W

hen was the last time you got to experience the Himalayas, reflect poetically by an English lake and feed a penguin – all in one day? It’s an international itinerary that would stump even David Attenborough, but at Harewood House, near Leeds, you could do all this in a single visit. And that’s not even counting the house.

Built between 1759 and 1771, this is one of England’s must-see stately homes, surrounded by 100 acres of Capabilty Brown-designed grounds. He’s probably the most famous gardener in the world, which considering he died over 200 years ago is a rather impressive achievement.

Mind you, with a name like ‘Capability’, you’d expect him to have been pretty good at his job. So how does a sculpture garden, 32 acres of woodland, an ice house and Himalayan garden sound? And that’s without even mentioning the Bird Garden, where you’ll find over 90 species, from flamingoes to macaws – and of course, the famously cheeky Humbolt Penguins. They’re fed at 2pm every day – a sight that’s definitely worth seeing.