The Secret Garden

On the way to the Yorkshire coast, we often stop at the tranquil Buddhist centre at Kilnwick Percy in the Yorkshire Wold Madhyamaka Kadampa Meditation Centre. A walk round the lake, a picnic or a drink in the friendly World Peace Café is a welcome break. 

This time we visited, the usual car park was full and we were directed to the overflow. This happy accident brought us to the woods which is the entrance to a walled garden which we hadn’t previously known about. We met a man foraging for the leaves of various plants who explained which were edible and how to use them.  This peaceful haven with its ponds and benches has two paths, a inner and outer path, encircling a circular lawn.

 

 Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Walking the Wolds: Rudston:

Rudston is a village in the Yorkshire Wolds in the East Riding of Yorkshire surrounded by farms. The name comes from the 25 ft monolith in the village churchyard, sometimes referred to as the Cleopatra’s Needle of the Wolds and is said to have date from the late neolithic period, possibly around 2,000BC.  ‘Rod’ means ‘rood, cross’ and ‘stan’ referred to the ‘stone’ used for the cross.

In the village stands Rudston House birthplace of the author Winifred Holtby who wrote about the East Riding, the Wolds and the Dales. Her best-known work, the novel South Riding was published posthumously and has aired on TV as a serial and has been made into a film.   The house bears a plaque which reads: “Winifred Holtby, novelist and social reformer 1897-1935, author of South Riding. The original home of the Holtby family and birthplace of author.”

Born 1898 into farming family Winifred studied at Oxford where she met author Vera Brittain.  The two were lifelong friends and moved to London where there is a plaque to commemorate both of them at No. 82 Doughty Street, Holburn.  In 1931, Winifred Holtby was diagnosed with Bright’s disease and passed away in 1935 aged 37.  She was laid to rest in the churchyard at All Saint’s Church, Rudston. 

Winifred Holtby - Wikipedia

The well-described walk we went on, courtesy of the Hull Daily Mail  https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/five-mile-yorkshire-wolds-walk-2647408 took us on a public bridle path up through woodland known as the Zigzag Plantation and on to Woldgate, a Roman road and where the artist  David Hockney observed many different seasons and recorded what he saw using his iPad and on canvas with paints. 

The trail then descends by an underground reservoir and finishes at the Gypsey Race, a chalk stream which flows into the North Sea at the harbour at Bridlington.

 

 

Visit to Burnby Hall Garden and Museum, Pocklington

We had an enjoyable visit to Burnby Hall in Pocklington in the Yorkshire Wolds,   The gardens have been on my “to see” list for ages.  The museum houses hundreds of interesting exhibits, collected by the previous owner of Burnby Hall, Major Percy Stewart, during his travels to every continent in the early 1900s, often accompanied by his wife.

There was still plenty of colour at the end of the Summer plus other delightful touches, although I thought that some of the contemporary sculptures were rather out of place especially in the Victorian Garden.

 The Secret Garden opened out into this lovely open area with statue.

The Upper and Lower Lakes are home to a National Collection of over 100 varieties of Hardy Water Lily.

 The Hall is now used as council offices

 

 

The cafe didn’t offer much for vegetarians but I found this in the gift shop reduced from £2.95 to 50p – who else would want post-its with a Yiddish phrase!

While not my favourite garden, it is well worth seeing for the surprises which are revealed around every corner

On top of the Wold

As part of the National Garden Scheme, the gardens of the Wold Top Brewery opened to visitors this weekend.  We were blessed with sunshine as we drove through the stunning countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds to Hunmanby Grange, only a few miles from the coast.

Well-kept gardens, courtesy of volunteers, encircled the house and the lawned areas were immaculate.  There were twisty paths, quirky ornaments, water features and children’s play areas with views borrowed from the surrounding landscape.  Plants were on sale, as were drinks, locally manufactured beers, ice cream and burgers.

  

We passed on the tour of the brewery but, after sampling the beer, bought a bottle of Wold Gold as a souvenir of our visit. 

Out and About

It has been a busy but enjoyable fortnight for me.  All good; good company, good food and good weather.  Here are a few of the things I've been getting up to.

Off to Haworth where I had the privilege of judging this lovely village for Yorkshire in Bloom

 Bronte Parsonage

Next day to Manchester Airport to collect family from Sweden.

Parcevall Hall to see the daffodils

 

Danby Castle, North Yorkshire for my nephew’s wedding

Big family gathering for Passover Seder

Back to Manchester Airport returning via the moors rather than the M62 with stunning views.

Off to the East Yorkshire coast:  15 people and 2 dogs catering with Passover food

 

 

Returning via:

 The Yorkshire Wolds



 the Augustinian Priory at Kirkham



Soon I will be back to routine but with a full bank of memories.