Sunday Fab

Today I managed to sneak out of the house without the guys sussing I was going to a park. I had to act casual and, crucially, had to wear something other than my riding pants and boots, in order for them not to suspect I was up to no good. But you know how it goes, you cannot take dogs to a museum and so, sometimes, they have to forfeit the park. It won't happen again though guys I promise.



The mansion at Lyme Park started out as a Medieval palace, although you wouldn't know it by looking at it now, as it underwent several face-lifts over the centuries. The gated gardens are very beautiful and have something for everyone, whether you like damp paths by a stream, fending off swishy ferns, a tidy rose garden, a less formal flower garden, a very serious thou-shalt-not-come-near Dutch garden or a magnificent orangerie with exotic plants, Victorian tiles and sprouting fountain.



Sadly, as is often the case, the interiors are off-limits to a camera lens but I find that this helps the visit in some ways. Have you ever noticed how some people wielding cameras zoom from room to room, safe in the knowledge that they got it all captured anyway? If I cannot take pics I take much longer, as I want to impress my own retina with what I see. And there was plenty of beautiful detail at Lyme, from ancient tapestries to silk lampshades, from numerous clocks to countless paintings, secret passages, window seats, wood panelling, a piano, a harpsichord and plentiful staircases to the upper floors which afford charming views over the gardens, the park, the Lantern and the Cage. A fab, fab, fab way to spend a Sunday at the end of summer. Now back to walkies...