Levens: Manor House, Garden Art and Trails

Levens combines impressive garden art, traces of history and paths through a varied landscape. At its heart is Levens Hall with its famous Topiary Garden. There are also public footpaths through Levens Deer Park, open year-round, marked routes for different levels of ability, as well as regional cuisine and a distinctive strong ale. If you are planning a trip that brings culture, activity and local discoveries together, Levens offers several clearly distinct starting points for doing so.

Levens Hall and the History of Garden Art

Levens Hall developed from a Pele Tower believed to date from the 13th century and is regarded as the largest Elizabethan manor house in the county. The historic character of the site is also reflected in the Topiary Garden. Colonel James Grahme commissioned Monsieur Guillaume Beaumont to design it; the topiary garden was created in 1694. Today, more than 100 topiary figures can be seen there.

The Topiary Garden is described as the oldest topiary garden in the world and holds a Guinness World Record for this. Another notable feature is the ha-ha at Levens Hall, which is among the earliest known examples in the country. World Topiary Day takes place every year on 12 May. For your 2026 travel planning, it is also important to note that Levens Hall & Gardens is scheduled to be open seven days a week during the 2026 season, from 27 March to 8 November.

The history of the surrounding area also reaches far back. Evidence of settlements from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Romano-British period and Viking Age has been found in Levens. St John's in Levens holds a service every Sunday at 9:45 am. This means that a visit can be explored not only through a single manor house, but also through several historical layers and local traditions.

Footpaths, Wildlife Watching and Routes

Marked public footpaths run through the privately owned Levens Deer Park and are open year-round. The park is home to a herd of black fallow deer and a herd of rare Bagot goats. Anyone who would like to include time outdoors alongside garden visits will find a separate focus here, without needing to follow a fixed daily schedule.

Levens Hall lies on the Cumbrian Coastal Way footpath. For cycling travellers, the 248.5-mile Walney to Wear and Whitby long-distance cycle route also passes through Levens. Two shorter routes offer a clear difference in difficulty: a 6.7-mile route runs via Hincaster from Levens to Sedgwick and is suitable for beginners. A 16.7-mile route runs via Crosthwaite and Brigsteer from Levens to Witherslack and is suitable for more experienced cyclists.

Regional Cuisine and a Levens Experience of Its Own

Levens Kitchen serves a seasonally inspired menu featuring locally sourced produce from the Levens estate and the gardens of Levens Hall. A particular speciality is Morocco Ale, a strong ale whose recipe originated at Levens Hall in the 17th century. It is available at Levens Kitchen and the Potting Shed Gift Shop. This combination of garden, estate and cuisine gives the place its own character beyond the attractions themselves.

Which Holiday Apartment Suits Your Travel Plans

If your main aim is to experience Levens Hall, the Topiary Garden and the historic surroundings, it is advisable to plan your trip around the 2026 season and the date of World Topiary Day. For walks and wildlife watching, the year-round public footpaths in the Deer Park are an attraction in their own right. Those travelling with different interests can keep culture, shorter routes and more demanding trails separate in their daily plans. A holiday apartment in Levens is therefore particularly suitable as a base if you want to avoid limiting your stay to a single attraction and instead combine garden art, history, nature and regional cuisine.

If you would like to compare other places with Levens, you can find Roose, Bassenthwaite, Storth, Bampton, Baycliff, Sedgwick, Patterdale and Elterwater here.

For the overarching travel overview: Cumbria.