by Philip Lop

Created on: October 12, 2010

What can you do on a sunny Sunday afternoon? There are, of course, a whole host of answers to that question, but one of the best things to do is to wander off to a castle or historic house and have a nose round. In the summer you can find some absolutely gorgeous places in which to spend a few hours and really escape from the bustle of "normal life". Sizergh Castle is a fantastic choice for such a visit.

Sizergh Castle is situated about six miles south of Kendal in the Lake District, just off the A590. The castle is owned by the National Trust and is open to visitors from April to October. The castle gardens are open to visitors throughout the year, and when you arrive you will pay a separate entrance fee for each. The approach to the castle takes you up a quiet, winding drive that twists and turns through the parkland surrounding the gardens. Aim to arrive just before midday, just so that you have to wait outside the main gate until 12:00 when the grounds are opened. The peace and quiet is incredible. Sat in the car with the engine turned off, the only thing you'll hear will be the bees buzzing through the long grass meadow. Fantastic.

The gates open promptly at midday, and you'll soon be trundling into the car park. The parking area is not terribly big - on a busy day, I should imagine that the place can become quite congested. Immediately around the car park are a few lonely picnic tables, but if you want somewhere to sit and eat your sandwiches, there are far more picturesque spots to choose. You pay your entrance fee at a small hut that sits in front of the car park entrance. Make sure you have cash, as credit cards and cheques are not accepted. With your entrance tickets, you are given a small map of the site and then you are free to go off and explore.

After a short walk up a gravel-laden path, you first approach the castle from behind. There are various coach houses, which contain the gift shop, tea room and toilets and then the main part of the house itself. Although the gardens open at 12:00, the castle does not open its doors until 13:00, but this is not a problem, because you have some time to wander around the gardens. The gardens are divided into a number of different areas including a kitchen garden, a formal rock garden and a beautiful lake that is set back below the back wall of the castle. I like to follow the path into the kitchen garden and then circle round behind the shrubbery until you emerge at the bottom of the lake. This is perhaps

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