It didn't rain!

At last the weather forecast was inaccurate!  We were due for light rain all day, and although the sky remained leaden until about 4 pm, it did stay dry, bar a little drizzle once we were safely under cover.

We cycled over to Castle Howard today, about 5 miles including a nice 1:6 hill; we pushed our bikes up! 

Another property that has had much renovation and restoration in the last 70 odd years so, as with Tattershall, it wasn't quite as 'of the period' as you might imagine.

The building was started in the early 1700s and was added to over the centuries by various of the Howard family.  The first part of the property is in the Baroque style, very ornate and definitely designed to 'flaunt' (the additional wing added later that century is in the Palladian genre)! How many man hours of labour (and cost) one can only guess.  If we think modern society does 'bling' then look back to the 1700s! 

Castle Howard was abandoned after a devastating fire in 1940 when the building was being used as a Girls' School during the war.  It was only in 1946 when the only surviving Howard son returned from the war was the property brought back into family residence and eventually opened to the public in 1952.  However, some fire damaged parts were only restored in the 1980s in part for the filming of Brideshead Revisited; the rooms used still resemble a film set to a large degree and now house an exhibition about the filming of both the 1980s original series and the 2008 Miramax film.

The setting and grounds are lovely commanding views across the Howardian Hills.  

Some water feature!

Castle Howard

If you've got it, flaunt it!

William Morris designed decoration on chapel ceiling

Coots nest with eggs on one of the ornamental lakes

Entrance Hall

The Howard Mausoleum

In the Walled garden

Less formal planting

Heart Stoppers!

'Front Garden'!

Painted dome in entrance Hall, restored, original by Pelligrini

Bird spot for the day!

Aztec style monument in Ray's Wood, a lovely wooded hill side with meandering paths - re-organised in the 1940s after WWII

No expedition would be complete without a cycling mechanical of course.  Let's just say that my chain is now short another couple of links and Mr G not only looked handsome this time, but was also useful!

It's sunny here now, but the forecast is for wet, wet and more wet tomorrow.  Most of the plan is undercover so hopefully the weather won't spoil too much of it (although it could well be a soggy cycle to the Park and Ride for York.