Photo Feature: Squires Castle

Who doesn't love a good castle? This location popped up in some ad for some website, and I found myself stumbling upon this little gem. Squire's Castle is located in Willoughby Hills, OH, and despite its name and presentation, it's not much of a castle. The original estate was supposed to be a much larger English country style estate with a large main house, but the only part built was the gatekeeper's house, completed in 1897.

The house is now owned by Cleveland Metroparks and is open to the public.

Once I decided to visit, I made a daytrip of it, swinging by some other parks in the local area after photographing the castle. Arriving in the morning, I was able to capture that beautiful early light of that cool, crisp morning while the dew was still fresh on the ground, a detail I remember clearly because my shoes got soaked from the very damp grass! The park was quiet that morning, with only a doe and two fawns visiting while I explored house. The rhododendron in bloom added just the right pop of color against the backdrop of stone and green foliage, so I couldn't help but find ways to incorporate it into my frames. Thus my morning was spent pleasantly at this calm and colorful estate! If you live within a day's drive, it's a wonderful sight to see along with some local gorges and waterfalls. Enjoy an easy day trip for an inexpensive staycation!