Wallington (National Trust)

The Wallington estate was laid out in the 18th century by Sir Walter Blackett, helped by William Joyce, Thomas Wright and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, who went to school in the estate village. Original formality underlies the ‘natural’ landscape in which walks offer a variety of lawns, shrubberies, lakes and woodland enlivened with buildings, sculpture and water features.

In a sheltered valley beyond the China Pond is the beautiful walled garden with its collection of plants, and the abundant conservatory. Longer estate walks encompass wooded valleys and high moorland. This is Northumberland’s Middle March, the land of the Border Reivers.