Castles in the Air

Well perhaps near the Arun, if not in the air.

It was a gorgeous day again and though chilly, the sky was clear and it promised later warmth. We had the usual domestic start to a Thursday, but once Ocado had delivered we decided that we would make the most of the day with Ellie.

At this time of year, Arundel holds its Tulip Festival in the Castle gardens. As members of the Historic Houses Association, we get free entrance to the grounds so a few hours at the Castle only costs as much as the local car park.

We sat Ellie in her buggy and walked across the bridge and up to the Castle entrance. Then explaining to her what the Castle was we looped round through the outer grounds. To our right the mighty castle looked resplendent in the sunshine. Below, the manicured lawns were edged with droves of tulips and shrubs that were in full blossom. It really was a picture.

At the top of the route we entered the Earl's garden. This was enclosed and separated into various sections. Parterres, arched walkways, fountain displays, and at the centre a huge maze made of tulips. It really was a very beautiful sight.

We wandered round, examining the gardens from all angles. Ellie was really quite taken with is all. One of the areas that caught the eye was "planted" with huge weathered tree roots that looked like driftwood. The voids had been filled with soil and plants grew all over them. It was quite magical.

Leaving the Earl's garden we headed back round to the Castle itself. Parking the buggy we climbed the stairs up to the restaurant where we had a light lunch. The restaurant was heaving - clearly the nice day and the Easter holidays had brought people out in their droves. We managed to nab a table and had a quick bite before making our way back to the car and home. Ellie crashed out as soon as the engine started and then slept most of the rest of the afternoon.