Powis Castle & Garden

Powis Castle's garden is unlike almost anything else in Britain. Its terraces, cut from the rock below the castle between the 1670s and 1705, are one of the few surviving examples of a Baroque garden, and they give a sense of drama that you feel as soon as you look down from the top. Each of the four remaining terraces is about 150 metres long, and walking along and between them is the heart of the visit.

The Top Terrace is lined with yews, once clipped as obelisks and now grown into huge, rounded shapes; the 14 tumps and the hedge at the east end were planted in the 1720s. Below it, the Aviary Terrace has lead statues of shepherds and shepherdesses by John Nost, and further down is the Orangery Terrace. Look for the statue of Hercules and, in the outer courtyard, the lead statue of Fame. At the foot of the terraces the Great Lawn replaced the Dutch-style water garden in the early 19th century, and Violet, Countess of Powis, transformed the gardens again in the early 20th century.

For gardeners, Powis shows how old yew can be managed and how terraces can carry rich planting on a steep slope. The castle interiors are among the finest in Wales, and the Clive Museum holds objects brought back from India. The terraces involve steps and slopes, so take your time and wear comfortable shoes.