A blog exploring the Lake District's hidden gems and best-kept secrets
I’ve visited Sizergh Castle many, many times over the years, but have stepped inside the castle itself just twice. That’s because there are a whole host of reasons to spend time at Sizergh that not everyone may be aware of (although visiting the castle itself is a good start!). Here […]
When I recently discovered that January is ‘Hot Tea Month’, I thought, now there’s a subject for a blog post! Although I’m not entirely sure how or where Hot Tea Month first came about – online sources seem to suggest it may have been the USA – here are some […]
At the end of the season, a number of the Lake District’s historic houses shut for the winter, however, Blackwell, just outside Bowness-on-Windermere, is an exception that is well worth visiting at any time of year. Blackwell is a famous example of a house from the Arts and Crafts movement, […]
If, like me, you’re interested in all things Beatrix Potter, the Lingholm Kitchen and Walled Garden at Portinscale – which is on the north-western shore of Derwentwater, near Keswick – should be high on your list of places to visit next time you’re exploring the Lake District. The main house […]
It just goes to show – however much you think you know a place, there’s always something new to be discovered! I’ve been visiting Rydal Hall in Rydal, near Grasmere, for several years now, and it’s a gem of a place that not everyone has come across. But what I […]
Staveley is a village tucked away just a couple of minutes off the A591 between Windermere and Kendal, and is one of those delightful little places that could be easily missed. Staveley and nearby Kentmere are lovely areas in which to go walking and although they are less busy than […]
I love seeing a project that is someone’s obvious passion, and this is certainly what I saw on a visit to Larch Cottage Nurseries in Melkinthorpe, near Penrith. The nursery is a real hidden delight for gardeners and anyone else who just fancies a peaceful escape for an hour or […]
It seems a shame to write about events only after they’ve taken place, so this time I thought I’d let you know about an upcoming date for the diary in advance. If you’re wondering how to spend the last Bank Holiday Monday in May, I have one favourite suggestion that […]
If you’re a keen gardener, you may already have come across the National Garden Scheme’s (NGS) Yellow Book or even visited some of the many gardens that open each year across the UK to raise money for charity. It was great to see the 2015 Cumbria NGS guide appear in […]