Restoration

A misty start, but soon turned into a warm sunny day.

We drove down the M1 to Barnsley, and the wonderful gardens of Wentworth Castle.
( Not really a castle, but a very grand house built in the 1700's.)

After many years of neglect the Victorian conservatory has been rescued and restored, and reopened in November last year. see here
The restoration cost 3.74 million pounds!
You may have seen it featured on the BBC2's programme "Restoration".
It came 3rd in the viewer's vote.
However by 2011 the money needed had been raised, with the help of funds from English Heritage, Heritage Lottery Fund. European Regional Development Fund, and individual donations.
It is a wonderful delicate structure as you can see in the collage, which also includes a shot of the deer in the parkland, and the Victorian Flower Garden.

A beautiful day for a walk round the gardens and parkland.
The birds singing louder than ever today, and so many different songs. (I just wish I knew what they all were.)
We did see thrushes, robins, blackbirds, wrens, chaffinches, blue tits, and pheasants, but there were other songs we didn't recognise, and the birds were well hidden, high up in the trees.

Another day when it's glad to be alive!