Lowther castle and gardens.
 

Had a great afternoon out exploring here a week last Friday. It's near the village of Askham in the Lake District.

The gardens and castle at Lowther have laid abandoned for 70 yrs -they have been re-opened to the public this yr for the first time since 1938.

Once the greatest estate in England, visited by the Crown Heads of Europe and the Zsar of Russia, it is owned by the Earl of Lonsdale (we have a Lonsdale Street in Accy but there doesn't seem to be a connection!)

Frequented by greats of the art and literary world such as Turner, Wordsworth, Hogarth...The original gardens were in part designed by Capability Brown. The original planting of the formal gardens has largely disappeared as the gardens were deliberately over-planted with trees. The outlines remain quite spookily covered in moss and lichen hidden in woodland.

Various summer houses can be seen and the size and scope of the whole estate is quite awe-inspiring, including a limestone escarpment, yew walk, lake, Ha-Ha and lawns (partially restored) and the great park which has beautiful secular trees.

The Estate will feature on John Craven's Britain at Risk as it was filmed in August 2011.

Don't expect the usual country house/gardens experience -the whole place is a massive work in progress and should be fully restored by 2014.