Gunby Hall gardens

Gunby is another of those places that I've known of since childhood - the huge traffic roundabout being a way-marker en route for the caravan sites of Ingoldmells. Having passed Gunby even I as a small child knew we were almost there, that now was the time to look for windmills on the horizon, and that this once I might be going to make the trip without being travelsick. 

The road may have been familiar but the hall and gardens were an unknown till this visit.

Owned by the National Trust since the 1940s, the hall is Grade one listed, there are 8 acres of gardens, a further 100 acres of parkland, and an even larger farming estate surrounding that. 

We contented ourselves with a stroll around the gardens, and the shorter of the walks across the Park which leads to the icehouse pond.

We were a little late for the cherry blossom display, but freshly blown from the trees the flowers were still keeping their colour.

From beside the estate's church, a path took us across fields, with open views over the countryside, to a woodland path which led to the pond.

Back to the gardens and a brief glimpse of the orchard, before exploring the walled gardens - a glorious cottage-y mix of flowers and vegetables, divided by old flagged paths.

 A wondrously peaceful place. 

In a few weeks this trellis will be covered in roses - and I'm so tempted to go back to see them as the scent from these and the many other rose bushes must be amazing (maybe it should be a plan for another year)

Meanwhile there was Natoional Trust cake to eat and tea to drink just outside the old stable block, and then another wander round the gardens before heading off.