Top 10 Gardens in North West England, England

Holehird Gardens, home of the Lakeland Horticultural Society, 12 acres of volunteer-run stunning gardens, open every day of the year & a partner garden to RHS. November 2020 Covid-19 update: The gardens will remain open over the winter months. The toilets are open but there are no other facilities for visitors. Please follow government guidelines on hygiene, social distancing and travel. Toilets are being cleaned on a daily basis, with hand sanitiser available at exit doors. We hope you enjoy your visit to Holehird Gardens. We ask all visitors to make a donation of £5 to help with the upkeep of the garden & this, as usual, may be deposited in the collection boxes situated in the car park (close to the sign board) and outside the door to Visitor Reception.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL Want to take some alpacas out for a walk? Of course you do... and now you can! Alpacaly Ever After are thrilled to offer alpaca walks around the stunning grounds of The Lingholm Estate or alpaca walks at Whinlatter Forest, Meet and Greets at The Lakes Distillery or Lingholm and if you fancy climbing a local mountain, we have Llama Treks that take you there as well. All our activities take place outside in the fresh air, and as an outdoor activity provider we are fully versed in risk assessment and safe operating procedures. We would like to reassure our visitors and those looking to book that we are doing our utmost to protect both our visitors and guides, and are confident in providing a safe and hugely enjoyable experience that will be beneficial to physical and mental wellbeing. We have some exciting new activities coming soon, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube for the latest updates. Come and join The Woolly Army!

The historic and reputedly haunted Castle dating from the medieval age has been home to the Pennington family for over 800 years. It is a treasury of beautiful art and antiques, collected through the ages by the family who still live there. The Castle sits majestically in over 70 acres of wild, woodland gardens famous for collections of rhododendrons and azaleas set against the stunning backdrop of the Lakeland fells including Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain. The Hawk & Owl Centre is well worth a visit with daily displays at 2pm and watch the wild herons come in to feed at 4pm. The indoor MeadowVole Maze is an entertaining ecological attraction to entertain the young at heart. Playground, cafe, gift shops and an ancient church are all within the gardens. Regular events programme, including festivals, outdoor theatre, historical re-enactors and Halloween Week.

Norton Priory is the most excavated monastic site in Europe. Boasting the priory ruins, 12th century undercroft (which is the last fully surviving part of the priory itself) and an 18th century Walled Garden, it is located within an oasis of 42 acres of tranquil woodland and wildflower meadows. The museum includes two exhibition galleries which explore the site's history, including the archaeological digs which took place in the 1970s and 1980s. Thousands of artefacts from Norton’s 900 year history are on display, including the internationally significant 14th century statue of St. Christopher, which features in Lucy M. Boston's classic children's book, 'The Children of Green Knowe'. Please note that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently opening on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only at this time. We advise booking in advance via our website, or calling prior to visiting during our opening hours.

Holker Hall is the home of the Cavendish Family who welcome visitors of all ages to one of the best-loved stately homes in Britain. Magnificently situated only a short distance from Grange-over-Sands and the expanse of Morecambe Bay and is set in exceptionally beautiful countryside with gardens that merge into Parkland, framed by the Lakeland Hills.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH THE GARDENS ARE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK, THE HALL IS ONLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON TUESDAYS, SUNDAYS AND BANK HOLIDAYS. Arley is a place of enormous character, charm and interest. Visitors are frequently struck by the warm and intimate atmosphere and the feeling that Arley is a much-cherished family home. The Gardens, which are amongst the finest in Britain, are outstanding for their vitality, variety and historical interest and are particularly celebrated for the magnificent double herbaceous border. The Hall is an impressive example of a Victorian country house built in the Elizabethan style.