Walk Leader
John Rutherford
Capacity
10
Hardwick Hall, its gardens and extensive parkland are National Trust properties. The Hall is described as “One of England’s most perfect Elizabethan houses”. It was built towards the end of the reign of Elizabeth 1st by Bess of Hardwick. Around the Hall there are large formal gardens, a stumpery, beautiful tree-lined walks through the park, the Great Pond and six smaller ponds situated in Woodland. There is, therefore, a good range of photographic opportunities for example; landscape with the leading lines of trees, hedges and drives, garden scapes with the hall as a backdrop, plant ‘portraits’ and close-ups in the formal gardens, macro in the stumpery, atmospheric long-exposure shots around the ponds and many more of your own making. I promised the wardens that we wouldn’t impede the flow of visitors by ‘clumping’ as a group with our tripods. After a brief introduction, you may spread out and go where you choose. You will have maps and specific times and places for meeting in order to refresh, review and swap stories. The pace of the day will be conducive to unhurried photography.
Walk Location
53.172403495967, -1.30832045
Walk Directions
The Hall is very close to Junction 29 on the M1
There is a large car park for the Hall and gardens. From here it is a short walk to the admission office and then to the café.
We will meet outside the café at 10.30am.
The post code for the Hall is S44 5QJ and this will take you to the long drive which leads up to the car park. It is well signposted.
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Admission
The car park is free.
Admission to the Hall, gardens and park is free to National Trust members (don’t forget your membership card).
For non-members admission is £19.00 for an adult (no concessions nor reduction for gardens only).
Accessibility
The main gardens and park are flat with well-made paths and drives.
The path to the ponds is down a fairly steep slope but, unless you particularly want to walk down it, we can drive to the ponds where there is a good car park. There are parking payment machines here, but members can use their cards for free parking. If you are not a member, ask someone who is for a lift there and back. It is a very short journey.
Wherever we are, we are never far from toilets and a café. You may, of course, choose to bring your own snacks or packed lunches and there is a large picnic area with tables where you can enjoy these.
Near the café, there are shelters where we can keep dry during a shower.
If there is persistent rain with little chance of good and comfortable photography, the visit will be cancelled or re-scheduled. I will aim to give you at least 24 hours notice of this.
Feedback Meeting Type
Decide At Walk
Feedback Talk Date and Time