Marmalade Memories. 🧡🍊

Every Spring Dalemain Mansion in Cumbria turns  Orange 🍊, the stately home near Ullswater hosts it’s famed annual World Marmalade Awards! A highly regarded competition in any marmalade makers calender, the awards have evolved over 19 years, attracting entrants from as far away as Brazil, India & Taiwan. There are even sister festivals held in Australia and Japan.

🍊Homemade Marmalade making categories include Tea Time marmalade, Merry Marmalade, Unusual additions marmalade, Octogenarian & Upward marmalade, Man Made marmalade, Children’s marmalade, Camponologists marmalade and Prison marmalade.

The Awards & festival were held a couple of weeks ago and the prize winning  Marms are available to buy online here , some lucky winners creations even make it on to  the shelves at Fortnum & Mason. You can also purchase winning jars of the orange stuff at Dalemains Tea Room. As we were in the area last weekend , we bobbed in after a bumble with Hugo along the lane to nearby Dacre. For an extended walk why not try The Four Bears Marmalade March, a lovely addition to The Ullswater Way.

The Barn Tea Room is a fab place for a brew after a walk and currently you can sample the award winning marvellous marmalades for free. What a treat! 🍊

The biggest ever  fan of marmalade of course has to be Paddington Bear himself. Apparently he does attend the event personally every year. I was almost tempted to purchase my own Paddington.

Wil and I couldn’t resist sharing a piece of sticky gingerbread topped with marmalade. Yummy. 😋 Dogs are welcome in the tea room , very handy for walks with the pooch.

Wil even had a moment of marmalade madness and bought 2 of the winning fine cut marms. A Seville Orange & Lime with chilli and a Lime with creme de cacao. Plus he treated me to a box of Blood Orange Marmalade Organic Fruit Tea. Happy days.

I recall picking up a recipe for marmalade on a previous visit. I’ve never attempted to make any though!

Are you a fan of the Orange 🧡 Stuff?

Ling Fell and Lunch.

Another Wainwright Fell was ticked off the list recently. Ling Fell near Bassenthwaite Lake is a small steep dome shaped hill strewn with bracken, then heather, the further you ascend. There’s a stone pillar trig point at the top and lake and fell views. On a clear day you can make out the Scottish hills of Dumfries & Galloway.

I always, always wonder why I put myself through walking up hills, until I reach the top of course. Then I forget how much it’s hurt and how I have to stop so often , and only feel triumphant elation! Ling Fell is mine and Hugos 13th Wainwright Fell. Wil has done at least one more, and perhaps more when he was younger. 201 more to go!

After a Wainwright walk, I happen to think a treat is well deserved. I had booked us in for lunch at a real Lake District Gem , Bassenthwaite Lake Station opposite Dubwath Silver Meadows Nature Reserve. The former station of this long disused Railway is now a lovely eaterie. What’s more, a replica steam train from a film set , serves as the main part of the cafe. I have blogged about Bassenthwaite Lake Station previously here.

It’s always great to find somewhere beautiful & quirky, that serves delicious food and is dog friendly too. Bassenthwaite Lake Station even has its own resident Black Labrador called Poppy, who can be seen charming the clientele. Hugo was more interested in charming the waiting on staff.

Lunch was fresh and tasty. Wil enjoyed his Platelayer Salad and I loved my Crispy gnocchi with salad vegetables and mozzarella cheese. We both plumped for delicious desserts too. Key Lime Pie and Lemon Meringue Cheesecake.

Bassenthwaite Lake Station is the ideal place to treat yourself after a hike in the fells or refuel before a lakeside walk. And enjoyed even more so with a four legged friend. 🐾

💖💖