Tuesday 21 August 2012

Wallington Hall and Gardens

We are fortunate in this neck of the woods in that there are two of possibly the finest National Trust properties within maybe 15 miles of each other.

Cragside, in Rothbury, Northumberland, has so much to offer with an interesting, if eccentric, house, thousands of azalea bushes and rhododenrons, extensive moorland walks, and the world's first application of hydro power to light a domestic building.

The house at Wallington is not quite so attractive, at least to me, but the walled garden is a real jewel. I have known it for years, but it seems to become more entrancing every time that I visit.

No visit to the North East of England should be without a trip to these places!

These few snaps show Wallington, I apologise in advance that I find it impossible to properly show the garden in a 2D photograph. You have to be there to enjoy it to the full.

First the house


Taken from the public road, this one is on sale at Alamy C4DN44 and will shortly be appearing on a calendar.


From the rear, showing cattle grazing. Taken from a public path, but not good enough to offer for sale!

The interior, no flash or tripods allowed, so only the advent of cameras that work well at an ISO speed of 1600 or above will adequately record what's on offer.


The glorious mural within the main hall, the original painting for the scene on the right is hanging within the Laing art gallery in Newcastle.



How the other half lived. My 24-105 lens shows considerable distortion at its widest setting, and, although  Canon's DPP program provides a fix, it comes at the cost of sacrificed sharpness.


The servants would have to hump the hot and then cold water back and forwards so that their betters could bath in comfort.


The knife cleaning machine within the kitchen.

That fabulous garden!





Canon 5D 24-70L and 5DII 24-105L and 70-200L lenses

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