Belton House

 

This time last week I was in Norfolk for a couple of days, but the mini-break started before that with a stop at Belton House, near Grantham. It's not much more than an hour from home but for years has been our lunch-time stopping point for trips to the east coast.

We didn't stay long - after all we had places to go - but wandered from the Hall past the Moondial 

 

to the medlar trees, now full of fruit, in the walled garden behind the orangery

then doubling back to the sunken Italian garden

It was a lovely warm afternoon for October, one to amble gently instead of dash around, and even nice enough to sit outside for tea and cake (delicious orange and poppy seed)