Head to Levens Hall and Gardens to Embrace Sunshine-and-Showers Weather

With British weather set to continue to be an underwhelming combination of sunshine and showers for the foreseeable future, where better to head than to a historic home that can offer you both ‘sun umbrellas’ and insight into Wellingtons?

Levens Hall and Gardens, open for this season until October 6, is a gorgeous Elizabethan property in the southern Lake District, is an all-weather option, enabling visitors to head inside the Hall during rainy spells and enjoy the world’s oldest topiary garden, as just one of many features within its 10-acre gardens, when the sun is shining.

Inside the Hall one of the intriguing facets relates to the links to the Duke of Wellington and the fact that possessions once belonging to both the Duke and his adversary, Napoleon Bonaparte, can be admired. The chance to find out more about the man who invented Wellington boots cannot be passed up, particularly when the puddles are forming.

As well as features such as Wellington’s camp bed, there is much else to admire, including Cordoba Spanish leather wall coverings, furniture made by famous names, astounding paintings and portraits, gorgeous plasterwork, extraordinary carved fireplaces, exquisite stained glass and beautiful clocks and harpsichords.  With the oldest example of English patchwork too, there are many delights.

Outside, the topiary garden, dating from 1694, is a huge draw, with the two umbrella trees standing out and offering both shelter and shade, according to climatic conditions. With over 100 topiary pieces shaped in a variety of quirky forms, visitors can be forgiven for thinking they have walked into a scene from Alice in Wonderland, whether gazing at the Top Hat, the Toppling Wedding Cake or the Judge’s Wig.

However, there is far more than just the topiary garden, with the Levens Hall garden boasting some of the finest herbaceous borders in the UK, themed as blue/red and pastel, to distinctively denote parts of the original 17thcentury garden plan and dissection of the garden. 

There is also a massive 5-metre high Beech hedge, which forms an intimate 5-metre wide circle in the middle of the garden, and a quintessentially English bowling green, on which games of croquet are played by the local club, during the summer months.

A delightful orchard, in which bee hives are tucked away, colourful vegetable and herb gardens, a beautiful Fountain Garden, in which to see the South Lakes sun reflected on the water as you dwell on a bench and contemplate life, and the earliest English example of a ha-ha, which offers an uninterrupted view of the South Lakes landscape, also charm visitors.  Meanwhile, the Willow labyrinth and a children’s play area provide much delight for kids.

With a shop in which to also dodge the raindrops, there is every opportunity to have the best of both worlds – and all weather conditions – through the purchase of a House and Gardens ticket, costing £14.50 for an adult, £5 for a child and £36 for a family (two adults and up to three children).  Garden-only tickets cost £10.50, £4 and £26 respectively.

Clever weather watchers may also be able to plan their day even more perfectly, if they note showers due to hit over lunchtime. They can book themselves not just admission tickets but also a two-course lunch in the contemporary, on-site Levens Kitchen, enjoying delicious food, in lovely dry conditions. Levens Kitchen is headed up by Robert Stacey, who has worked at leading London eateries including Gordon Ramsay at Claridges, Le Caprice and Galvin at Windows.  

Lunch for two adults, comprising a main course, cake and soft drink per person, costs £70, which is inclusive of admission to both Levens Hall and its gardens.  Examples of menu delights include: Cartmel Valley pork & apple sausage, cannellini bean & potato cassoulet; chilli & garlic venison ragout served with cavolo nero, Strozzapreti pasta, shoots and parmesan; and roasted cauliflower with a tomato & coconut dahl.

Cakes meanwhile are prepared by Robert and Mireia Ferreres Luna, who both appeared on Bake Off: The Professionals in 2022.

Enjoy the British weather and all its vagaries to the full this summer, by putting Levens Hall, Gardens and Kitchen on your itinerary.  Thanks to the  Levens Bakery, also due to open soon, you can even take away a little bit of culinary magic when you leave, whether that’s for a picnic, afternoon treat or something to enjoy later in your Lake District accommodation.

Head to www.levenshall.co.uk to find out more.

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Editors notes

Levens Hall & Gardens is a historic house in the South Lakes, Cumbria, close to Kendal and home to the world's oldest topiary gardens, dating from 1694, created by French garden designer, Guillaume Beaumont. The Hall is a stunning Elizabethan house built around a 13th century pele tower and has close links to the Duke of Wellington, as well as various items which once belonged to him and Napoleon Bonaparte. Levens Park is home to the rare Bagot goats gifted to the Bagot family and a place in which to stroll and enjoy nature. Levens Kitchen is the contemporary new cafe, full of delights for cake lovers and foodies alike.