Menoffagin; Last Day SotB

Rounding up the posts on my visit south of the border... (not including all the animal posts that will appear hereafter!)

Saturday morning dawned a little chill and damp, but not enough to prevent Dru from taking me to Levens Hall Gardens. Even if the name is not familiar to you, the images of topiary will surely ring a bell, for you will have almost certainly seen photographs from this place. It is world-famous. 

The hall itself is of the Elizabethan period and, I'm sure, would be worth a visit at some point, but as you know, it is the gardens I greatly enjoy.

The topiary is not of animals or other plants, but more fantastical - of an Alice In Wonderland quality. First trimmed into the various geometric shapes in the 1690s, using Box and Yew, the topiary remains pretty much unchanged. The height and depth of some of the growth is awe-inspiring, and when you add in the underplantings of some ancient flowering plants, this garden could truly be termed 'enchanting'!

I have five more lovely piccies, but you will see them in a Tuesday post in a few weeks (otherwise this will turn into a default Views post!). Suffice to say we thoroughly enjoyed our early autumn walk through this delightful place, chatting with a few of the other visitors, then dropping into the house bakery, where I purchased some eNORMous cheese scones and a sourdough loaf.

Then we took another short drive to the town of Milnthorpe so that Dru could pick up a parcel from the post office, and we dropped into the local supermarket for some basics like butter and milk. I stocked up just enough to keep me going for a few days, until I could do a full grocery run.

Back at home, we got stuck into those scrumptious scones with a cuppa and combined that with a lateish lunch/early tea arrangement. Dru and Stephen were to attend a wedding at four in the afternoon, so Nobby and I had personal time once again, which was lovely. At seven, I locked the door, and he went to his cage. I heard the carousers return a little before eleven.

Sunday morning was farewell time... We sat around another lingering cuppa and doggy cuddles were had...

We worked our way down to the gate little by little, as you do when parting is bittersweet. Dru caught one last 'selfie' of me...

There were mutterings of "you can stay longer if you wish", which was most generous (and tempting!), but I really needed to get headed back north as other things were looming and requiring attention.

Without a doubt, I will return to visit them at some point next year. I fired up the battery, and The Grey and I drifted away toward the North Yorkshire moors, taking our time and revelling in the damp and misty moodiness they offer. Teesdale in particular held much appeal, then up through the Northumberland National Park to my reserved parking spot at Corbridge Rugby Club. I had two nights there (in heavy rain), before continuing up the A68 and on to Hawick. Back on home turf!