The chance to join a Gardening Club outing to a National Gardens Scheme Open Day at Muncaster Mill.

I'm not the greatest gardener but this is chance to meet with friends from this valley and to go and see a building and gardens that I've occasionally passed and admired from a distance.

Do join us on a more close-up visit to Muncaster Mill.

The National Garden Scheme is chance for people to throw their gardens open for others to view

and to use the entrance money to raise funds for local good causes.

Today we are a party of about a dozen or so who travelled down from Loweswater and Lorton for this pre-arranged visit.

Muncaster Mill sits alongside the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway (La'al Ratti) and even has its own station.

We were welcomed by the owners, Christine (and Robert) Hoye-Turner and directed through to the garden to start our visit.

The enclosed walkway between the two buildings turns out to be first floor access between the mill and the grain store.

The water leat that would have driven the mill is elsewhere.

It was accurate today . . . hanging dry and lifeless under the canopy . . . signifying a period of dry weather with no wind !

Christine gathered the group together in the shade of one of the larger trees to explain the history of the Mill and the gardens.

They baught the property in 2003 and have spent the intervening years in first recovering and then improving the garden, here alongside the River Mite.

- - - o o o - - -   The main garden is approximately two acres, and they also own a further 135 acres of woodland on the Muncaster fell side next to the mill.     The gardens were found to contain the remains of an old trout farm, that was dug but never commercially used, as the owners at that time couldn't get a licence to raise non-native trout so close to a known trout and salmon river.   Significant landscaping over the years has left them with five delightful ponds full of flowers, water plants, insect and other wildlife.   - - - o o o - - -

Christine's introduction noted . . .

" In spring there is a vast show of bulbs, followed by shrubs such as Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Rambling Roses and then Hydrangeas.
All supported with seasonal perennials. This is not an immaculate garden but none the less, lovely for that. "

She also mentioned that the ponds have to be cleared of weed occasionally. Hope the weed doesn't grow as fast as mine seems to !

It was certainly looking beautiful in the sunshine today.

The garden is in places, similar to mine but so much bigger. Their ponds are still water as opposed to mine which have a stream running through.

The effort they must put in to maintain such a large area must be tremendous. Full marks !

At the top end of the main garden, beyond the fence line is a paddock where they have planted new trees and cut paths in the grass for access.

Did I say that La'al Ratti Railway passes alongside ?

- - - - o o o - - -

On a summer day like this we saw several trains pass up and down the line, each full of people.

This was "The River Mite" loco hauling a down train back to Ravenglass.

Across the top of the garden is the water leat that was dug to carry water to power the mill.

You can just see a sluice gate up there, above the ox-eye daisies and foxgloves.

Not much water running to day, in fact a summer water supply was traditionally a problem for the mill.

It draws water from the River Mite about a mile upstream and the leat is often in need of clearing.

The water chutes, the larger one taking the main supply. the side one the overflow, used when the mill was not operational.

It is Christine and Robert's intentions to get the mill working again at some point, but at present the mill floor is unsafe for visitors and the mechanism needs work.

They have enquired after an expert to do the required renovations but there's a long lead time for such people, in what is a very specialist trade.

Down below the mill buildings is the exit pond where the water leaves the garden and re-enters the river.

The Mite is tidal at this point and extreme high tides occasionally cause problems for the owners as some parts of the garden may flood.

- - - o o o - - -

As our garden visit drew to a close, we adjourned to the yard next to the mill for a delightful cup of tea and perhaps a cake (or two).

Chance to watch the trains go by as we relax under the shade of an outdoor covered area.

Even the smaller size of the narrow gauge engines is impressive when you're this close.

One final question that was asked was where all the multitude of plants came from ?

The answer was that they bought the ones they liked over the years, when they found them at a sensible prices, then just provide the right conditions for them to thrive.

Often they split the root balls of overcrowded flowers and so ended up with new plants for different locations, but sometimes the plants just spread there of their own accord.

If I remember rightly they also swap excess plants with friends and neighbours locally, which keeps the cost down as well.

With the specialist trees, these were obviously obtained commercially so as to match their long term plans for the garden, paddock and woodland.

The overall effect today was certainly wonderful.

- - - o o o - - -

Time moves on and we must leave the Herons to guard over this lovely garden as we express our thanks and make our goodbyes.

- - - o o o - - -

- - - o o o - - -   It's now mid July and the delay in posting photos is the same reason as usual . . . I've been busy !     This is Loes's son in law Peter, who entered Dougal in the Ryedale Dog Rescue fun dog show at the Malton Cricket Ground near York.   I entered him in the "Over 7yr old's Class" without success but Dougal's rosette was awarded for 2nd in the "Likeable Lads" class.     - - - o o o - - -

Back in Cockermouth last weekend it was time for "Cockermouth Live"

This was the cheerful group Blast Furness, a long established and colourful street band from Ulverston, performing here in Cockermouth's Market Street.

. . . and this was Drum Nation in the Cockermouth Castle Grounds . . . "full on drum beats, by the people, for the people" . . . can't argue with that, it was brilliant !

They are Cumbria’s largest samba drumming collective with bands in Kendal, Ulverston, Penrith and Cockermouth.

With Loes away in Harewood again, what little I saw of the festival on Saturday afternoon was certainly impressive.