Wray Castle

The start of our week's holiday in the Lakes and after a bacon butty, we headed to Wray for a familiar walk starting at the castle. Despite appearances, the 'castle' isn't medieval, it was built in the Victorian era for a wealthy Liverpool surgeon.

It is now owned by the National Trust and is currently used as a training centre, although there are currently plans to redevelop the castle and grounds as a high quality hotel.

Some of the views across the castle grounds are outstanding across Lake Windermere towards Ambleside and the fells beyond, so the new hotel promises to be something special. Our walk headed away from the castle, past the little-known Belham Tarn, to the tiny village of Outgate, where we stopped for refreshments at the Outgate Inn.

The way back took us round the other side of the tarn, then up to High Wray before making our way back via the shore of Lake Windermere