Picnic in the British Countryside

Perspective is everything.

If Sizergh Castle allowed picnics at the most perfect spot as we'd envisioned, it probably would have been less like a Jane Austen scene from Emma than a field crowded with blankets of other selfie-taking travelers, many handling their garbage carelessly.

The National Trust ban on picnics within its gates prevents wind-blown wrappers and baggies from polluting its lovely lake, where Julie suggested we walk following what turned out to be a very long horticultural tour of the garden on a particularly warm, sunny day for northern England.

Getting to the grassy area on the other side of the lake for the ideal view of Sizergh Castle proved to be just difficult enough to discourage it from being overrun by tourists.  With less than a dozen others there, Julie and I were able to enjoy the splendor of the view.

We wished the others could have seen the gorgeous views, but after an extended time exploring the manor house and gardens, our family was hungry and ready for their picnic.

The bounty of gourmet cheeses, artisan breads and fresh fruits and vegetables provided generously by Gina and Libby found many takers, some bending their diet rules since the only common ground in our group's diets seems to be fresh produce.

It all tasted as great as it looked.  I find it hard to beat an outdoor meal of cheese and bread, like what I personally imagine impressionist painters enjoying on such a glorious day.

We found a picnic table just beyond the fence behind which sheep grazed in the bucolic meadow.

The photos of the ladies in their flawless summer dresses turned out beautiful.

They'll probably start an internet buzz that will have Sizergh's picnic tables overrun by the time I've posted this blog read by millions...or at least glanced at by a couple of people besides me.

After our picnic, we headed to The Strickland Arms, a lovely historic pub located in what had long ago been the gatehouse for Sizergh Castle.

Jay and I drove our cars, but most everyone else walked the half mile from our picnic spot.  It turned out there were picnic tables outside there, which Jay had spotted while arriving and suggested as a good spot for our picnic, as it has outdoor tables.

We enjoyed a round of great ales, and in reading about The Strickland Arms after the fact, it turns out this Free House Pub (not exclusively affiliated with a single brewery) is recommended by both the prestigious Michelin Pub Guide and Good Pub Guide.

The fact that it has surprisingly modest pricing made us wish we had planned on spending more time there.  We failed to snap any photos, so I lifted a few from their website, where you can find many other photos.

Of course, I still need to cover our actual time within Sizergh Castle itself, including some Strickland Family history that was confirmed by the knowledgeable tour guides, which I'll share next time.

As mentioned before, a picturesque picnic was a big item on Amy's to-do list for her limited time in the Lake District, so I thought it deserved a separate post beyond my long-winded rant about institutional policies altering the best laid plans.