Arley Hall, Cheshire

Today, however, I thought we’d go down to Cheshire. I first “discovered” Arley Hall almost thirty years ago while researching a Westmorland family, Bateman of Tolson Hall, who migrated south, built Biddulph Grange in Staffordshire (where the gardens are now in the care of the National Trust) and intermarried with the Arley Hall family. I’ll maybe write something about Biddulph Grange at a later date, but for now let’s go to Arley.

A Corner of Arley Hall Gardens, Cheshire

The Arley Hall gardens are outstanding, and when they describe them as “amongst the finest in Britain and Europe” they are not exaggerating. Developed by successive generations of the family over two and a half centuries, their eight acres now include many separate areas very different from one another in style. These are special gardens.

Check the Arley Hall web site for opening dates and times during the visitor season.

Photographs by David Murray, 1991.

[Updated from a 2008 post]
In addition to the lakes themselves there is a wide variety of things to do in the Lake District. There are places to visit ranging from the literary connections of Dove Cottage at Grasmere (home of the poet William Wordsworth) to the practicalities (although also with artistic potential) of the pencil and mining museums in Keswick. And don’t forget the National Park visitor centre at Brockhole.

The National Trust

has several properties in the region and if, either deliberately or due to hitting a bad patch of weather, you decide on a programme of indoor visits you could well benefit from joining the Trust rather than paying separately for each location. With your National Trust membership ticket you get free access to all its properties, which can be a considerable saving if you vist several – and remember, the membership lasts for a year so you’ll have access to properties in other parts of the country. If you live in England or Wales you may even be surprised at what’s available to visit almost on your own doorstep as well as in the Lake District.

The National Trust (which, incidentally, is not a government body; this is sometimes misunderstood because of its name) owns large areas of the countryside in the Lake District National Park. Apart from areas of water it owns many hill farms which are let out to tenant farmers who take good care of the landscape to protect it for future generations. It also owns houses and gardens of historic or other special interest. Here are just some of the National Trust properties you could visit while in Cumbria:

• Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill, Temple Sowerby, nr Penrith
• The Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead
• Sizergh Castle, nr Kendal
• Wordsworth House, Cockermouth (William Wordsworth’s birthplace)

This lunchtime my wife and I decided to make a detour on our way home from Penrith, and to visit Acorn Bank, the National Trust property in the Eden Valley near Temple Sowerby and Culgaith.

After a delicious soup and sandwich we strolled around the gardens and walked through the woods to the beautifully restored watermill. Needless to say, the camera was busy and in the future I may upload a longer and more detailed account of Acorn Bank. For now suffice it to say that apart from the mill the highlight for me is the herb garden.

The Acorn Bank herb garden claims to have the largest collection of medicinal herbs in the North of England. It certainly is an extensive collection. More at a later date, but for now here is one corner of that beautiful garden.

Last summer, while staying for a few days in Kendal (dog-sitting for our son who was holidaying in warmer climes) my wife and I paid our first visit to Holehird Gardens, high up on the hillside above the village of Windermere in the English Lake District. This had been recommended by friends who had “discovered” them a few weeks earlier.

The gardens are the home of The Lakeland Horticultural Society, and are especially impressive for being tended totally by the voluntary labour of members.  Here are just a few of the photos I took on that dull but immensely enjoyable August afternoon. The weather had been rather damp, to say the least, but we grabbed the opportunity of a few dry hours and were not disappointed.

Holehird Collections

The gardens contain several national collections. The Polystichum fern collection includes around sixty cultivars. The Hydrangea Walk includes some 150 cultivars of Hydrangea macrophylla alone; and that is not all, as there are many other Hydrangea species and cultivars.

Thirdly there is the Astilbe collection, and what magnificent displays are to be seen in the summer months. This is a very special collection, and The Lakeland Horticultural Society is appointed by the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) as International Registration Authority for Astilbe.

Astilbe bed at Holehird, August 2010

Holehird Gardens – Alpines

Finally, for today. I must not miss a reference to one of my own passions, alpines. The alpine area of the garden is something not to be missed by any keen gardener, with its scree areas, rockeries, troughs and alpine houses. I’m putting here just one my alpine photos from that day last August, the Tufa House.

Holehird Tufa House, August 2010

If you’re a gardener, or even just enjoy other people’s gardens, when you’re next in the Lake District don’t miss Holehird.

A Holehird Video [Addendum January 2012]

Having just now come across the following video on YouTube I thought it would be good to add it here as it gives a really good idea of the gardens.

This video of Holehird comes from the YouTube channel of chaldon2view who has many other very nice garden-related videos. If you’re a garden-visiting enthusiast make sure to take a look at them.

Hardwick Hall, home of that powerful Elizabethan lady, Bess of Hardwick, is a “must-see” for anyone visiting Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire. Another day I’ll post something about the house itself, now in the care of the National Trust.  Its wall tapestries are amazing, and have hung there for hundreds of years.  Today, though, here’s a view of the herb garden which, for a gardener, is equally worth a visit as is the house itself.

The Herb Garden at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire

Over the past thirty years of driving up to Whitehaven, I’ve often looked across the valley to Muncaster Castle on the hillside above the River Esk not far from Ravenglass. Last week, though, I had reason to stop there. On my way north in the morning, and looking for somewhere to spend the night before driving back south, I spotted a B&B sign outside the gate to the castle’s plant centre.

Muncaster Castle west front, c1955
Reproduced courtesy of Francis Frith.

During a long career I’ve spent much of my time out and about around the UK and further afield, staying overnight in everything from country village pubs and b&b acommodation to five star hotels. Rarely, however, have I experienced B&B to the standard of Muncaster Castle “Coachman’s Quarters”. I was welcomed warmly by the ladies in the office, and having been shown around and booked my room I drove on past Ravenglass to Egremont, Whitehaven and Workington before returning to Muncaster in the evening.

The room itself, with en suite shower room, was comfortable and scrupulously clean (and with a plentiful supply of tea and coffee – a key point with me). The substantial cooked, “full English”, breakfast with lots of options was just what I like when away from home. The accommodation can also be booked for self-catering, and there was a well-equipped kitchen and dining area just down the corridor from my room. I could have used it if I’d wanted (and had the food with me). My preference though was to sit back with a book in the comfortable armchairs of the spacious lounge which, being a winter night with few people travelling in this area, I had entirely to myself.

The castle and gardens are not open to visitors at this time of year (see correction in the comments below), so in the morning before heading south to my next appointment I did a small detour down to the coast to visit the famous narrow gauge Ravenglass railway. Sadly, being out of season there was not a puff of smoke or jet of steam to be seen but it was pleasant to cast my mind back to my first visit as a child with my grandfather almost sixty years ago and a later visit in my early twenties to introduce my fiancé to this less well known part of the Lake District.

Well that’s enough maudlin diversion; let’s get back to today! If you’re en route to the West Cumbrian coast or visiting the Western Lakes you’ll find it hard to get better b&b than the Coachman’s Quarters at Muncaster Castle – or close by take a look at Muncaster Country Guest House.

See also: Where to go on the West Cumbria Coast

Updated November 2011

The English Lake District is well-known for its water and its mountains, but maybe less known for its gardens. And yet this “most beautiful corner of England” contains some magnificent gardens of many different varieties.

I recently came across a book that I’d missed noticing when it was first published. (Obviously my eyesight must be going in addition to my hearing, as apparently it has been well displayed in bookshops – and not only in Cumbria).

Gardens of the Lake District, by Tim Longville, is published by Frances Lincoln, 2007 [ISBN: 0711227136] and is a book not to be missed by anyone with an interest in either Lakeland or gardens. It is superbly illustrated with pictures of some magnificent gardens, many of which are open for visiting by the general public.

Next time you’re planning a visit to the Lakes use this book to help choose which gardens to visit, and if you’re too far away to visit in body let the book transport you there in mind. Click on the image to buy from Amazon.

- David Murray -
Around-England