Larnarch Castle

So glad that we decided to visit Larnarch Castle. William Larnarch was an Australian Banker who came to Dunedin lured by the tide of wealth which followed the gold rush. He found the site in 1870 whilst walking on the Peninsula and then built a magnificent Castle. He apparently lived in the Castle with three successive wives until 1898 when he took his own life in New Zealand's House of Parliament. Larnarch's children sold the property which changed hands several times and then was finally abandoned. Eventually the Barker family bought the property and have managed to restore it (and the magnificent) gardens back to their original glory. The garden is one of International significance. Matthew and I had a great time wandering up various pathways and finding magnificent vistas along the way. He was so impressed with the gardens and views. It truly is a gem of a place.

We then had late lunch in the grand ballroom. There was a roaring fire going and magnificent chandeliers overhead. You should have seen the amazing array of cakes and slices Alan! Reminiscent of Clarindas in Edinburgh! Matthew and I both said the same thing when we saw them - "Wouldn't Al love this!!"