Queen for a Day

It's not often i am blown away buy somewhere.  I am often told i am a tough crowd regarding most things - television shows, food, films, restaurants…the list is endless and my attention span more so. Not in a misery guts sort of way, but i can be a fussy little madam when i want to be. 
This mornings conversation mid-warm raisin pastry and cup of tea a plenty went:
HIM:  So what do you fancy doing today? ME:  I don't know.  I don't mind.  I don't know what there is to do.  What do you want to do? HIM:  Im easy.  I don't mind. We can do many things… ME:  Well like what kinds of things?
This can sometimes go on for a good fifteen minutes before a decision is made.  For someone that is so hard to please i am an awful decision maker and i think the Mr is far too nice to say so.  Eventually after much deliberation we decided on Lowther Gardens and castle, just on the outskirts of Penrith.  It is worth mentioning here that i am not really a 'lets visit places and write about when i get home' sort of blogger.  Whilst i love reading posts like this, i don't often think anywhere is quite so fant-bulous to warrant its own little write up.  Until today.  
Today i fell head over heels in love with a castle. In fact not even a whole castle but a castle ruin so stunningly beautiful, magical and other-worldly that i couldn't help but take far too many pictures, get myself far too excitable and not want to leave.  This was the best kind of Sunday…

For somewhere that is inherently, just a castle ruin; i couldn have quite happily spent a whole day exploring its beautiful shell and feeling like i could feel right at home here if this were a whole building.  It got me thinking how beautiful it must look all lit up at night - (ADORNED WITH FAIRYLIGHTS GALORE AND HUGE CANDLES)  how long each and every part of it standing had stood, and who had walked through its doors or fought battles in and around its pretty walls.  

In and around the castle itself are almost 300 acres of the prettiest little GARDENS imaginable.  The whole grounds are open to the public -  parts of the castle are off limits due to restoration work - it was a magical exploration uncovering hidden summer house ruins;  secluded reedy ponds and the most spectacular views of THE LAKE DISTRICT imaginable.  I didn't need to find an excuse to climb and swing away on the sweetest little tree swings!  

After much cavorting about and lots of acres later, we filled our tummy's with homemade sandwiches and BAKEWELL TART from their recently opened beautiful cafe.

It is more than safe to say we will be back LOWTHER CASTLE.  I cant wait until more has been restored and more has been discovered.  But if that doesn't happen anytime soon i am free next weekend..

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After all our upping and downing over woody hills and buttercup-ey meadows, i am looking forward to a hearty tea of baked eggs and chorizo with some crusty bread and rocket. Then to a heavenly bubble bath with lots of candles. How has everyone's weekend been?

* Massive whopping thanks goes to the Mr for kindly humouring me whilst almost splitting my kippers on two tree swings and for taking some beautiful little pictures of me too.  Thanks! xxx