At the beginning of last week, we were treated to murky, misty, and, to be frank, absolutely miserable weather — the sort that makes staying indoors feel like the only sensible option.
Of course, with Ruby around, that really isn’t an option. She has a lot of energy that needs using up, otherwise we’re faced with full-blown doggy sulks. So we wrapped up warmly and headed over to Temple Newsam. As usual, Ruby likes to kick things off with a game of chase, and Martyn had to keep adjusting his throws so they didn’t go so far that she vanished from sight altogether.
As we continued our walk, it looked like one of those properly gloomy days.
The trees stood in long, bare lines, their branches all tangled together like dark sketches against the grey sky.
A thick mist hung over everything, softening the distance so the far trees fade gently away rather than ending sharply.
The whole scene has a quiet, muted feel. There’s something very still and monotone about it all.
In my last post, I mentioned that the resident swan was nowhere to be seen. Sadly, we’ve since found out that it died after contracting avian flu. There also seemed to be fewer moorhens around, so it may not have been the only casualty.
On a brighter note, at the far side of the lake we spotted a small egret. Fingers crossed it — and the remaining birds — stay safe.
On Saturday morning, we headed for Beningbrough Hall. After we had Ruby’s Pooch Passport stamped and she had been offered a treat by the reception staff — she more often than not manages to be given a treat when we arrive — we were advised not to miss the snowdrops.
In 2016, to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the construction of Beningbrough Hall, the National Trust and volunteers — including visitors to the property — planted around 300,000 bulbs, including snowdrops and aconites. These now create a carpet of white in late winter, followed by daffodils and crocuses as spring progresses.
Just like us, they have had so much rain that the trees are standing in lakes.
Since our last visit, there have been lots of changes. The whole site is undergoing a refresh by the National Trust in conjunction with Andy Sturgeon.
The newest major garden space at Beningbrough is the Mediterranean Garden, created in 2024, transforming what was previously a lawn into a planted garden.
It was designed with dry summers and wet winters in mind so it should have been ecstatically happy this year.
After lunch, we set off for Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens, where Ruby could enjoy a longer walk and her favourite game of chase.
After another stamp on her passport and yet another treat we set off on our walk.
Here there were yet more snowdrops.
After seeing the flooding at Beningbrough and passing other severely flooded areas, we were struck by the thundering sound of water rushing over the system of weirs through the abbey grounds. Yet, to our surprise, the weir beneath the footbridge at Studley Royal was completely dry. The lakes had been drawn down, leaving the area just above the footbridge exposed—mud, stone, and the hidden construction revealed.
At first, it seemed as though something had gone wrong. Closer inspection, however, showed that the sluices had been opened deliberately.
The water management system at Fountains Abbey was designed by the Cistercian monks and refined in the 18th-century water gardens, always with an understanding of water in difficult conditions. In times of heavy rain, sluices are opened to lower the lake, creating space upstream and easing pressure where the River Skell winds through the fragile abbey ruins.
This ingenious system is one reason the site is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There was certainly plenty of water flowing into the system upstream so the sluice system was doing a good job.
Finally, look what arrived this week.
I guess we are soon going to be busy!
That’s all for this week so as always stay well, stay safe, stay warm and stay dry.
I like the Winter tree photos disappearing into the fog, very atmospheric. And Ruby’s happy little face in the red coat – so sweet.
The Mediterranean Garden looks good, even if the weather’s not so med-like at the moment!
Oh, seeds, we must start our plans too
Ruby is always happy to be out walking, Belinda. We will have to visit the Mediterranean garden in summer. It’s designed woth dry summers and wet winters in mind.
I would rather have your lovely snowdrops than the snow and bitter cold weather we have here! Doggies would need skis to venture out very far.
Snowdrops rather than snow any day Dave. but cold and sunny would be better rather than the damp , dark mid=serable weather we are having
Oh, that’s such a shame about the swan at Temple Newsam, I always thought it looked lonely though being on its own. We visited Beningbrough when the Mediterranean Garden was first opened, we couldn’t believe how quickly it settled, it looked well established in no time at all. I like how it’s been designed. We’re hoping to get to Dunham Massey again to see the snowdrops, we’ll give it a couple of weeks, they should be at their best by then.
I felt the same about the swan, Jo I thought some passing unattached swan might take a fancy to it but no. It seemed to have been there years. We want to visit Dunham Massey this month too.