Day 5: Around Askham

Lowther Castle

We got plenty of exercise today without going very far as the crow flies.  We walked downhill through Askham to the bridge over the Lowther river, turned right and walked along a woodland path beside the water.  After a while a friendly dog walker told us that to reach the castle we would have to make a sharp left.  This led us uphill (again!) and we eventually skirted the front of the ruin.  We had hoped to enter by the front but as you can see the ruin is in a semi-restored state.  It's never going to be a home again but work is going on to make it safe enough to walk around inside.  Apparently a lot of money was squandered in the 30s and a fire took off most of the roof and the family abandoned the castle and moved into something more manageable, Askham Hall.  However, there was no way in at the front so we had to trudge uphill (again) around the side of the castle and between the sheep until we reached a gate to the drive and then back down the drive to within a stone's throw of our original point.  Phew!

I went up in a balloon to get this shot. Oh yeah!

View from the summer house

A trust is now running the ruins and the gardens which are very much a work in progress having also suffered neglect for years.   There are some good notice boards and old photographs to tell you what it might have looked like.    It reminded us of the Plantation Garden in Norwich, though on a much larger scale - a Victorian construct which fell into disrepair.  We bought a roll, crisps and water at the café and wandered off into the grounds for our picnic.   We came across a summer house by a pond which was a perfect lunch spot once my Paddington stare had caused the couple who were sitting in in to cede their places! 

Reflections

 After lunch we strolled along the woodland paths and along the edge of the grounds on a mown path looking out across the valley and over to Askham.

In the woods!

Although we arrived back at the corner of the property where we wanted to exit, we did not have the nerve to vault over the clearly barred gate so we went back to the entrance, up the drive and through the sheep again.  This time we took the quick path down to the river which turned out to be very narrow and steep and not easy going for some with varifocals and poor balance and weary legs!   We made it though and crawled back up through the village, stopping at Askham Hall for a cup of tea.  We were planning to see the garden there, but just didn't have anymore energy.  So we toiled back up through the village to Curlew Cottage.

After a rest, a few emails and a wash and brush up it was down to the village pub (we chose the Queen's Head) for curry night.  Chicken or Lamb Rogan Josh with a poppadum and a pint of Black Sheep.  The curry was fair to middling!  Interesting to sit in the corner of the pub and watch people come and go.  They all know each other.  We speculated what it must be like to live in a village where everyone knows your business.