View of Holker from the garden

Holker Hall & Gardens: A Heritage Day Out | Family & Dog-Friendly Adventure Guide

Published on by Mélodie

Looking for a stately day out where the kids can roam and the dog is truly welcome? Holker Hall & Gardens is a hidden Cumbrian gem that perfectly balances royal elegance with family adventure. From the magnificent Great Lime tree to the wild deer park and award-winning gardens, this historic estate offers a peaceful escape with plenty of space for little explorers (and four-legged friends) to discover.

Holker Hall and Gardens has been on my list of places to visit in Cumbria for a while now. It is finally at the end of July that we decided to visit it with Matt’s family. I have to say that everyone loved that day out.

Read more – Visit of Hutton in the Forest hall and garden

Holker garden
Entering the garden

Holker Hall and Gardens is situated near the villages of Holker and Cark in the South of the Lake District National Park. It is a family home that belongs to Lucy Cavendish & Tor McLaren, as such only a part of the Hall can be visited. We started our visit with the visit of the garden.

Read more – Visit of Muncaster Castle

Elliptical garden, Holker garden, Cumbria
Elliptical garden

The garden is composed of several areas that are all stunning. We went first through the elliptical, summer and sunken gardens to discover their geometric forms full of flowers and plants. Then the path led us to the cascade and the statue of Neptune. From there we had a great view over Holker estate. We continued walking through a little wood before reaching the meadow and the sundial sculpture, where we could see some deers in the distant fields. We ended our visit of the garden by a little play of hide and seek in the labyrinth.

Read more – Visit of Mirehouse garden

Cascade, Holker garden, Cumbria
Cascade

As it was time for lunch, we walked back towards the courtyard where we found the restaurant. The service was fast and waiters were very welcoming. The food was good, with a great selection of different dishes and reasonably priced. During the afternoon we split into two groups as dogs are not allowed inside the hall. So whilst one group was visiting the hall, the other group went to the outdoor playground area with Marcus and Skye.

Read more – Visit of Lowther Castle

Holker Hall history starts at the beginning of the 16th century. The Hall first belonged to the Preston family, it was then passed to the Lowther by inheritance before being given to the Cavendish family. The downstair is composed of the library, drawing room, billard room, dining room , main hall and staircase. On the first floor, there are all the bedrooms and the gallery. The hall is well conserved and full of paintings and old furniture. The rooms I loved the most was the library (as usual when I visit this kind of properties), the billard room and the impressive staircase with its limestone arch.

We ended the day with a quick stop in their gift shop that is full of local and handmade products.

Holker hall
Hall in the distance
View of Holker from the garden

Information to visit Holker Hall and Garden:

  • Holker Hall and Garden website;
  • Fees apply to visit;
  • Discount available for holder of the My Cumbria card;
  • Dog friendly (everywhere except inside the hall);
  • Most paths are pushchair friendly (not inside the hall);
  • Free car park with picnic table and big space to park motorhome;
  • On-site restaurant, children playground, shop and toilet.

Final Thoughts

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22 thoughts on “Holker Hall & Gardens: A Heritage Day Out | Family & Dog-Friendly Adventure Guide”

  10. I can easily see why you were so eager to visit Holker Hall and Gardens – they look so beautiful and inviting. I love how the house offers a sense of the past, with beautiful rooms containing antiques and period furniture. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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