We enjoyed a lazy start today after all our entertaining, but again the weather was so lovely that we finished the afternoon with lovely a walk round Grasmere. We left the car by the Garden
centre and walked up to White Moss common, down to Rydal and along the river to Grasmere, following the path along the lake until it joined the road that took us back into Grasmere.Although I have walked up the back road from Grasmere to White Moss many times, it was
eagle eye Mint who noticed a large stone by the side of the road, and he was lost for a moment in the mists of time as he stopped to read that he was standing by the “coffin stone” where the coffin bearers could rest as they carried their burden on its final journey to Grasmere where the deceased went to be buried as there was no church in the Ambleside.We left White Moss to join the river walk towards Grasmere, and the green of the bracken and beech trees, and the light off the water were a delight to the senses, and we dawdled along drinking every bit of it in. The joys did not end there as we walked by the lake we noticed (not for the first time) the electric blue of 
several May Fly dancing around the green shoots, as well as a pair of Great Crested Grebes fishing for their supper.Tuesday 10th - day 22
The weather is beginning to change, the wind is up and the clouds are starting to appear, but it is
still lovely and we are determined to get out onto the fells. We leave the car at home and set off for Sweden Bridge. The fell forms part of the Fairfield Horse Shoe, but we are going as far as Dove Crag and then turning right to return down Scandale Beck to take in the very lovely High Sweden Bridge. It is a steady incline up to 750 ft (highest for us, if not impressive to others!!) 
but there are rocky outcrops along the way, making for interesting moments! It was also very windy higher up, making progress slow until we crossed the wall to walk the other side of the wall. After several(!) rest stops we made it to the cairn, and the rewards were so worth the effort. We could see for miles around, Fairfield on one side, Hartsop and Dodd on the other, and 
Brothers Water a long way down! We picnicked in the shelter of a wall looking down over Scandale Beck. It was a very peaceful scene, disturbed only by the sound of Skylarks and the very occasional fellow walker. The Bracken made a bright green carpet right across the valley, and it rustled and swayed in the wind, as we made our way along the path down to High Sweden 
Bridge. We met no other walkers until we got to bridge and then we only saw one older lady who was bird spotting!We left the bridge to walk the final leg down to Ambleside, along a lovely old and very typical
Lakeland track, with the slate grey of the walls, the bright green of the bracken and the pink of the foxgloves, a familiar scene at this time of year! We strolled on into the Golden Rule, for a well earned pint, but we were still in good condition (all except for Chris’s knee!) which is our real reward!Wednesday 11th - day 228
One of the big jobs of this trip has been the reorganising of the front to accommodate everyone’s parking need. This has meant that our “garden” has been shrunk even further, but it has to be said that it looks a lot neater now. The workmen have all gone now so we spend the day doing the finishing touches, moving felled Hawthorne branches and replacing plants etc.
Thursday 12th - day 229
Today is our last full day at the flat until October, the work on the front drive is completed, the windows are repaired and the internal repairs are almost all done. We are off to Kendal to do a bit of shopping for supplies, before returning to complete the last of the jobs, but we need to be all done and dusted by 6pm because we are going out in style!!
We are having supper at Zefferellis before going on to watch the latest Indiana Jones film. What a fabulous evening we had, the meal was such a treat, going to the Ambleside flicks is always a joy, and watching the aging Harrison Ford strut his stuff across the silver screen made it even better! It was a lovely way to end this visit. I have to say that even though I am really looking forward to the next leg of our travels, I shall be glad to return!
Friday 13th - day 300
We are leaving Ambleside today, and we are leaving with mixed feelings, we are glad to returning to our tour, but sad to be leaving our lovely flat; and we are sad that we will not be returning until October, because it feels along way away, but when we get there it will mean that our holiday is almost over – now that will be sad!!!
We decide to take the scenic route back to Elford (near Seahouses) and drive through Coquetdale on the way back.
We were getting peckish by the time we were passing through Melmerby, home of the famous
“Village Baker” so we decided to pop in and get a sarny, but when we stepped inside its organic loveliness we decided to stay and eat, what a joy, all was very lovely.
From there we drove on to Alnwick to stop for a look at Barter Books, as we had missed visiting 
it on our previous visit. We were glad that we had made time for it. It was an old railway station, which now sold vast quantities of second hand and antique books. Above the shelves was a working model railway, with a couple of steam trains chugging round the track. There was also a 
reading room, lined with benches filled with colourful cushions. It rather resembled the old waiting rooms with an open fire at one end waiting to be lit, and newspapers on the tables. There were coffee making facilities so you could get really comfy there and get lost in the books for quite awhile.We arrived back at the campsite by 6.30 and began the business of resettling, but by 8pm we were hungry again and popped into Seahouses to make a little purchase of a couple of fish suppers, which we ate looking out at the Farne Islands – ah we are back!
Saturday 14th - day 301
We are back in Northumberland for the weekend, before making our way to Scotland, and after spending the morning settling in we are off to visit Berwick upon Tweed, a town loved by LS 
Lowry, and famous for its three bridges. It has to be said that it was a strange visit. It started badly as we parked up, to go in search of the castle and other historic sites, but found we were wandering fruitlessly around some dingy back streets. Finally we found our way to the walls and then to the Barracks museum. Our attention was caught by a sign pointing to an art gallery, so in we go. Once inside my own art critic glanced around at the empty walls and went up to the man on reception and asked boldly if they were still waiting for their displays, but a rather affronted finger pointed to a wooden tree in the middle, and replied “no!” It was not just any tree, but a computer designed tree, which a video explained for us – in some detail!!
The museum was also a little surreal; it was laid out in 3 parts. The first set of rooms were set out very traditionally to celebrate the history of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, the second set of rooms were set out in displays and story board form to explain the life of British Infantry, and the third rooms were a colourful display of Berwick’s history – plus a mini Chinese exhibition!!
We entered this parallel universe in the sunshine, and left it as the clouds burst, and quickly
soaked all who were out in it, especially those inappropriately clad! We made haste back to the car, and took a drive round town to see if it improved, and as we did that the skies cleared, the sun came back out and Berwick shone, and started to look much more inviting!
Lowry, and famous for its three bridges. It has to be said that it was a strange visit. It started badly as we parked up, to go in search of the castle and other historic sites, but found we were wandering fruitlessly around some dingy back streets. Finally we found our way to the walls and then to the Barracks museum. Our attention was caught by a sign pointing to an art gallery, so in we go. Once inside my own art critic glanced around at the empty walls and went up to the man on reception and asked boldly if they were still waiting for their displays, but a rather affronted finger pointed to a wooden tree in the middle, and replied “no!” It was not just any tree, but a computer designed tree, which a video explained for us – in some detail!!The museum was also a little surreal; it was laid out in 3 parts. The first set of rooms were set out very traditionally to celebrate the history of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, the second set of rooms were set out in displays and story board form to explain the life of British Infantry, and the third rooms were a colourful display of Berwick’s history – plus a mini Chinese exhibition!!We entered this parallel universe in the sunshine, and left it as the clouds burst, and quickly
soaked all who were out in it, especially those inappropriately clad! We made haste back to the car, and took a drive round town to see if it improved, and as we did that the skies cleared, the sun came back out and Berwick shone, and started to look much more inviting!Sunday 15th - day 302
This is our last day in England for a while, and it is sunny and windy, and we want to give the car a rest, so we are going off to enjoy the lovely Northumbrian coastline for one last time. From
North Sunderland there is a circular walk, taking us towards Beadnell through fields of very healthy looking, ripening wheat, before we reach the shoreline to walk back to Seahouses. Today the sea is going out (rather than coming in which it always has done while we have been here). This means that we are able to walk along the rocky outcrops, right round to Seahouses. We 
stopped to picnic on one of the many rocky promontories, unhindered by anyone, and it was only the cool and persistent wind (not Chris’s!) that forced us to eventually move on.Once again there were more birds keeping us company than people, and Mr Bailey was very
pleased to capture this Heron on film (several times).We reached Seahouses in time for and anticipation of an ice cream, but as our last halfpenny had gone on parking yesterday, so we went without!!
No comments:
Post a Comment