Acorn Bank is a National Trust property not far from Penrith. Sarah and I are taking a short break and visiting family and friends in Scotland. We decided to pay Acorn Bank a visit to break up the journey on our way to our first stop – Ladybank.

National Trust describes Acorn Bank as ‘an idyllic and peaceful oasis’, so we thought we would find out if this was the case for ourselves.

It was a fine sunny morning as we began by looking around the well garden.

This contains a small pond which is the home to crested newts.

Some steps then took us up to the orchard.

Here there were a variety of fruits and salad crops, as well as different varieties of local apple trees.

Acorn Bank however, is best known for its herb garden. The guide says that it contains more than 300 varieties of medicinal and culinary herbs.

It was certainly impressive. And a tranquil garden to wander around.

  

Of course, no visit to a National Trust property is complete without tea and cake. We duly obliged ☺.

  

After lunch we went for a riverside walk along the Crowdundle Beck. Sarah says this was a walk through faery woods –  and below are some photos showing why.

At the end of the walk is a restored watermill.

We then returned to the house. It has a history dating back to the thirteenth century and the Knights Templar.

More recently it was owned by the Yorkshire writer Dorothy Una Ratcliffe and her husband. And then after being bequeathed to the National Trust leased to the Sue Ryder Foundation. Unusually for National Trust properties the house was almost bare of furniture as renovation work continues.

  

  

  

Finally, it was time to move on. Acorn Bank had however been that idyllic and peaceful oasis it had promised. A place well worth a visit when visiting the North Lakes.