I am a bit of a gadget addict I am afraid and rush to try new products, I am a full time GP working ...
I am a bit of a gadget addict I am afraid and rush to try new products, I am a full time GP working and living in Northern Ireland.
I am owned by four dogs and a wife! and 2 budgies and also a few sheep! and now a miniature donkey! (27/12/06)
Member since:29.07.2006
Reviews:25
Members who trust:3
Whilst in North Yorkshire last week we decided to visit this attraction as we have previously omitted visiting it on other occasions, so we drove up to the gate in our car and simultaneously gasped at the £12.50 entry each! (this is for a freedom ticket which allows you access to all areas, house and grounds). We decided as we really wanted to see the house we would just swallow hard and pay up for the entry. (£25 cash)
A nice touch at the gate is that if you allow the charity to reclaim tax on your behalf then the charity will reward you with vouchers to the value of £6 to be used in the canteens or the gift shop!
We drove up the long entrance and admired the lovely landscape, turned a corner and there it was, Harewood house in all of its glory on a beautiful sunny September afternoon, absolutely enchanting and stunning. We quickly parked and went straight to the main house, our mouths salivating for the experience promising to be found inside the building and we werent to be disappointed.
We opted for the personal audio guide rather than the guided tour and started off walking in a clockwise tour of the house. Lord Harewood talks you through each room and explains the finer details of the rooms and the history of every piece of furniture in the place as well as drawing your attention to small details that you may otherwise miss if you were on your own, you can get further details on the art work in each room by pressing optional buttons on the audio guide.
Each room is fascinating but the restored four poster bed along with the old masters in the gallery were the high spots for me as well as the personal photos of various royals distributed throughout the place. I sat and marvelled at the El Greco above the fireplace for over 30 minutes as well as many other lovely pictures in the gallery, sadly eventually getting up to continue the tour.
The downstairs exhibition of the servants' quarters is equally fascinating and although less in scale/grandour than upstairs it was nevertheless as engaging. The memorabalia was fascinating and I was intrigued to study the contents of the cabinets which give a vivid insight into the running of a large country house all those years ago!
Next the gardens and the flowers! Just look at the photos below and you will be pleasantly suprised by the beauty of the place!
We then went down to the bird garden and spent a lovely 2 hours enchanted by the over 100 species of rare birds kept on the estate and had a very welcome cup of coffee in the recently restored restaurant complex.
We didnt have time to explore the Asian gardens and look forward to returning again to see their delights.
For poor mobility patrons, there is an internal bus system around the estate with "bus stops" scattered around the public areas so that all areas are accessible. There are play ares for the children, ice cream booths, a large car park, lovely vists and views everywhere, a well stocked gift shop and a well stocked restaurant with a good variety of delicacies.
All in all was £12.50 well spent? We both agreed it was value for money and would encourage others to visit despite the entrance fee. As previously stated, younger patrons may find the house a bit heavy going and it probably is an adults treat to admire the sumptious nature of this property.
If you want to make full use of your pass, arrive early as there is enough to keep you occupied for many hours.
Pictures of Harewood House (Leeds)
Harewood Outside
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