Standen.. from the Water Tower

Despite the weather forecast, I headed off for Standen.  The forecast was for cold and rain.  I arrived as the clouds opened but eventually it stopped and off I went.

A blackbird that just dropped his worm!!

Ah it's nice and dry here on the steps..

Frank thought the conservatory looks pretty cool..

bit more of the damp stuff...

I heard movement the other side of the hedge.  oooh look, it's a Llama ...(thought at first it was an Alpaca ... but .

Perched high..

Inside the Bothy, Billie thought the bed looked inviting..

This is the Water Tower.. which we went up later..

Lunch time..

A rare occasion when the Water Tower was open... so I got my reservation and then headed up for the guided tour...

Standen are limited, for various reasons, in when they can open the tower to visitors.  One of the reasons being, that there are bats who make their home there.  And in the spring, they breed - apparently so prolifically, that the status of the bat location in the tower, has now been formalised as a 'Bat Maternity Home' .. which is think is really great :) . Obviously when even 1 bat is present.. then the tower is not open.. so I was lucky to get up to see it today..

a very distant view over Weir Wood Reservoir.. apparently on an occasion when the water levels dropped in a drought, the roofs of the houses in the area that was flooded to create the reservoir, could be seen!!..

Great to have the views..... pity about the weather!!