A couple of weekends past, my friend Sophie and I went on a photo outing at Gibside,  a country estate, set amongst the peaks and slopes of the Derwent Valley.  Previously owned by the Bowes-Lyon family. It is now a National Trust property. The main house on the estate is now a shell, although the property is most famous for its chapel. The stables, walled garden and Banqueting House are also intact.  It is also the childhood home of Mary Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne (24 February 1749 – 28 April 1800), known as “The Unhappy Countess”, who was an 18th-century British heiress, notorious for her licentious lifestyle, who was married at one time to the 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. She and the Earl are ancestors of Queen Elizabeth 2nd. Well worth a click through to Mary, she was a bit of a girl, especially if you are a Downton Abbey Fan, fact being more gobsmacking than fiction.  Anyway here are some of my shots of our day there.

The Chapel.

The Avenue of Oaktrees leading way from, or to, the chapel

Has to be done 🙂

The Orangery

Every so often the conservation team at Gibside catch the visiting birds and monitor their numbers, health, weight and sex.

A walk in the grounds

The view across the Derwent Valley

My favourite part, The Banqueting Hall & The Octagonal Pond.

You can rent the Banqueting Hall for a romantic weekend… it’s on my bucket list 🙂