Cragside House and Garden, Northumberland

 


 Cragside House and Garden, Morpeth

 
This evening, I am focusing on Cragside House & Gardens near Morpeth in Northumberland,N.E. England.
 
House
 
This was Britain's first 'smart home', a Victorian mansion illuminated by hydro-electricity and powered by hydraulics. An impressive Arts & Crafts house which was designed for modern living and efficiency.The interior is open to the public.

Creators
 
William George Armstrong (1810-1900) was a visionary inventor, engineer and businessman. He owned the Elswick Works in Newcatle upon Tyne which at its peak employed more than 25,000 people.The business manufactured hydraulic cranes, ships and armaments. Armstrong is also connected with Bamburgh Castle on the coast of Northumberland.
 
Lady Armstrong  had a keen interest in gardening, flora and fauna. she was responsible for much of Cragside's landscape design. Her vision transformed the site into a woodland of over seven million trees, including the Pinetum and the colourful Formal Garden.

Piunetum:   This is a towering collection of non-native trees which were planted to recreate a north American forest landscape. 

Formal Garden: This covers a three acre, south facing site which overlooks the Coquet Valley. This garden is arranged over three levels.
 
 
Colourful flower display
 
 Facilities for visitors

The house is surrounded by many acres of garden and parkland with 40 miles of footpaths providing access to:
  • Lakes
  • Childrens' play areas.
  • Fitness trails.
  • A Pinetum
  • Formal Garden.
  • Waterwheel.
  • Iron Bridge.
  • Rhododendron forest.
  • Visitor Centre and refreshments.
Cragside Gardens, Morpeth 
Carving
 
 
 Iron Bridge, Cragside Gardens
 

Pinetum

 Olympic Logo, Cragside Gardens Olympic Logo

Clearly, Cragside provides extensive outdoor facilities to visitors with wide ranging interests, from horticulture through to fitness training.

The site is managed by heritage organisation, The National Trust.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reconstructed Roman Villa

Image
This evening, I am reporting on my visit earlier today to a meticulously reconstructed Roman Villa in Somerset, England.   Funding for the project was provided by a South African billionaire. Specific features of the reconstruction project which is known as 'Villa Ventorum': Employed hundreds of architects, builders, archaelogists, mosaic makers, fresco painters and experts on ancient plumbing. The new build was built close to the remains of the original villa which dates from AD351. Incorporates the only working hypocaust system in Europe to create authentic Roman underfloor heating. Thne system also provides heating for the internal baths. Designed to appear to visitors as though still in use. Mosaics and frescoes have been made below the top standards of the time (e.g. Chedworth ) to reflect the social rank of the resident family. Incorporates a Roman 'fast food bar' allong the lines of that found in Pompeii . (Core of above information sourced from the Times newspap
Read more

Glen Quaich, one of Scotland's best backroads tour routes

Image
This afternoon, I am reporting the route of Glen Quaich in Central Scotland. This is a scenic, single track road which is usually closed to traffic in winter. The route covers about twelve miles and runs between the villages of Amulree and Kenmore on the northern tip of Loch Tay in Perthshire. Depending on time of year it is possible to encounter low lying snow, many sheep, grouse and other exceptional opportunities for photography. Incidentally, Quaich means a drinking cup. In a certain place the landscape is shaped like a bowl. Glen Quaich, Perthshire, Scotland Glen Quaich Black Grouse at Glen Quaich Here are a couple of video clips.
Read more

Fort Augustus, a popular visitor site on southern tip of Loch Ness

Image
Loch Ness from flight of locks at Fort Augustus, Scottish Highlands This evening, I am posting information on Fort Augustus, a busy tourist village on the southern tip of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Summary information on Fort Augustus as follows:- Population about 650 persons. Distance, about 160 miles from Edinburgh and 35 miles from Inverness entailing journey times of 3.5 hours and 1 hour respectively. Well endowed with hotels and other accommodation plus shops, restaurants and visitor attractions. From here visitors can avail of boat trips on Loch Ness. Home to an impressive flight of five locks on the Caledonian Canal. Latter dates from 1822 and is now primarily used by pleasure boats. Closely linked with the 18th century Jacobite uprising in that (a) the village was renamed Fort Augustus (after Prince William Augustus, third son of King George II) consequent upon construction of a British military (redcoat) fort in 1742 and (b) the same Prince
Read more