Route: Muncaster Castle
Area: Southern Lake District
Date of walk: 15th May 2024
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 3.5 miles
Ascent: 250 feet
Weather: Cloudy
Muncaster Castle is privately owned and occupies a wonderful position above the River Esk, just a mile from the west coast. The castle gardens extend to 77 acres and are best seen in May, when the rhododendrons and azaleas are ablaze with colour. There’s enough interest here to occupy a full day, including flying displays featuring owls and birds of prey
We parked in the main car park and followed Main Drive towards the castle, diverting after a while to walk along the Enchanted Trail. The huge rhododedrons and azaleas were at their peak and were a dazzling sight
After passing by Muncaster Castle we set off along the Long Terrace Walk, which stretches for half a mile and was described by John Ruskin as the ‘Gateway to Paradise’. The terrace was laid out by the 1st Lord Muncaster in the 1780’s and offers views of the Scafells and many of the western fells. We returned to the castle via the Japanese garden and made our way over to the Bluebell Wood. We expected that we’d be too late to see the flowers at their best and we were right, but we enjoyed a good woodland ramble along Top Ride and back via Middle Ride (known as the Waberthwaite Crag Walk)
The next highlight was the Sino-Himalayan Trail, so called because the climate at Muncaster is equivalent to that found at 11,000 feet in the Himalayan area, so that plants from the high mountains flourish here, including camellia and rhododendron. This ended another visit to these wonderful gardens
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
I haven’t included the usual route map, as a map of the grounds is given out at the entrance. This is a place to wander around at will rather than following a set route. Click on the icon below icon for a map showing the location of Muncaster Castle
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Entrance to Muncaster Castle
Beyond the ticket office we walk along Main Drive, lined with rhododendrons and azaleas at their peak...
We leave Main Drive to follow the Enchanted Trail, which rejoins the drive a little further along
We arrive back at Main Drive
We pass by the dragonfly pond...
Bug hotel near the castle, which was buzzing with solitary bees
We pass by Muncaster Castle and set off along South Terrace
South Terrace
Looking back to Muncaster Castle
Mary Bragg's Summerhouse, named after a young girl murdered in the early 1800s on the road near the Main Gate. Her ghost supposedly haunts the Muncaster area and is known as the 'Muncaster Boggle' or White Lady
Views across to the fells beyond the River Esk
At the end of the Terrace Walk the path returns to the castle via the Japanese Garden...
We pass by Muncaster Parish Church
Wildlife pond near the church
The front lawns of Muncaster Castle...
Stainton Tower, which is believed to have been built as a sighting point for boats entering Ravenglass Estuary.
We walk through the Upper Sino Himalayan garden to seek out the Bluebell Wood, more in hope than expectation
The bluebells had recently gone over but we enjoyed a pleasant woodland stroll along the Waberthwaite Crag walk...
We headed back towards the castle via Middle Ride...
We returned to the Main Drive and retraced our steps back to the start
It had been a wonderful walk thanks to the stars of the show today, the rhododendrons and azaleas of Muncaster Castle Gardens...
A couple of days later, dawn mist around Crummock Water and Buttermere
