Acrorn Bank Garden and Waternill

Arch into courtyard at Acorn Bank

For the second part of our holiday we headed south, not too far, but into the Lake District.  The morning was wet, so we stopped at the Rheghed Centre just outside Penrith for our lunch and a look around the shops.  By the time we had lunched it had cleared up and I had collected a pile of tourist leaflets. 

Clock Tower at Acorn Bank

In one of the leaflets I found Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill just outside Temple Sowerby between Penrith and Appleby, as we were heading to Appleby it couldn't have been better placed.

Walled orchard garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waterlily in pond

Newt!

We started our visit in the walled garden which is full of fruit trees and also has a lovely pond covered in water lilies and hiding two differnet types of newts, they took some finding but once you could see one you seemed to 'get your eye in' and could see more hiding in the weeds.

Medical Herbal Garden

The garden is best known for it's collection of medicinal and culinary herbs.  There were some lovely specimens, they even grew nettles - deliberately!

Damson Tree

Winter Sorrel

Foxgloves

Foxglove

After our tour of the garden we changed into our walking boots and headed down the river walk to the restored Water Mill.  It wasn't far and there were a few features on the way, like this quiet backwater.

Pond on walk to Water Mill

Queen Janice on her throne!

There were two of these hand woven wicker chairs looking out over the river.

Rooster and Chickens at Watermill

The water mill itself wasn't much to look at, the one at New Abbey, close to home is much better, so I didn't take any photographs, but they did have this rather handsome cockerel and his 'ladies'.  It was a very pleasant way to pass the afternoon before we headed to our hotel - more of that soon.