I had picked up a leaflet for Hawkstone folies last year, and was disappointed
to find it was closed at the time. This being half term then it was open and we
called in on or way to the lakes.
The idea was to go around the follies and
then pause for lunch before continuing our journey.
We parked in the car park and walked up the drive to the entrance building, before continuing along the road to the start of the walk.
The walk left the driveway at an open area and wound through the rhododendrons up the side of the hill
There were steps where the path grew steep, with views over tot eh sandstone cliffs.
The path became cut into the cliff as it worked around.
Arriving at a folly tower on the top of the ridge. Below is the castle (now a golf course club house)
Along the ridge in the arboretum, with attention seekers for the little ones.
There were numerous redwood trees, including this little grove.
The path came to the memorial tower to General Hill (second in command at Waterloo). The climb up this was 100 feet on a single spiral staircase - much jostling when meeting people going the other way!
Down the carriage way to the Swiss bridge - a narrow single plank over a gorge.
Then around under it
Before climbing the far side up to the caves and paths of Grotto hill.
I took the serpentine path through the tunnels and gorges
Then the final tunnel entrance to the grottos themselves.
These looked out along the length of the ridge we had come along.
Leaving the arch on the top and descending to the lower path back along the ridge.
Severla more shorter tunnels as the path wound along the bottom of the sandstone cliffs.
The path undulated as it went along.
Then came out at the start point.
We were now hungry - we should have taken the food with us
