I have a friend who's surname is Ripley, so I was already open to loving this place whatever it looked like. Luckily I was not disappointed, Ripley Castle is really beautiful. Our visit took place in July 2012 on the way back from staying the night at Lumley Castle. We were hoping for sun but it was a bit grey and cloudy. This did not, however, dampen our spirits.
It's in a stunning part of the country and the village contains lots of sweet little independent butchers and florists. We found a parking spot and went in.
Ripley castle is very much a 'house' castle, looking like a stately home. Apparently it's been like this since the 15th century.
As we were time limited we decided not to go inside, but instead to explore the grounds. There is a beautiful lake which we walked half way round. However, at this point quite heavy rain started so we had to hot foot it back to shelter.
One of my favourite elements of the castle was the walled garden with a whole variety of plants.
After admiring all the plants and flowers (Chloe took a shine to a rather unusual piece of tree bark) we went to have a nice slice of cake and drink in the tea rooms, to keep our energy up for the long drive that lay ahead of us.
Cost: Just over £10 for castle and gardens and £7 for the gardens on their own.
Hints and tips: I am sure the house is really lovely inside and well worth a look. Picnicing by the side of the lake would be a lovely way to spend an afternoon (minus the rain). As Ripley hosts weddings and things it may be worth checking whether it's free when you visit or you might be restricted in what you can see.
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