Calke Abbey and gardens...

...over-delivered today...

An uninspiring morning - grey and wet - but we headed out on a mission to Calke Abbey, on the basis that there was lots to see undercover. 

The waterproofs worked their magic again, as apart from a spot of drizzle as we arrived the rain stayed away, and we even had some sunshine in the beautiful gardens. We also explored the orangery, and the tunnel from the house to the brewery ( extras ).

The interior is partly renovated and partly left just as it was when the National Trust took it over from the Harpur Crewe family - it's an interesting mix. Apparently some of the rooms were so damp they could strip off the wallpaper and clean it up, dry off the walls and re-hang the original covering! 

It rained heavily just as we arrived back at our cottage...