I was up bright and early this morning and on the Barff with Meg & Gracie for 5.30am. Although dry, and bright there was a bitterly cold North Easterly wind which made the 10C feel like 5C!

Needless to say we had a good walk and it remained dry for the duration.

After breakfast we decided to head up towards Ripon and visit Newby Hall, it is only a fifty minute journey from home, up the A1 motorway. Unfortunately and unbeknown to us the road leading to the Hall was closed due to the council contractors resurfacing the road and although we followed the diversion signs could not reach Newby Hall. I even resorted to the atlas but to no avail, I am sure the owners of Newby Hall would have wondered where all their customers had been today.

So rather than waste the day we headed over to Harrogate and the gardens at RHS Harlow Carr. By the time we arrived it was getting on for lunch time, so from the visitors centre we headed left past the learning centre admiring the pots of tulips, and down around the lake, picking up the streamside walk. The array of colours be it the planting of new shrubs, the flowering rhododendron was quite amasing, we followed the streamside path to the bath house before returning on the other side of the stream, heading up between the two ponds back to the visitors centre. The beds of Allium looked beautiful, the huge blue/purple flower balls swaying gently on the single stems made quite a picture. All to soon though it was time to head in to Bettys for a quick brunch, before the journey home.

Will have to try again and visit Newby Hall once the contractors have finished all the road maintenance work.