Route: Dalemain from Dacre
Area: Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 7th June 2018
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.2 miles
Ascent: 400 feet
Weather: Sunshine and blue skies
Dalemain is one of our favourite gardens. We first visited over 20 years ago and have been back many times since. There’s a magical quality about the garden and a feeling that this is a space that is lived in and loved by its owners. The garden is well worth a visit in its own right, but another of its attractions is that there are several public footpaths in the vicinity which make it possible to plan a walk starting from the house. Today’s route would be a new one for us
We parked in the village hall car park in the unspoilt village of Dacre and followed a public footpath out of the village and past 14th century Dacre Castle, which is privately owned and rented out as a house. We descended towards Dacre Beck and followed a tree lined path which took us as straight as a arrow to Dalemain
We wandered around the wonderful gardens for a couple of hours, admiring in particular the Himalayan blue poppies, which were looking at their spectacular best. We then left the grounds via the entrance drive (there is no public right of way over Dacre Bridge), and after a short road section we entered West Park and walked across the fields aiming for a gate at far end of adjacent Langfield Wood
After rounding Flusco Hill we joined the quiet lane leading back into Dacre. It was very satisfying to combine a walk in idyllic countryside with a visit to a beautiful garden, and a morning well spent
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel in the garden before we set off for Dacre
Later that morning, we walk through the unspoilt village of Dacre
The sign above the door shows that this house was built in 1769
We leave the village to join the track to Dalemain
We pass by Dacre Castle, owned by the Hassell-McCosh family who also own Dalemain
The path descends towards Dacre Beck
The beck is on our right as we follow the dead straight track
Hundreds of oak trees line the way
Views towards Loudon Hill on our left...
...and now looking right over Dacre Beck
We arrive at the cobbled courtyard of Dalemain and The Great Barn, built in the 1500's
After passing through the entrance we walk past the front of the house...
Herbaceous border as we make our way along the terrace into the gardens...
View from the terrace
The Grecian Silver Fir, the biggest tree of its species in the British Isles, planted by Dorothea Hasell in the 1840s
Looking into the formal garden, which we'll visit on the way back - we're keen to see the Himalayan Blue Poppies in the lower garden which should be peaking about now...
...and they are - Meconopsis Grandis Dalemain, to give them their proper title
The River Eamont at the end of the garden
Iris Siberica
Sleeping dragon
We make our way back up to the formal garden...
View from the fountain
The Knot Garden
We leave the garden via the terrace - another wonderful visit to this place, but not the end of the walk
Looking back to Dalemain as we walk along the drive
After a very short road section we enter West Park, here looking towards Dacre Bridge
A walk in the park as we aim for the edge of Langfield Wood
Looking back to Dalemain
We climb Flusco Hill, from which there is a view of Dunmallard Hill. Ullswater is beyond, unseen from here...
We descend towards the lane back to Dacre
The remainder of the walk is along this quiet country lane through pristine countryside...
We arrive back in Dacre
A quick detour to admire ancient St Andrew's Church
Later that day, it was good to see the endangered spotted flycatcher in the garden again
