After checking the weather forecast we decided to visit Cragside because the weather was going to be favourable. On our way there we detoured via Rothbury in order to find a cash point. Whilst we were in Rothbury Mr C insisted on locating for me the nice ladies clothes shop that I visited last time we were there. Our shopping expedtion resulted in a lot of banter and laughter between us, the staff and the other customers. I am not sure how that happened but it is a regular occurrence 
Ultimately I left the shop with a nice two piece outfit with jacket cardigan to match.
After the detour to Rothbury, we continued on our way to Cragside and its formal garden which is always our first port of call when we visit. The garden was spectacular as always and I noticed that the Dalhia bedding was different this year. I gave myself a personal challenge of photographing the garden with my ‘macro lens’ to provide a different perspective from my previous visits to the garden.
After the formal garden and a walk to one of the four 150th anniversary featured artworks, it was time for lunch in the tea shop. After lunch we had intended to visit the house but it was rather busy so we elected to do the leisure drive. After the leisure drive we found that the house was still too busy so we had an enjoyable walk around the rock garden whilst we waited for the house’s congestion to subside. Eventually the house was quiet enough; we entered and re-acquainted ourselves with our favourite house features. Then we returned to The Coach House where once again we had interesting conversations as we dined and later enjoyed coffee in the lounge with other guests including a group of Aussies. The other guests retired just before Leona (then Toby) arrived and we all sat up chatting a little too late.
Great post, fantastic photos:) Greetings
Thanks Zielona
insisted on locating for me the nice ladies clothes shop that I visited last time
Lovely pics too, as usual.
He did
I said I would look in to see what they had. The shop wasn’t where I thought it was and I had lost interest (shopping doesn’t do it for me
) He insisted on trying to locate the shop or at least establish it was no longer there.
And the result of that can be read in my post above
Stunning floral carpet.
Have you seen the Floral Clock in Edinburgh before?
I don’t recall seeing that floral clock…
The gardens do look lovely.
They are
The garden looks amazing as does your second composed shot too. Rothbury is a lovely peaceful place that so often gets missed due to it’s location. I still haven’t managed the Cragside trip since you last posted from here.
The garden was particularly spectacular on this visit and I enjoyed the challenge of tacking the majority of the photographs with my macro lens.
I do hope you get to visit next year, I would love to see your photographs and take of Cragside.