This is the third time I've been to this magical park, but this time I had to do it alone, as my SuperDean was unwell.
It was a bit of a palava to get to, as TFL trains were not running. I had to take a bus to Gants Hill, take the Central Line to Bank, then the Waterloo and City line to Waterloo (incidentally, this was the first time I'd ever used this line and I was very impressed- the one-stop-only journey took three minutes- wow!), the train from Waterloo to Cobham Stoke d'Arbernon and then a 2.6 mile walk at the other end. I don't exactly hang around, and flattened the walk in thirty minutes.
The day was sunny, but a very chilly 1 degree Celsius. Brrr!
Just to re-cap on the history...
Painshill 18th century landscape garden was created between 1738 and 1773, by the Hon. Charles Hamilton. Born in Dublin in 1704, Hamilton, the ninth son and 14th child of the Sixth Earl of Abercorn, embarked on two Grand Tours across Europe before acquiring the land at Painshill. With ancient artefacts in his luggage and Italian romance and natural beauty in his head – along with exotic plants seen on his tours – his vision was to create ‘living paintings’ in a new style of magical garden.
Inspired by Renaissance art and his Grand Tours, Hamilton went on to create a sequence of breathtaking and surprising vistas at Painshill. The landscapes form living works of art into which Hamilton placed follies for dramatic effect... (Source:- Painshill website).
As I've traversed the park before, I was able to relax and take time chilling out, admiring the scenery. Here is my pictorial journey.
The town of Cobham is almost picture postcard attractive- here is Cobham Mill...
And a couple of River Mole bankside views...
The beginning of Painshill's trail, and the vineyard...
The stunning Gothic Temple. It's my favourite Painshill folly.
The sweeping view from the temple. The Turkish Tent seems far, far away!
The temple floor and ceiling...
Me in the temple. Okay, I confess- this was taken during my previous trip!
The view back to the Sabine Statue...
The sun reflected on the water...
The Giant Cedar...
Grotto Island, with sunshine diamonds...
The grotto entrance...
Sunshine reflected onto the pooling water outside...
The inside of the grotto is crafted using crystals of calcite, gypsum, quartz, fluorite and other minerals and stones. It's the first time I've seen it lit up by sunlight and it was magnificent- if very, very cold.
The main grotto chamber...
Grotto pool...
Clear water, across to the Gothic Temple...
The Chinese Bridge...
The Woollett Bridge...
The Five-Arch Bridge...
In the shady areas, ice was clearly visible on the water...
The Turkish Tent...
The Temple of Bacchus restoration project is almost complete...
The Gothic Tower was open, the skies were clear and, from the top, I believe I could make out The Shard, miles away in London...
Tower views down...
The tower banshee!
I sat in the Turkish Tent and took this photo...
The Five-Arch Bridge...
The moon was up!
The grotto...
The sun on the water, and in the reeds...
The Gothic Temple... again!
The site of the Pump Engine...
The Ice House...
The Great Cedar...
The side of the lake, from the accessible trail...
I then skidaddled, as I'd seen as much as I could, had enjoyed photographing some of the scenery panoramas, was very cold and needed to begin the long-enough journey home.
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