zondag 1 november 2015

Serendipity




































It was one of those dreary summer days with grey skies and continuous downpour. Days like this are never what you wish for, especially when on holiday.

The girls and I were staying in a cottage in the Peak District. After a morning walking around Bakewell, having seen all the shops, several cafés and being thoroughly cold and wet, we were at a loss what to do next. An afternoon of board games did not really appeal to me, but with no better alternative, it had to do. When heading home by car, we came upon a sign along the road with the words 'Haddon Hall'. I could remember reading something about it and I had seen some photo's, but I did not write it down as a 'must see'. As the girls were keen to check it out and the alternative wasn't one of my favourite. We gave it a go.

How wrong I had been not to put it on my list. The castle is one of the most enchanting places the girls and I visited. It's situated on a hill with a view of the river Wye, and so very romantic. The medieval house has remained virtually unchanged since the reign of Henry the eight and has some of the finest untouched interiors. You can see the long gallery in one of my photo's. The light there is really exceptional.

To me best of all are the 17th century terraced gardens overlooking the river. The exterior walls are adorned with climbing roses and there are colourful borders. Although the rain kept on falling, the place looked magical with a hazy mist hovering over the gardens and the river. To make our day ever more special: my youngest daughter found a four leaf clover. Just what we needed :-)

If you would like to visit Haddon Hall, please  have a look at their website.

Have a lovely week!

Madelief x














47 opmerkingen:

  1. Amazing! I love castles and I wish we had at least one here were I live!
    Hugs

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  2. Wowwww wat mooi daar Desiree prachtig heerlijk om dit met je dochters samen te doen...liefs finne week van mij...x

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  3. I am always amazed at the antiquity of not just England, but Europe in general. I loved seeing this old castle and want to go there, too. I keep hoping. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Lieve Madelief,

    Wat gaaf dat deze prachtlokatie onverwacht op jullie pad kwam. Dan is het dubbel genieten wanneer het iets heel bijzonders en moois blijkt te zijn. Ik hoop dat het klavertje vier jullie allemaal veel geluk gaat brengen...dat wens ik jullie in ieder geval van harte toe.

    Ik wens je een hele fijne week...wat hebben we mooie herfstdagen gehad hè!

    Veel liefs, Ingrid

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  5. It is really impressive!! What a luck you visited it.
    LG
    Tinka

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  6. Lieve Madelief.
    Wat is Engeland toch mooi he. Hier weer zo,n prachtig kasteel en die tuinen zijn zo wondermooi. Prachtige foto's zijn vanzelfsprekend bij jou.
    Lieve groet van Riet

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  7. Prachtig, maar goed dat je dat bordje tegen kwam.
    En ik zet hem ook op mijn lijstje hoor.

    Liefs lia

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  8. Madelief, no matter what the weather, and I MEAN THIS.....you always capture LIGHT and beauty. Each one of these frames is brilliant with grey and color. Both exist together and you celebrate it. I LOVE IT! Happy days, Anita

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  9. What wonderful serendipity to find this magical place by accident! Your photos are magnificent.. and I thank you so much for sharing that amazing history with me as I will never get to see it myself. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  10. It is very beautiful......love all your photos of it.
    Thanks for taking us along with you and your girls.
    Have a good week!
    Carolyn

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  11. This castle is one that I've been wanting to see for quite a few years. And now, thanks to this post, Madelief, I've gotten another boost to my travel wishes. Many thanks. I think that you all made a cloudy, perhaps even moist, day into a day of beauty.

    xo

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  12. Those moments of serendipity often provide the best memories. What a beautiful place. I'll add it to my list of places to see when I get to England.

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  13. Zoiets als een gelukje bij een ongelukje!
    Wat een prachtig kasteel en wat een mooie foto's heb je ervan gemaakt.

    Liefs, gerry

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  14. Hoi Madelief,
    Wat een juweeltje zeg. Ik ga die zeker opslaan, want wij zijn echt niet voor het laatst in deze regio geweest. Prachtige foto's hoor van een heel mooi kasteel. Die galerij... prachtig.
    En de tuinen, om uren in te dwalen. Jammer van de regen, maar dat mocht duidelijk de pret niet drukken.
    Fijne avond,
    Liefs,
    Mirjam

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  15. You were lucky to make a last minute decision to visit here! It looks so beautiful and it is nice to be transported back to summer for a few moments! Sarah x

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  16. Zo mooi die zomerfoto's van Haddon Hall. Hier zijn wij nog niet geweest, maar ik hoop nog heel veel keren in Engeland te komen, dus heb ik dit juweeltje genoteerd.
    Groetjes, Janneke

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  17. Dear Madelief, the best experiences are sometimes the unplanned ones I find! What a beautiful place, I really do need to visit the Peak District. So glad you and your girls got to enjoy it all. The gardens look wonderful too. Wishing you a lovely week. Sharon

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  18. I must go thank you so much for stumbling across this rather lovely treasure, I would like to see it with a frosty mist over the fields I think xxx
    Have a lovely week too Madelief xx
    Nice memories xx
    Hugs Lynn x

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  19. What a fantastic place, Madelief. Beautiful photos.
    Hugs

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  20. What a fantastic place, Madelief. Beautiful photos.
    Hugs

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  21. What a beautiful castle, impossibly Romantic with all those roses and flowers.

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  22. hello
    il n'y a qu'en Angleterre que l'on voit des châteaux aussi romantique avec leur si beau jardin
    le mélange de toutes ces petites fleurs si simples
    comme la toute petite fleur rose que l'on nomme chez nous " le souci du peintre "
    vraiment une belle visite
    digne d'un roi
    bonne journée
    et gros gros bisous

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  23. I haven't made it to Haddon Hall yet, Madelief, but it looks great. Even on a dull day, you fill your images with colour - it is a gift!

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  24. Wat lekker om even in de zomerse sfeer te duiken. Al was het weer dan niet al te best, de bloemen zijn zo heerlijk om naar te kijken. Helemaal nu het herfst wordt. Goede tip, ik schrojf het op. Groetjes, Hetty

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  25. Yes, I've heard of this picturesque place but sadly never visited. Your pix are so lovely Madelief - the colors beautiful despite the clouds, mist in the distance, and the typical English rain!
    Glad you found Haddon Hall and obviously you and the girls enjoyed the day after all!

    Mary -

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  26. Your photos are wonderful, Madelief, and I love english castles !
    Thank you to share them here !
    Nice evening !
    Hugs

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  27. Dearest Madelief,
    How blessed you all were and not ONLY by rain! That was a truly romantic spot and with those climbing roses it looked heavenly!
    Your photos are stunning, as always. What a bonus find and with this you certainly can tip many others!
    Sending you hugs,
    Mariette

    PS You now can see the completed work, hopefully the very last heavy job for Pieter! {Retaining Wall got CURVE}

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  28. It is beautiful. The gardens are spectacular. How I would have loved walking here with you. So happy you stumbled upon it.

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  29. Your Photographs are stunning and really do make me want to 'live' in such a romantic castle.
    It reminds me a little of Dunster Castle, here in the UK, where every Christmas the village holds a candlelight evening which is magical.
    Frances x

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  30. Such beautiful pictures! Love your blog! Hope you don't mind me putting a link to your blog on mine?

    Have a nice day!

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    Reacties
    1. Not at all! I feel honoured! Have a good week!

      Madelief x

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  31. I visited Haddon Hall as a child and it made a huge impression on me, and has haunted me ever since. To me, it is perfect and I long to visit again. So pleased you decided to visit and enjoyed it so much too, Madelief!

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  32. I'm so glad I found your lovely blog, Madelief. What a gorgeous place.
    Amalia
    xo

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  33. Some lovely photo's of this beautiful place, thank you for sharing.

    All the best Jan

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  34. Some lovely photo's of this beautiful place, thank you for sharing.

    All the best Jan

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  35. What a lovely place and so special for being a surprise for you and the girls. So wonderful to find the 4 leaf clover, too! It always brightens my day to visit your lovely blog. Hugs xo Karen

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  36. I have so enjoyed reading about your trip to Hadden Hall and seeing your gorgeous pictures of it! I know just how you must have felt after that cold wet miserable morning, and am so glad the day was rescued for you and your daughters after all! How beautiful the gardens looked!
    Happy almost weekend, Madelief!
    Helen xox

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  37. Your beautiful photos have brought back Summer, but your instagram photos of the trees colours are wonderful, especially today as we have had rain for 3 days, wishing you a lovely weekend.x

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  38. Your beautiful photos have brought back Summer, but your instagram photos of the trees colours are wonderful, especially today as we have had rain for 3 days, wishing you a lovely weekend.x

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  39. Dearest Madelief,
    may be the weather wasn't what you wished in your holidays, but your photos of this day are so brilliant and wonderful - all the clear colors and pretty flowers (which need all British sky-whater they can get ;o))!
    How fortunate that random and bad weather led you to this place full of history and beauty! If I ever get there I will (thanks to you!) put it on my list :o))
    Lots of hugs, my dear, and thank you for this great excursion!
    Traude
    http://rostrose.blogspot.co.at/2015/11/fair-play-teil-3-frau-r-versucht-ein.html

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  40. Dank je wel voor je leuke informatieve post, heb het adresje genoteerd.
    Marieke.

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  41. Ooooo! I was going to stop commenting - just read on - but, when I opened up this post, I gasped! Now, I'm (figuratively) clasping my hands together in absolute delight at your adventure!!!!!! I LOVE this and how it unfolded!!!!! :D <3

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Thank you for your lovely words.