Orchards
Winderwath
Private garden open to the public. Includes an old orchard to one side of the garden.

Winderwath Gardens may be one of the lesser known gardens in Cumbria as it is essentially a plantsman’s garden rather than a tourist day out (no café gives you a clue). It is privately owned by Jane Pollock, but well established as her parents planted much of the 4½ acres which specialise in alpines and Himalayan plants along with specimen trees.

Her mother planted the orchard 40-50yrs ago. The rootstocks are unknown but probably either M2 or seedling. The trees are grown as bushes, and well pruned to maintain an open centre within the classic goblet shape. Most are in good health except for two Sunsets dying from canker and a Laxton’s Superb suffering a severe attack of woolly aphid. They are spaced on a 5yd square which is just right for the size of the mature trees. The orchard is grassed & mowed, with autumn crocuses attractively in flower at harvest. The trees are unfed and unsprayed yet show only a little scab. There are 15 apples and one medlar. The Miller's Seedling is possibly the only example of this variety in Cumbria, a second early dessert raised 1848 from Berkshire, which was grown commercially in the early & mid 20th C, but declined rapidly in the late 20th C. Most of the trees are labelled with their identities, though you have to look hard to see the small metal labels.

Open throughout the year, Monday-Friday 10am-4pm & Saturday 9am-12 noon. Location: 5 miles east of Penrith, ½ mile east of A66, 2 miles NW of Temple Sowerby, 1½ miles NW of Acorn Bank. Signposted from northern end of Temple Sowerby bypass. Postcode for Satnav: CA10 2AW. Tel: 01768 88250