We awoke early and took a 5K run through the medieval streets of Stamford with perfect conditions, cool and dry. We also headed out of town and ran through the pastoral grounds of Burghley House until we were stopped by a road closure due to preparations for the upcoming Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials next weekend which is reportedly the premier equestrian and social event in the international sporting calendar and a focus for the best horses and riders in the world. We reversed course and ran out of another gate back to our hotel.
Burghley House is a grand sixteenth century country house offering a unique glimpse into how houses have been lived in from the time of Queen Elizabeth I to the present day. It is an opulent place and is still occupied by a descendant of William Cecil the first Lord of Burghley.
We spent about an hour touring the house and then continued out to the beautiful Garden of Surprises which is a modern oasis of flowing water and fountains that is utterly delightful for children as they never know when the splash of water will erupt at various places.
The sculpture garden was reclaimed from Capability Brown’s (Britain’s most famous gardener) lost lower gardens and has a permanent collection of over 20 sculptures.
After Burghley House we returned to the small town of Stamford and visited some of the five medieval churches before having a lovely dinner at The Crown Hotel, another famous coaching Inn.
This is a beautiful little town and well worth a visit if you are in the area. The Burghley House seems much grander and more enjoyable than Versailles.
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