All Aboard!

Sunday 24 May - After a leisurely morning Ian and I made our way across the Clifton Suspension Bridge to Ashton Court. We were in search of the rarely open Miniature steam railway. Created and run by a local club the railway is really quite impressive. They had two track running with six to eight trains running. The engines are mi natures of real trains and they pull benches for passengers. They are quite accurate and require refuelling with coal and top ups of water after each trip round the track. Ian and I paid 60p each for a ticket to ride the trains and it moved with surprising comfort and speed. no details were spared around the track which went by miniature stations and a tiny turntable as well as proportioned and working signal system and water pumps. It was quite an unusual and fun experience. Afterwards Ian convinced me to play a round of golf which we soldiered through (despite nearly killing the people in front of three times, Ian loosing two balls and a few blisters on our palms) until the 13th hole where we both lost our balls and couldn't find any replacements and so had to pack it in. We both got slight sunburns from our big day out but it was nice to see the sun again.

Bath Polo

Saturday 23 May - Ian and I got up early to catch the train to Bath, from there we caught a bus to the outskirts of the city and the Bath Race Course. All this effort was made to see our favorite sport, Polo. Disappointingly the since they were exhibition matches the games were only two or four chukkers as opposed to the usual outdoor six. However, there was some good play as it was the Women's international team against a collection of male players. despite some raucous, vulgar and uninformed local British spectators we enjoyed watching the matches very much. Between games we took a long stroll through the golf course and to the Cotswold way footpath network which gave a spectacular view of Bath and the surrounding area.

Leaving the Lakes

After lunch we started south again and as it was sunny again we stopped in Windermere and walked around the town centre but there was not much there except a few shops and restaurants. The real action was down on the lake shore at Bowness on Windermere. We visited a number of shops and stopped for some luxury lakeland ice cream which was delicious. Enjoying our ice cream we walked along the lake edge taking in all the tourist activities like boating and parks on the shore. It was by far the busiest lakeside area we had visited and from there it was difficult to really walk around the lake and get a good view. However we left the region feeling that we had seen much and would have much to explore and do if we have the opportunity to return.

Grasmere Again

When we left Aira Force we continued along Ullswater and all the way down to Ambleside where we headed north again to revisit Grasmere. We picked up so more Gingerbread as we had already exhausted our previous store and went along the riverside walking path. As we stopped at tea shop for lunch however, our luck faltered and it began to downpour again. It seems as if our time in Grasmere was cursed.

Water, Water, Everywhere

We Drove along Ullswater about two thirds of the way down the lake then turned off to visit the largest and most visited waterfall in the area, Aira Force. We parked in a National Trust car park a short walk from the actual falls. Along the way we came across a fallen tree trunk encrusted with pennies, not to be left out, we hammered in a penny of our own. Then we made our way to the falls with only a slight up-hill detour to another car-park (don't listen to other tourists shouting directions to each other). The falls were quite impressive and almost encased in the surrounding stones. We took a further venture along the stream at the top of the falls to another, smaller waterfall, Rushing Waters where we were able to cross the stream and climb down the other side of the river. We were lucky enough to have a dry almost sunny morning so it was quite an enjoyable trapse through the woods.

Another lake Another world

Sunday 24 May - We started our final day in the Lake district with another hearty Full English Breakfast than took a turn around the gardens at Thwaite Howe and admired the view. After we had packed the car and checked out we made our way over to Ullswater. At the top of the lake we stopped at the small town of Pooley Bridge and admired yet another well crafted stone bridge. We then took a walk up the stream to the lake itself. This is one of the more isolated lakes, surprising for its size. The road only tracks along one side of the water so to get a different view one has to walk or boat. We walked for a short while along the shore line and it was one of the most unusual I have encountered. Fields came straight to the water in some parts, other areas were rocky beaches and other areas were reedy. Dead or leafless trees stuck early out of the shore some partly in the water. It was a very interesting and serene place but there were a number of camp sites along the shore which detracted from the beauty and the feeling of isolation. We walked back to the town and visited a flea market in the town hall before heading out to Aira Force.

Dining in Cockermouth

From Buttermere we drove along Crummock water and up to Cockermouth. Although much of the town was closed for the evening we had a wander around. It seems like a lovely town, slightly larger than Keswick. There were lots of brightly coloured and cheery looking building among the many shops and restaurants. We decided to have dinner at a small pub called the bitter end which was associated with the smallest brewery in Cumbria. We had a sampling of the beers and chose and ale and a stout to have with dinner. After dinner we got caught in a small shower and saw a very nice rainbow. We walked around the town a bit more seeing the castle ruins and the factory of another brewery, Jennings before heading back to the car and back to Thornthwaite via the Whinlatter pass this time.

The Beauty of Buttermere

Emerging from the Honister Pass we came upon the small town of Buttermere. We parked in a car park set above the village and its parish church with a good view of the fells. We made our way into town making friends with a border collie puppy along the way. In town we saw the Fish Inn (home of Mary known as the Maid of Buttermere, considered a great beauty and written about by both Wordsworth and Coleridge. She Married a Colonel Augustus Hope who was later discovered to be a fraud and already married). We also saw the streams and a bit of Buttermere water. It was certainly a hidden jewel in the district, obviously well used by hikers and without the tourist frills and shops. As we were leaving Buttermere we saw some cows being led home via the road by a purple truck and kept in line by a border collie nipping at their hocks.

Honister Pass

From the Bowder stone we started making our way up to the bustling town of Cockermouth. Our route took us through the infamous Honister pass. The steep and winding roads did make me question weather the car would make it up the hills but as we wound through the pass we saw the Honister Slate Mine and some very steep and craggy fells. Many of the building and footpath in the area are made with the local slate which has an amazing blue hue to it, especially when it is wet. As we drove through the pass we could see swathes of blue where slate rubble had collected.

Wonderful Waterways

After thoroughly examining the Bowder stone we carried on along a small path, crossing the road and finding ourselves by a lovely stream. On the other side of the water we could see a lovely moss covered walk basking in sunlight. We walked along the river trying to find a way to the other side, Ian even tried crossing the river in is wellies but to no avail. I should probably note here that the water of the rivers and lakes here is remarkably clear and generally gives a lovely, if deceivingly shallow view of the rocky bottom. We looped back around via the river/road to the car park.

Boulders in the Woods

After our brief excursion to Ashness Bridge, et. all we progressed through Barrowdale to the Bowder Stone. The area is known for its large boulders scattered throughout the forests thought to have been deposited there by water flows after the Ice Age. The most famous of these if the Bowder Stone. The stone weighs about 2,000 tons and is seemingly precariously placed on a tilt. There is a later attached to one side of the stone so that visitors can climb to the top which seems like an exciting prospect until you get to the top and realize that there is no flat place to stand or sit.

Watendlath

Continuing on past Surprise view we made our way to the end of the road and Watendlath, which is apparently a village. There were only three or four building most seeming to be barns. However it was a lovely setting. There was a small lake with three rowboats and a sign for fishing licenses. There was also a very picturesque stone bridge crossing a small but energetic stream. We got out to stretch our legs and have a look at the fells and the water. before turning back around and heading back to the main road.

Surprise View

We climbed back down to the car but continued up the road, crossing the bridge with in the car and making our way up to Surprise view which gives a spectacular view of Derwent water. The road we were on was a dead end but we decided to do some exploring and visit some of the attractions along the way. Driving was a bit precarious as the road was really only big enough for one car at a time and was quite twisty turny. There were lots of trees, roots and rocks to watch out for and on top of that there was some sort of bicycle rally taking place so we had to avoid them as well, it was a bit of tense ride at times but well worth it for the views and scenery.

Ashness Bridge

Safe from the Rain in the car we decided to take a drive around the area and see some more sights. First stop was Ashness bridge which is featured in many of the postcards, photos and paintings of the area. We took a very steep side road and parked in a public car park and walked up to the bridge. We decided to take the unconventional path by not walking in the road but rather along and in the stream itself. I got some lovely photos from this point and we came across a duck who followed us to the top of the bridge and across the road to the other side. Once we had made it to the bridge itself we were treated to a fantastic view of the lake and fells.

Derwent Water

While we still had some time left on our parking spot we decided to stroll around Keswick. We made our way down the high street, stopping in a few shops along the way and then headed down to the lake side. On our way to the lake the sun came out and we meandered through the well maintained park with its flower filled gardens until we stumbled upon the lake shore. Derwent water is amazingly lovely. The Cat Bells mountains sit peacefully opposite the boat launch, reflected serenly in the water. There are row boats and motorboats to rent as well as larger boat tours around the lake. Lots of paths meander along and near the water and at every turn of the path there is a new and spectacular view. Ian had to run back to get the car but I was able to wander around by the lake a little longer and it certainly seemed like an ideal spot to spend a sunny afternoon. However, clouds were rolling in off the horizon and rain struck again just as Ian arrived with the car.

Getting to the Point

After visiting the Keswick Museum we made our way into town and had a spot of tea and a sweet before heading over to the Cumberland Pencil Museum run by the Derwent pencil factory. Originally the graphite used in pencils was quite rare and difficult to obtain. Graphite had been discovered in the neighboring town of Barrowdale and had been closely regulated for a long time, as it was originally used to make moulds for military shells. However, pencils soon monopolized the graphite use. It started out as a cottage industry and soon grew into a major industry. Eventually a new graphite hybrid mixed with clay replaced the cumberland graphite but the Derwent Pencil company adapted and also began making coloured pencils and other art supplies. Ian and I thoroughly enjoyed the museum and its video on how pencils were made.

Music of the Stones

On our way back into Keswick city centre we came across the Keswick Museum and Art Gallery. A wonderful little museum comprising only three rooms but stuffed with artifacts and antiquities as well as a space showcasing local contemporary work; there was a ceramics exhibition on display when we visited. The obvious pride and joy of the museum is the stone dulcimer, a large xylophone made of local rocks which can be played to tune. There is also a collection of stuffed animals, a scale model of the region, a number of rocks and crystals and letter from local celebrities like Wordworth and Southey. My favorite item was a small wooden wheelbarrow very ornate and delicate which was used to shift rubble and stones.

Fell Walking and Stone Circles

When we left Thwaite Howe for Keswick the skies were clouded over but no sign of rain yet. We parked in the town center and decided to risk a fell walk in the hopes that the rain would hold off until later in the day. However, as we made our way out of town a drizzle set in which alternated with a full on rain as we made our way up the rocky and winding trails. The views of Derwentwater and the fells were lovely and must be spectacular when not half hidden by rain clouds. Eventually we made our way to the Castlerig stone circle at which point the rain had stopped and patches of blue sky and sunlight could be spotted intermittently. We enjoyed wandering around the stones and taking in the view before continuing on our trek heading back into town by a different path.

breakfast and blue skies?

Saturday 16 May - Waking up the day seemed promising as sunlight filtered through clouds over the fells. We went down and enjoyed and amazing full english breakfast. After stuffing ourselves to capacity, we took a short walk through Thornthwaite, down a footpath across a field to the parish church. A quaint little building with an old rope bell pull. Dark clouds and blue skies were fighting for prominence as we returned to the B&B.

Thwaite Howe

Our second B&B was the Thwaite Howe Hotel located in Thornthwaite just off Bassenthwaite lake. We didn't have a view from this b&b nestled up on a hill in its own lovely little gardens but we did have an amazing view of the mountains. The room was very nice with all the amenities and even some lindt truffles waiting for us on our pillows. I was most excited about the roll top bath tub with claw feet. Our hosts, a married couple who have moved to the Lake district from London were charming and very welcoming. They recommended a little pub/restaurant in the next town over, Braithwaite. We sat in the glassed in dinning room enjoying the last light of the day and a fantastic meal. Then back to the B&B and bed.

Grey Skies and Grasmere

Continuing North From Ambleside we Drove through Rydal, passing the house where Wordsworth grew up and making our way to the cottage where he lived during the golden decade of his poetry career. Dove Cottage is located on the outskirts of Grasmere and is a quaint cottage covered in clematis and other climbing flowers. The House was originally a tavern which accounts for the slate floor and wood panelling of two of the ground floor rooms. There was an excellent tour through the cottage with interesting facts and anecdotes about the Wordsworth's lives at Dove Cottage and the Friends who came to visit them like de Quincy (who owned the cottage after the Wordsworths), Coleridge, and Scott. After visiting Dove Cottage we Made our way through the Wordsworth Museum and onto the town of Grasmere itself. One of the first stops in Grasmere was at the Sara Nelson Gingerbread Shop, for some of its famous gingerbread. The lakeland Gingerbread is very dissimilar to the thick fluffy variety we eat in the states. This is a very dense, crumbly, almost sandy bread with a much stranger ginger taste, however it was delicious. We walked through the Grasmere graveyard and saw the Wordsworth headstones. We visited a few shops as the town was starting to close up for the evening and then made our way even further North, past Keswick and into Thorthwaite to our second B&B.

Touring Ambleside

From the B&B we made our way around the tip of Coniston lake and over to Ambleside situated at the top of Lake Windermere. We had briefly driven through Ambleside o our way to Hill Top and we know took the opportunity to have a wander through the town. It was here that we discovered a very quaint but practical manner of dealing with parking. Most towns and sights have pay an display parking systems but within the towns there is a system for short term parking on the streets whereby a motorist simply ducks into one of the shops along the street and collects a small cardboard dial representing a clock and sets the dial to the time arrived. Along the streets the spots are labeled with the time limit alerting motorists to how long they have. We enjoyed using this system throughout the district as parking times ranged from 30 minutes to 2 hours usually a perfect amount of time to see what we wanted and then move on. Ambleside is a tourist town with lots of shops and restaurants. One notable feature is the old Bridge house, a tiny edifice straddling the stream which runs through the town and which, thanks to the rain was gushing. We picked up a few postcards and sampled some of the infamous Kendal mint cake, a confection mostly sugar and mint created to help sustain hikers as the transversed the Fells.

There is no Wealth but Life

Brantwood was the home of John Ruskin, a Victorian writer, painter and philosopher who once said "there is no wealth but life". Unfortunately the house does not open until 11 so we wandered around the gardens on the lake side which were teeming with colorful azaleas, clematis and other flowers. We walked down to the pier on the lake and the small man made harbour built by Ruskin. We then toured the houses which preserves many of the rooms as they were in Ruskin's time and displays some of his artwork. We then explored the various gardens on the the hill side of the estate including a fern garden, a fell view garden and one the ziggy zaggy walk which represents a souls journey from hell to purgatory with plants symbolising acts of penance along the way. All of this with a steady onslaught of rain. After visiting each garden and enjoying its flowers, vistas and water features we picked up a few alpine plants at the gift shop for our balcony in Clifton and then made our way back to the B&B.

The Day of Unrelenting Rain

Friday 15 May - We woke up early, a little before 8 and after tidying our room we went for another walk around the farm grounds to build up our appetite for a full English breakfast (sausage, bacon, an egg, fried tomatoes and mushrooms served with toast and jam. When we went out for our short walk there was a light spitting rain but it seemed to be clearing up by the time we went in to eat. After breakfast, however, when we were walking to Brantwood, a mile down the road the rain had settled into a steady and continuous stream. We enjoyed the spectacular woodland scenes along the way including an unbelievable amount of Bluebells in the woods, we continued to see these in the Brantwood estate woods and throughout the district.

Sleeping with Swallows and Amazons

One of the books which I read prior to our trip was the children's story "Swallows and Amazons" by Arthur Ransome. The characters and the locations in the book are based on the Lake district and in Particular Coniston water. I was tickled to learn that the guesthouse we were spending our first night in, Bank Ground Farm Guesthouse was the site where Ransome wrote most of the book and on which he based the location Holly Howe in his book. There were certainly a lot of swallow careening about in the fields after the flies so it was easy to see his inspiration. The B&B is snuggled in the hills quite close to the lake. Many of the postcards in the Lake district which show "consiton water" also show Bank ground and its fields sitting in front of the lake. We had a lovely room with an elegant ornately carved bedframe. After bringing in our things and having a cup of tea in the room we explored the area around the farm. We walked down to the lake where we saw a mother duck and two ducklings. We each had a go on a tire swing on the lakes edge. Then we walked a ways down the road, past Ruskin's home and down to a little boat launch area where we again surveyed the lake before walking back to the B&B. We then drove into Conistion in search of a place to eat. We drove to The nearby town of Trover on a suggestion of the innkeeper at Bankground but decided to head back to Conistion's Black Bull pub as they brewed their own beer. We had a lovely meal of fish and chips with the locally brewed blue bird beer before heading back to the B&B to rest up for the next day.

A Hawkeshead amble

After visiting the Beatrix Potter Gallery we walked around the tiny town of Hawkeshead. We visited a number of shops and then walked to the church which sits on a little hillock in the midst of the town. From the church we had a lovely view of the surrounding hills (fells) and a glimpse of lake in the distance. Walking around the churchyard we stumbled upon a footpath (one of the many the crisscross the countryside) and decided to follow it a ways. We passed a babbling stream and some lovely fields. And as we mounted a hill we were soon in a small pine forest. The Magic of the Lake district is the close proximity of lake, field, mountain and forest, each rolls effortlessly into the next and all are reachable within a few minutes walking. We carried on the path until we reached the Bridleway (a much longer path the covers most of the area and would undoubtedly take us some distance from the town). We made our way back down ending up in another part of the town. After visiting a few more shops we made our way to the car and on to our lodging for the night near Coniston.

Hill Top

One of the Lake Land homes of Beatrix Potter this is the home where she created a number of her stories and scenes from the books can be seen in her home. The gardens leading up to the house were quite lovely and next to them were flowering fruit trees with sheep grazing. Potter was known later in life for breeding sheep particulary the funny lucking herdwick sheep which have grey wool and white faces. In front of the house is a small vegetable garden reminiscent of the one Peter Rabbit was known to visit. Two rooms of the ground floor are open to visitors: the dining room and a sitting room. Both low ceilinged and surprisingly dark. On the first floor 4 more rooms are open showing Beatrix's bedroom as well as a number of her collections which included china (some showing her famous characters), small figurines of animals, art objects from asia, and a dollhouse and miniature versions of household items. It was interesting to see that although potter was a remarkable artist and garners international attention her own tastes were rather domestic even leaning towards the kitsch of her time. After visiting Hill top we made our way to the nearby town of Hawkeshead to the Beatrix Potter Gallery. Housed in the former office of her solicter husband, the gallery houses a number of her original watercolours and shows a selected few each year. We saw a number from "ginger and Pickles", "Squirrel Nutkin" and "Tom Kitten".

Welcome to Lakeland

Thursday 14 May - Ian and I got up early to pick up the rental car and start our holiday in the Lake district. We were on the road shortly after 9 and after a rather uneventful four and a quart hours later we were entering Cumbria and the Lake district proper. Immediately upon arriving I was impressed by the rocky and hilly nature of the country. Although Bristol is quite hilly there are no crags and endless stone walls like one finds in the north. Everywhere we looked there were sheep and cattle grazing in the fields with flowering gorse and meandering streams. Cracking the car windows we enjoyed the lovely late spring air which was much more pleasant and refreshing than the city air of Bristol. There were also a myriad of bluebells (in and out of the woods) as well as a wild white flower that smelled of garlic. Due to time restraints We made our way directly to Near Sawrey to find Beatrix Potter's home, Hill top. On our way we passed through Windermere, the most popular and well known Lake district town.

Down to Devon

Sunday 3 May - With Ian's father, Jean-Louis, visiting for the weekend on his way to France we took advantage of having a rental car to go on a trip outside Bristol. Jean-Louis wanted to visit Lynton and Lynmouth where he and Marty had gone years before and where we had gone with Marty when she visited last summer. We made our way to Lynton via Exmoor, a national park. We passed through many quaint villages and stopped to have a pub lunch in Exford. The Pub is where Ian had his meals while on a field trip with the archaeology department the first week we arrived in England. After lunch we saw the moors with its gorse in full bloom, although the heather is not yet out so that the open land is dark brown with brilliant patches of yellow. It was very pretty with the blue sky and quick moving clouds but also very windy when we stopped to take a few photos. We made it to Lynton in the afternoon and walked along a coastal path and through the forest before exploring the city. Then we made our way down to Lynmouth where we explored a bit more before refreshing ourselves with a cream tea. We took the Funicular railway (powered only by water) back up to Lynton and from there started back for Bristol.