Wimpole's Folly

Follies were usually built just to show off the landowners wealth and are not ruins at all. This impressive one at Wimpole Hall was erected in the mid 1770s by the 2nd Earl of Hardwicke, Phillip Yorke. The showpiece gothic tower made for an extravagant place to entertain.

** "Folly (literally "foolishness"), plural follies, is an English term in garden design and architecture for an unusual ornamental building, [...] primarily related to landscape gardens in England.
The bizarre conspicuousness of the building is intentional, the provocative uselessness of the system is programmatic. [...]"
(de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folly_(Garden Art))
Over the extensive pasture slopes we climb to the western ridges of the park at oddly grown, ancient willows. The visual axis of the Lindenallee leads the view over to the picturesque Folly in the northern part.
Between the "Serpentine Lakes" the "Japanese Bridge" connects the areas of the park. Behind it we climb up to the artificial ruins of the Folly and enjoy the view for a while before the early dawn drives us down the slope back to the entrance.

Easy walk from the National Trust owned Hall and Stable buildings. Great views looking back towards the Hall, and on a good day, back towards Royston