Dyrham Park

We started the day with blue skies and sunshine but that didn’t last. We knew the forecast was for rain by lunchtime but we had a timed booking ticket for 10.30 am at Dyrham Park, Gloucestershire (Nat Trust.)
We got there a little early but no problem and avoided the recommended 50 minute walk around the outskirts of the park  (to see the deer) before descending to the house.
We cut across the extensive parkland to the wooded Terraces above the formal garden. Eda loves running up and down the hills.
We didn’t see the deer but a small fox crossed our path.

They are working to create a 21st century garden echoing the past, inspired by a 17th century engraving of Dyrham Park. Work continues on the house too but of course it wasn’t open today.

We managed over an hour of parkland walking before heading to the courtyard for coffee with only a hint of rain. We just finished before the rain arrived in earnest. Chris and Eda  retreated to a sheltered archway whilst I spent 10 minutes in the shop.
There was nothing for it then but to walk up the steep main drive back to the car park in the wet.

The house is set in a hollow with hills all around. I’ve been catching up on Sanditon, based on Jane Austin‘s unfinished novel, which I missed the first time of showing and although I haven’t checked I think it looks very much like the house you occasionally get glimpses of as Sanditon House, the home of Lady Denham, wonderfully played by Anne Reid.

When I visited before, deer (fallow) were just casually sitting alongside the main drive but they were sensibly hiding from the rain today. We could see them in the distance sheltering under the trees.

It rained all afternoon quite heavily so I think we did reasonable well with our visit. It’s stopped now and brightened up.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring!

No one son’s birthday today, Happy Birthday Alex.


(Just checked and Dyrham Park was used for Sanditon House with many of the other locations being filmed in Somerset not Sussex as the novel suggests)