The North(ish) Lass

Explore the North.

Tag: cumbria

  • Bridgerton Core: Northern Edition

    Bridgerton Core: Northern Edition

    If you’re one of the millions of people (40m+ at the time of writing) who has watched Bridgerton Season Four in the last few weeks, and fallen for deeply for the whole whimsy (and not altogether accurate) Regency vibe of the show, you might be looking for places to visit that match that vibe, and where you can imagine yourself as a star of the show. Here’s just a selection of places around the North that you can visit and pretend that you’re Violet about take tea (*wink*); that you’re Eloise with her nose in a book and scorning suitors; or that you’re one of the new season debutantes, looking to fall head-over-heels in love with an eligible suitor… just make sure you stay with your chaperone and don’t become the subject of this season’s scandal!

    Castle Howard, Yorkshire
    Castle Howard

    Castle Howard doesn’t just match Bridgerton vibes, it is Bridgerton vibes, as the location was used in Season One as a stand in for “Clyveden House” – the country residence of the Duke and Duchess of Hastings, played by Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dyvenor. The temple of the four winds in the grounds was used for a notably spicy scene in the pouring rain, whilst the library, the archbishop’s bedroom (pictured below), Turquoise Room, and Long Gallery were used for other scenes as the Duke and Duchess settle into married life.

    In one interview I’ve seen with Regé he makes a joke about how – when filming spicier scenes – there is what is known as a “closed set,” where those only essential for the scene to be filmed are allowed to be present. Essential cast and crew… and Fiona. Fiona being the luckless (or lucky?) house warden who had been assigned to make sure that the furniture was properly cared for, and things didn’t get out of hand. In the interview Regé laughs as he recalls how this poor embarrassed woman is stood there, looking out for this incredible eighteenth century bed, whilst he was romping about in his birthday suit! That would have been a rather strange day at the office!

    The house itself is a Baroque architectural masterpiece that took nearly a hundred years to complete. One can immediately imagine themselves as a Duke or Duchess, sweeping through the magnificently conserved hallways and receiving rooms, whilst planning the next ball that is to take place; one that will also show off the best of the collection, and centre the most stunning pieces. The collection itself at Castle Howard is incredible, with artists such as Canaletto, Titian, Thomas Gainsborough, Pannini, and Reynolds represented (along with many others).

    Address: Castle Howard Estate, York, YO60 7DA
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    Howick Hall, Northumberland
    Rear aspect of Howick Hall

    I visited Howick Hall and Gardens last year, and it’s an absolutely delightful location to sink into the Bridgerton mindset; reading books in the garden by the pond, and drinking cups of Earl Grey tea (the house was the former residence of Lord John Grey, for whom the blend was made specifically). I think Eloise would be extremely happy at Howick, away from the pressures of the Ton, and where she might be able to focus on her writing, or plotting how to avoid the marriage mart for yet another season. On the other hand, Hyacinth would feel that this was too far from the action!

    Whilst Howick is undoubtedly smaller than some of the more sprawling Baroque and Georgian palaces on this list, it is also very imaginably as one of the character’s country retreats; a place where they could find some peace and quiet after the madness of the social season. If not Eloise, I could imagine Sophie and Benedict finding much happiness at a place like Howick and, knowing Benedict, he would probably refer to it as “his cottage.”

    Address: Howick Hall & Gardens, Northumberland, NE66 3LB
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    LEvens Hall, Cumbria

    Whilst Levens Hall is actually late Elizabethan, and therefore far predates the time of Bridgerton, you could very easily imagine this Hall, and it’s magnificent topiary gardens, as a country house of a very old family of the ton, where they invite select friends and acquaintances to admire the beauty of the setting.

    The topiary gardens would be the centrepiece of a ball, with lights illuminating the pathways, and music leading guests to different aspects and viewpoints within the gardens – whilst always being wary of a unchaperoned debutante accidentally finding herself alone with a gentleman – how scandalous that would be!

    Address: Levens Hall, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 0PD
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    HArewood House, Yorkshire
    Photo Credit – Olivia Brabbs and the Harewood House Trust

    Harewood House is one of the most gorgeous 18th Century houses in the country, and we’re lucky enough to have it here in the North. We can wander with wonder around the incredible halls, view the paintings by British and International masters, and imagine what it would be like to actually be in an episode of Bridgerton.

    Photo Credit – Tom Archer and the Harewood House Trust

    This is the gallery at Harewood House. Couldn’t you just imagine what it would be like to host a ball in this magnificent room? This room was one of the last to be finished in the 1790s (coincidentally closest to the Regency period of all the rooms at Harewood House). The room was furnished by Thomas Chippendale and Thomas Chippendale Junior, the much sought after furniture masters of eighteenth century England.

    “The room’s magnificent ceiling is today considered one of Robert Adam’s masterpieces, and is decorated with 16 paintings by the Italian interior painter Biagio Rebecca. They depict a pantheon of Roman gods and the four seasons.” – Harewood House Trust

    Address: Harewood House Trust, Harewood House, Harewood, Leeds LS17 9LG
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  • A Ride Through The South Tyne Valley

    A Ride Through The South Tyne Valley

    Sometimes going off the beaten track is the best thing to do. To get “lost” with purpose can be great fun (of course, these days, it’s difficult to get well and truly lost, what with near blanket GPS coverage in the UK). What you can do, at least, is try and veer away from the familiar, to take the road less travelled, so to speak. Sometimes you do this on purpose, more often than not, it’s by accident, and you end up asking yourself (or the other person in the car); “where the heck are we going?!” Well, as long as you have enough petrol, and don’t have an emergency/appointment to attend to, then just go with it.

    Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I headed up to Northumberland with my mum and driving up the oh-so-pretty M6 (not), we noticed there was a ridiculous amount of traffic on the other side heading south, where people seemed to be sitting for a while. Mum’s immediate reaction was “I’m not sitting in that on the way back,” so we needed to find an alternative way. The problem is that between where we were and home… the Pennines are in the way, so it would involve going over them. We’d never done that before so it would be a little bit of an adventure, even just a small one.

    Image by David Head

    On a little bit of a side note – one of the things I like doing, and I find brings me a lot of joy, is pretending that I’m going on an adventure, even when I’m doing something really mundane. Maybe it’s because I loved fantasy or adventure books as a kid. I think it’s also that we have a tendency to focus so much on the destination, or are too busy looking at our phones/gadgets etc. that we forget to actually really look at the world around us. I know this is heading off into the mindfulness realm rather than about the North, but I find that it really works for me, and also helps me pay attention to my surroundings. I started trying to do this when I was going on walks, even setting myself the challenge of spotting things that began with ‘A’, ‘B’, etc. etc. so that I was really looking around me, and taking in what was there.

    So, anyway, back to the journey. We turned off into the countryside just after Haltwhistle (happily also avoiding long traffic lights at Brampton). It was foggy the morning we did this, and I was a bit worried we’d be driving through country roads in pea soup, but it actually burnt out within a couple of miles, to reveal beautiful countryside. That I’d never seen before. Because we’d always taken the “quickest” route from A to B, we’d missed out on this gorgeous winding road through the South Tyne Valley. It was wild enough with craggy hills, forests, and the river running through the valley. With the sun shining over the tops of the hills, and with the purple heather on the ground (mid August – early September for the best heather), it was a really beautiful ride.

    We stopped off in the village of Alston, which was a really pretty village, but like so many other places has clearly suffered in the downturn of economics/covid etc. There was evidence with independent shops that the community was trying to pick itself up, make the village vibrant and centred around the community, but it was still very quiet. It was such a shame because, as I said, the village architecture and surroundings were so pretty, and I felt like at one point it would have been a thriving town. Maybe, I was just there on the wrong day.

    Alston Village Centre

    Anyway, after that we headed towards Penrith, climbing up to the top of Hartside Summit (Altitude of 1903 ft). We pulled over into the car park at the top to take in the view. It was a little bit hazy over the Eden Valley, but still a far-reaching view. I imagine on a clear day you’d be able to see the coast and the Lake District Mountains, and potentially even further afield (I’ve heard some people say they can see the Welsh Mountains from high points in the NW (don’t know if you’d be able to see that far from Hartside; there might be some things in the way!). The drive down should be taken with care as there is plenty of hairpin bends (I would not want to be doing that in the middle of winter!).

    The rest of the journey was a pleasant amble through the countryside towards Penrith and then further down. Yes, it took us a bit longer than it would have if we’d have gone down the motorway, but the ride was much more pleasant and it was a really nice to get away from the traffic and into the countryside. I would definitely recommend it from time to time, just turn off the main road… sure keep an eye on the GPS… but then see where the country road takes you!

  • My Picks from the Cumbria Life Awards Finalists

    My Picks from the Cumbria Life Awards Finalists

    It’s that time of year where the finalists from the Cumbria Life Awards have been announced. I’ve been through the nominees and pulled out just a few of my favourites. You can vote for your winners here. You only have until SUNDAY 10th AUGUST 2025 to submit your votes! These are just some of my top picks…

    Sandpipers, Arnside

    Nominated for Best Café or Coffee Shop 2025

    I go to Sandpipers a lot, probably at least once a week. It’s a beautiful café on the front at Arnside, overlooking the River Kent estuary and the viaduct. As their tagline goes: delightful views and bangin’ brews. They couldn’t be more right. The café is cosy and comfortable, and always has a friendly atmosphere. They’re also dog friendly, which a big plus for me, as I usually get to cuddle at least one dog when I go in there!

    My favourites from the menu vary depend on what mood I’m in, but a regular staple is the American-style pancakes with blueberries, greek yoghurt, and almond flakes, drizzled with honey. Yum! If I’m feeling a bit naughtier I’ll go for the bacon and maple syrup option with the pancakes instead. The pancakes are always fluffy, and there’s an ample helping, which always sets me up for the day ahead. I’d also recommend their sausage rolls when they’re warm from the oven, as they’re equally delicious. The coffee is great, and mum recently discovered they serve iced vanilla matcha (with oat milk or otherwise), which has recently become a favourite of hers.

    Holker Hall & Gardens, Cark-In-Cartmel

    Nominated for Best Tourist Attraction 2025

    I’m a frequent visitor to Holker Hall & Gardens. I love going there at different times throughout the year to see how the gardens have changed and evolved throughout the seasons. It’s brilliant to go in May when all of the rhododendrons are in bloom. Holker is famous for it’s rhododendrons, and if you wander around in May you can see why – the flowers are amazing, and the colours are beautiful. In late June/July the roses in the scented garden come out, and I love to sit and just take in the beautiful smell. Every year there is a different colour scheme in the scented garden and I love to see what they’ve planned.

    Of course Holker also has it’s Spring Fair (you can read about this year’s here), and the most popular Winter Market for Christmas Crafts and Street Food in Cumbria (I’ll be attending this later in the year!)

    RSPB Celebration Wood at Wild Haweswater

    Nominated for Fundraising Feat of the Year 2025

    The RSPB Celebration Wood at Wild Haweswater raised over £150k in order to expand an area of naturally temperate rainforest, to raise money for the RSPB’s restoration of Wild Haweswater, and to help residents and visitors reconnect with natural Cumbria. This was done by creating a “Celebration Wood,” which allowed visitors to plant a tree to celebrate an occasion, or to memorialise a loved one, whilst expanding on the edge of Naddle Forest.

    Rainforest and Cumbria aren’t two ideas that normally fit together in one’s mind, but in fact it is one of the last enclaves of “Celtic Rainforest” in the UK. This uniquely special habitat is absolutely teaming with life, including lichens, mosses, fungi, and ferns, not found anywhere else. At one time large swathes of the UK would have been covered by this rainforest, but much of it was cut down throughout the centuries to make room for grazing animals/providing materials. It is essential that what is left is protected, not just from human activity but from invasive species such as wild rhododendron which crowds out the native species.

    The other two nominees in the fundraising category also very much deserve mentions as extremely worthy causes. The first is Guide Over Sands Trust who bring 1000s of visitors to Morecambe Bay every year to walk across the sands with a trusted guide, sometimes running walks of up to 500 people at a time. The walks raise money for a variety of local causes. The other nominee in the category is the Kirkby Lonsdale Fire Disaster Recovery Appeal which was launched after a fire devastated parts of Kirkby Lonsdale in December 2024. The fund was established to provide aid for those who had experienced hardship because of the fire, with the entire community pulling together to support the town through the crisis.

    There are many many other worthy nominees this year in the awards and this list is in no way exhaustive, it’s simply some of my picks. Which are your favourites from the list? Where should I visit and feature next?

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  • Four Cumbrian Historical Properties To Visit This Summer

    Four Cumbrian Historical Properties To Visit This Summer

    Furness Abbey

    You can find Furness Abbey on the Furness peninsula in the South Lakes, just outside the town of Barrow-In-Furness. Now ruined, in its heyday, Furness was the second wealthiest Cistercian Monastery in England, behind only Fountains Abbey (found in Yorkshire). The Abbey is built from local sandstone and the monks were the preeminent local landowners up to the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th Century (thanks Henry VIII!). They were also heavily involved in the politics of the region, playing an important role in the fraught border relations between England and Scotland, and also exercising strong influence over the Isle of Man(n). One of the Kings of the Isle of Mann is buried at Furness Abbey.

    The ruins of the Abbey are very impressive, some reaching three stories or over 130ft.

    There are plenty of myths and legends surrounding Furness Abbey, including one that the Holy Grail and/or Prince John’s treasure is buried in tunnels underneath the land. This seems unlikely seeing as Prince John’s treasure was lost on The Wash in Lincolnshire – over 245 miles away on the other side of the country! As for the Holy Grail well… I thought a ghostly knight was looking after that in the ruins of Petra somewhere.

    Sizergh Castle

    Sizergh Castle is a Grade I listed building on the edge of the Lake District. It is currently the private home of the Strickland family (and has been owned by the family for over 800 years), although the property is cared for by the National Trust.

    The front aspect of Sizergh Castle

    It is thought that the sixth wife of Henry VIII, Katherine Parr, stayed at Sizergh for an extended period of time after the death of her first husband (she was married a total of four times, Henry VIII being her third husband). One of the highlights of the interior of the Manor House is the gorgeous Inlaid Chamber, which contains Elizabethan panelling. The panelling was housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum, but was returned and restored to the house in 1999. The beauty of this panelling shows the political power and imagination of the Strickland family in that century. Ardent Catholics (as many Northern families were), Thomas Strickland went into exile with James II in the following century.

    There are over 2,400 items in the Sizergh collection that have been curated by twenty-six generations of the Strickland family.

    The Gardens at the manor house are beautiful, including a rockery, a herbaceous border, an orchard, and a kitchen garden. There is an accessible 1.5km loop around the garden for people to follow and enjoy the different areas. If you’re lucky you can see the rare Hawfinch in the woodland around the castle, as well as

    Lanercost Priory

    Lanercost Priory is a beautiful ruin found just off the road between Carlisle and Hexham, before Cumbria becomes Northumberland, and it is one of the most peaceful places I’ve visited. It’s wonderful to just step inside the ruins of the old monastic buildings and just feel the peace. Despite not being religious, I can definitely understand why the monks chose this place as the site for their monastic house!

    It was built in the 1160s or 1170s and is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, an unusual dedication in the North of England at the time. You can see Roman stonework and carvings in the surviving ruins as some of the stone used in the building was pilfered from the nearby Hadrian’s Wall.

    The ruins of Lanercost

    The important Lanercost Chronicle, written about the thirteen century wars between the England and Scotland was created by the monks of the Priory. The religious house played a key role in these wars, and played host to Edward I (“the Hammer of the Scots”) three times in the latter years of his reign. Ironically, the Priory would also host Robert the Bruce less than ten years later during his campaign against Edward II, prior to the Battle of Bannockburn.

    The Priory was converted into a Tudor mansion in the 16th century after the dissolution of the monasteries by the Dacre family, an influential local gentry family. The family tombs can be found in the still-operating church attached to the Priory ruins. The old Priory fell into ruins, apart from the part still operating as a church, which was then re-roofed in the 19th century.

    There used to be a very good tearooms and giftshop complex (not operated by English Heritage) attached to the Priory, but there is mixed information as to whether these have reopened, after closing in late 2024. Oh well, guess I’ll just have to head back up there to double check…

    Muncaster Castle

    Muncaster Castle is found on the coastal road on the Furness Peninsula, halfway between Dalton-In-Furness and Whitehaven. It is owned by the Pennington Family, who have lived there for 800 years, and still hold it privately, although they are a member of Historic Houses. There is something of a legend surrounding the Pennington Family and Muncaster Castle, originating in the fifteenth century, when after a defeat at the Battle of Hexham in 1464, Henry VI fled to the castle – a distance of over ninety miles through some pretty rough terrain – for sanctuary. As thanks, Henry gifted the Pennington’s a Venetian glass drinking bowl with the wish:

    “As long as this bowl remains unriven, Penningtons from Muncaster never shall be driven”

    The glass remains intact to this day, and the Penningtons still own the castle.

    Parts of the current castle date from the 14th Century, including the pele (pronounced “peel”) tower and the Great Hall, although it is believed that pele tower is built on Roman ruins that may date back as far as 79AD.

    The Great Hall at Muncaster

    Muncaster is also listed as one of the “most haunted” castles in England (which is a bit of claim, considering I’m sure that every castle has plenty of ghosts), with stories of “Tom Fool” causing mischief for the family and guests, as well as reports of a child crying in the night when guests have stayed in the Tapestry Bedroom. The story is that this may be the ghost of Margaret Pennington, a child who was often sickly, and died at the castle in the eighteenth century. If you’re interested in this kind of thing, Muncaster does off “ghost nights” where small groups can spend the night in the Tapestry Bedroom and wait for the ghosts to show themselves.

    During the Second World War the house was used as a safehouse for artworks of International importance, that were transported away from London to keep them safe from bombing during The Blitz. These included works by Van Gogh, Manet, and Turner.

    So, as you can see, lots of wonderful historical properties to see in Cumbria this summer! Which of these have you visited before? Is there any that you want to go to?

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