing station were recently restored by the National Trust, and last weekend I finally got to see it for myself. According to the National Trust, Claife Viewing Station dates back to…
10 things you might not know about William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth has to be one of the most iconic names associated with the Lake District. Most of us know that he was a poet, and that he lived at Dove Cottage, near Grasmere, as well as at Rydal Mount, but far fewer know the detail of his life. Here are 10 fascinating facts that…
Pictured in bloom: Stagshaw Gardens, Ambleside
In a recent post, I visited the National Trust’s Stagshaw Gardens, near Ambleside, for the first time. Stagshaw Gardens is very much a spring woodland garden, with a host of camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons and other woodland planting, and although it was beautiful, it turned out I had visited a little too early and the…
A secret haven near Ambleside: Stagshaw Gardens and Skelghyll Wood
You can also see more recent images of the beautiful Stagshaw Gardens in a further post, Pictured in Bloom: Stagshaw Gardens, Ambleside. I’ve been looking forward to visiting Stagshaw Gardens near Ambleside for some time now, and it turns out the garden really is a hidden gem. Owned by the National Trust, Stagshaw isn’t particularly…
What exactly is Bridge House in Ambleside?
Bridge House in Ambleside is one of the most iconic – and smallest – buildings in the Lake District. Yet how many of us have actually stopped to take a proper look at this quirky historic landmark, or asked ourselves ‘what exactly is it’? One day back in the summer, I decided to find out….
Small effort, big views: Queen Adelaide’s Hill, Windermere
When driving or walking along the A592 between Bowness-on-Windermere and the roundabout at Cook’s House Corner, it would be easy to think that there’s little to see of the lake (Windermere) that runs alongside it. Stop at the Rayrigg Meadow car park, and there’s just a big green hill in front of you – Queen…
Keeping up with the Joneses at Townend, Troutbeck
Townend, a National Trust property in Troutbeck, is one of those places that I’ve known about for years, but had never actually visited. Since starting my blog, however, I’ve been on the lookout for fun and unusual things to see, and my interest was piqued when I noticed an appeal for a rather unusual voluntary…