I visited The Lake District with my husband in September last year. We’re fortunate enough to own a timeshare lodge on The Langdale Estate, situated between the Great Langdale Valley and the Little Langdale Valley, and not too far from Grasmere, Ambleside and Windermere. People have questioned “why go to the same place every year?”, but there’s so much to do, and we love a good walk and get competitive with our step count for the week!
In early autumn it was lovely to see the fells and bracken looking so different and seasonal flowers on display that you don’t usually see in spring.
Walking in the Lake District is a breathtaking experience – not just from the exertion of climbing the fells, but also from the views that reward you at the top, where you can see for miles the vast towering mountain peaks and tranquil lakes.
Gardens are another exciting way to explore the area and this year we visited two. The first was Holehird Gardens, an award-winning RHS partner garden near Windermere. It’s a 10-acre fellside garden, run largely by community volunteers, and as you meander through the walled garden toward the herbaceous borders, you’re greeted with a stunning view over Lake Windermere and the surrounding fells. It would be a delight anytime of year, with the ever-changing colours, but the standout for me was the hydrangea walk, a National Plant Collection, with more than 200 species specially selected for the damp, northern climate.
The second garden is at historic Askham Hall in Penrith. We visited the inspirational Kitchen Garden where raised beds, polytunnels and hot beds provide a ‘field-to-fork’ experience in the Michelin-star restaurant, Allium. The passionate gardening team, led by Diane Butcher, practice no-dig to
Read more on gardenersworld.com