~{nilheadimage~=142835~}
The Dukes of Newcastle once had their country estate at Clumber. The house bit the dust in 1938, but what still remains -- a lake, extensive woodland, a chapel, lovely gardens -- is well worth seeing.

I've been to Clumber Park before. A couple of times, actually, most recently ~{nilpost~=721~;text~=in 2018~;target~=clumberpark~}.

But I've never been in winter, and a cold-season visit definitely has its own charm:

~{nilimage~=142834~;dir~=H~;alt~=trees1~}
~{nilimage~=142837~;dir~=H~;alt~=bench~}
~{nilimage~=142836~;dir~=H~;alt~=mosaic~}
~{nilimage~=142832~;dir~=H~;alt~=leafcarpet~}
~{nilimage~=142838~;dir~=H~;alt~=treetops~}
~{nilimage~=142839~;dir~=H~;alt~=avenue~}
~{nilimage~=142847~;dir~=H~;alt~=sun~}
~{nilimage~=142848~;dir~=H~;alt~=house~}
It was a chilly day, but there was enough sunshine for us to eat our sandwiches outside, and make use of the cafe's outdoor seating for our hot drink. It was probably the brightest day we'd had for a while, and the place was surprisingly bustling.

Another thing I'm pretty sure I'd never seen before was the ~{link~= https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/clumber-park/features/the-national-rhubarb-collection-at-clumber-park ~;text~=walled kitchen garden~;target~=kitchengarden~} (which is home to many delights, including more than 130 varieties of rhubarb):

~{nilimage~=142840~;dir~=H~;alt~=vines1~}
~{nilimage~=142841~;dir~=H~;alt~=vines2~}
~{nilimage~=142846~;dir~=H~;alt~=wall~}
There's also a picturesque greenhouse:

~{nilimage~=142844~;dir~=H~;alt~=greenhouse1~}
~{nilimage~=142833~;dir~=H~;alt~=greenhouse2~}
~{nilimage~=142842~;dir~=V~;alt~=tree1~;caption~=A bit of a different take on the Christmas tree~}
Enjoyable. Very.