If your thinking of doing a gentle walk in Cumbrias Eden Valley, then this one’s for you.
The adjoining villages of Bampton and Bampton Grange are lovely and quiet with a real community feel. We parked near the bridge in a small roadside parking spot by the river. From here we crossed the bridge passing St Patrick’s Church on the right and took a footpath to the side of the former Crown and Mitre pub. Then we headed across Knipescar Common and walked back along the River Lowther.
Bridge across the River Lowther. St Patrick’s Church, Bampton Grange. Heading towards Knipescar Common. A quiet road crosses Knipescar Common. Knipescar. Knipescar covered in gorse. Love this road sign topped with a 👑 crown. It did get a bit squelchy making our way down to the river. River LowtherHugo investigates the bridge. We cross. It’s a swingy suspension bridge. River reflection. The bridge reflected. We head back to the villages via the Riverside path. Bampton has a community shop and cafe. And some old fashioned diesel pumps at the garage. We settle for a pint outside the Mardale Inn. The pub was bought by the villagers as a community venture in 2022. Here’s a famous phonebox! It appeared in the cult film Withnail and I. There’s a visitor book inside. Most people have written quotes from the movie in the book. It’s a totally nuts film.Being watched.
This was a pleasant 2.5 mile walk in a little known area of the Lake District. 🐑
I think I have blogged a little less this year. 2022 has been mostly lovely but not incredibly eventful. However it has been a happy one and a healthy one , so I shan’t complain at all!
Sea Air in Lytham.
January. The year started with Wil and I both getting covid , though luckily it wasn’t too bad an experience for either of us. Before that we did manage a day by the sea in Lytham above.
Let sleeping dragons lie, Dalemain
February. 2022 has been the first year that we have managed to get up to our caravan in Cumbria , whenever we have liked. Our first ever winter weekend was spent there in February. I especially liked visiting nearby Dalemain Manor and seeing their pretty snowdrop display.
Doggy Pals.
March. Hugo made a friend in Bulgarian Shepherd Dog ‘ Rhea ‘ this year, so I’m including a photo of them both looking gorgeous together in March. Our Labrador hasn’t many doggy Pals, as he tends to dislike whole boy dogs, mostly ignores females, is scared of small dogs and is besotted by greyhounds. He’s a bit wierd!
Binsey.
April. Spring started out well for us concerning Wainwright Fells, as we climbed both Dodd and Binsey above, but then our fell walks petered out. Hopefully we will do better in 2023.
E Biking at Lowther Castle.
May. Looking back at May, I think my favourite bit was when we went E Biking at Lowther Castle 🏰, which I won in a raffle. I would love an e – bike, but they are sooo expensive. If you huff and puff ( or simply get off the bike, like me) when you cycle up a hill, have a go on an e-bike. Game changer!
A friend’s fun 50th.
June and July. 2022 has been the start of my besties reaching their big 50s. Yikes! Definitely an excuse for a party or drinks out. These epic birthdays will continue into next year and the year after, so plenty more celebrations to come. 💖
More 50th Fun. Knock Hill Summit, Ayrshire.
August. It was great to spend a holiday as a family in August. My sister’s kids are growing up too fast for my liking, so it was nice to enjoy holiday time with them in Ayrshire, Scotland with my Mum and brother too.
Romany Hugo.
September. September is always a month when I don’t really want those sun rays of Summer to end. I remember us having a nice day out in and around Grasmere with Hugo, above.
Whitby Abbey all lit up.
October. Spending a few days away on the Yorkshire Coast was a highlight for us in October. I haven’t even got round to blogging about it yet ( naughty me ) but here’s a photo of Whitbys iconic abbey, all lit up for Halloween 🎃.
Duck Pin Bowling.
November. November is my birthday month. Wil took me away for a weekend in lovely Grange-over-sands and my friends and I went to the new local Duck Pin Bowling Range at Holmes Mill.
Finding snow…..in the fells above the caravan.
December. I would have enjoyed December alot more if I hadn’t caught a flu bug, but feeling much better now. After Christmas we found snow in the fells above the caravan. Simple pleasures. ❄️
What has 2023 got in store……..
I’m hoping that I will have much to blog about. Plenty of Lancashire and Cumbrian walks. A holiday in quirky accommodation in Scotland. A long weekend in a European country.
Thanks for checking out my blog this year and here’s to an amazing 2023. X
When people think of the Southern Lake District, perhaps they think of Windermere, Amblesde and Grasmere. I love those places but it’s nice to escape to a less touristy part of Lakeland too. I did just that a couple of weeks ago , when Wil booked us a weekend away in Grange-Over-Sands.
Grange – Over – Sands is a peaceful town, somewhere to stay if you really just want to relax and take life slowly. Without Mr Hugo ( our bouncy black Labrador was on his own little holiday) ,we planned a quiet time. Grange is on the coast , but I don’t think I’ve ever seen much sand. Salt Marsh stretches out towards Morecambe Bay , far into the distance.
Grange~over~sands. Twinkly lights of Grange. Grange Plant Centre is a handy little place for plants, pots and gifts. Grange Plant Centre. Salt Marsh. The promenade.
Whilst in Grange we had bracing walks along the promenade ( Winter Woolies were needed) , looked for Christmas presents, ate out once in a bay view bistro, once in a little Indian restaurant ( take your own booze) and we also had a couple of drinks in the towns two pubs.
The Estuary Bistro is a nice place to dine on Main Street. Chocolate Heaven in Choco – Lori on Main Street. This Chocolate Shop is also a Chocolate Bar and Chocolate Cafe! Chocolate Martini. A toasty fire in The Keg & Kitchen Sports Bar.
Our accomodation for the weekend was in a lovely B&B on the outskirts of town. Wil had found us a room at Corner Beech House , which was such a relaxing and homely place to stay. The interiors were bright and fresh, the owners were friendly and helpful and the breakfasts were delicious. Not bad considering the couple who run it had only been doing so for 3 weeks!
On our way to Grange-Over-Sands , we had dropped into RSPB Leighton Moss Nature Reserve at Silverdale. I had dragged Wil around looking for a Winter Visitor, Bearded Tits. These darling little birds can be seen amongst the reeds or pecking at grit ( it aids their digestion) from the specially provided trays. Unfortunately they were a no show for us, though we did see a Marsh Harrier hunting over the water.
Reeds provide a home for Bearded Tits. An obliging comerant.
The inland village of Cartmel is not to far from Grange, so we bobbed there on the Saturday morning for a little look around. Cartmel is famous for its race course, it’s priory, it’s rather nice restaurants and it’s Sticky Toffee Pudding.
The Village Store is the home of Cartmels famous Sticky Toffee Pudding and other good stuff. Bridge over the river Eea. A 17th century pub. Norman Priory. Another lovely pub. Delicious Apple & Parsnip Soup in The Square. I loved this gifts and interiors shop.Cartmel is home to The Friesian Experience , you can actually pay to have a sleepover with these gorgeous black horses.
On Sunday we said our goodbyes to South Cumbria, though not before calling at Levens Hall Deer Park for a Riverside walk, sadly the hall and grounds themselves are closed over Winter. We caught a glimpse of the parks herd of Dark Fallow Deer , though missed out on seeing the local Bagot Goats.
Gnarly trees. Dark Fallow Deer females.
All in all we had a very relaxed weekend , though we were certainly happy to be reunited with a certain black Labrador. 😁
Believe it or not, there were as many showers as rays of sunshine 🌞 on Saturday. Somehow we managed to dodge the rain quite expertly though, as you can see by my photos. You’ll just have to imagine the speedy dashes to the car , to get out of the sudden downpours.
A trial Pumpkin Patch at Kirkoswald was the mornings destination. It was so close by ( to the caravan) that I just had to drag Wil and Hugo for a wander round a field of giant ( and teeny) pumpkins. The Patch belongs to Eden Valley farmer and writer Hannah Jackson aka The Red Shepherdess . I hadn’t heard of her until very recently , apparently she is quite the celebrity in Cumbria. Anyway if your in the area over the upcoming school holidays Red’s Pumpkin Patch is opening again, until all the Gourds are gone. Just take your wellies!
Later on Saturday we visited family in Askham, first we took Hugo for a walk on the Lowther Estate. Not for us today , the impressive Castle Ruins & Garden , we made the most of the footpaths that fan the parkland instead. The sun shone inbetween showers, a bracing breeze whipped up swirling leaves and buzzards soared in the sky.
The heavens opened on our way to visit Mum . After a lovely tea we headed back to the caravan. There’s no cosier evening than one feeling snug and toasty, whilst rain pitter patters on a tin can roof. 😊
Sunday stayed dry and on our way home we called in at Kirkby Lonsdale in South Cumbria. It was warm enough for ice cream at The Milking Parlour on Jingling Lane. I visited my favourite shops and bought a new bobble hat. Happy days. 🍦
Thanks for dropping by. Are you feeling Autumnal yet? 🍁
There’s an Autumnal nip in the air as I write this post. Summer is slipping away. Though actually, I am more than ready for cosy throws and candles. 🙂
Although September has had its sadness , with the loss of our monarch, there is much to celebrate about our Queens long life and reign. And it will be interesting to see what changes will unfold in this new non Elizabethan era.
The Bloody Chamber and other stories by Angela Carter.
Reading. A sensual and sometimes disturbing gothic retelling of fairytales and legends, often with a feisty female heroine at the heart of the stories. Angela Carter twists the tales around , recreating a carnival of familiar characters. One for the nights drawing in.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
Watching. My favourite BBC comedy series is back for Autumn. And by golly, I’ve binge watched it already. Ghosts sees the return of Alison & Mike ( the only living residents of stately mansion ‘ Button House ‘. ) hoping to transform an estate cottage into an Airbnb. Help ( or hindrance) is on hand from a motley collection of ghosts, of which only Alison can see. I love that the ghosts are all from differing time periods, and each has their own particular life ( and death! ) story. Apparently there’s now a US version of this show. Surely can’t be better than ours. 😀
I am also loving Korean Comedy Drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo on Netflix. In fact merely writing this blog post is keeping me from watching it right now, I’m becoming addicted ! And that’s no mean feat ,with subtitles and hour long episodes involved. Attorney Woo is an attorney with autism, navigating life at a high ranking law firm. There’s the intricacies of Korean law to contend with ( she’s good at that) and the intricacies of everyday life ( not always so good), an endearing obsession with whales & dolphins and a sweet burgeoning romance with a work colleague. I am adoring this show.
Eating. Gingerbread! Traditional Gingerbread from Grasmere no less. Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere Gingerbread has been made in the village since the 1850s, Sarah herself created the secret recipe and first sold it from a tree stump outside her front door. Eventually moving her business into a tiny old school house , that is still used today. The gorgeous gingerbread smell wafts around Grasmere attracting locals and tourists alike. I got in that queue. Always delicious 😋.
Weekend wandering. Speeking of Grasmere, we ended up here by mistake. Our plan had actually been to walk up Raven Crag from Thirlmere, adding another Wainwright to our short list. However we somehow failed to find the carpark, drove right past the lake and ended up at Grasmere. No complaints though, it was a lovely late Summers day, perfect for a stroll around the village and the water.
Pastille coloured rowing boats on the lakeside at Faeryland Tea Garden. Hot drinks and a Gypsy Wagon. Traveller Hugo. Doggy paddling.
Another day we headed over Alston Moor to Garrigill for a hike taking in Ashgill Force. I love the beckside walk , which is usually peaceful, sometimes the quiet is interupted by the odd group of Gill Scramblers! Not sure I would want to try that myself though. We found a lovely cafe for lunch in a converted chapel in nearby Nenthead.
Highland Cattle on Alston Moor. Ashgill Force. Distant Gill Scramblers. The Hive at Nenthead. There’s still an Organ inside.
Wildlife. The amount of times I see Kingfishers is ridiculous ( I realise I’m very lucky) , though getting a photo of one doesn’t happen very often. I was gobsmacked when one of these beautiful birds posed for me, only a few metres away. ❤️
Kingfisher.
Hanging out with. Star Wars Characters! And other supernatural beings at Blackburn Comic Convention. As I have still never actually watched the Star Wars films ( I know, what! ) this might appear a little strange. Blame my friends A and M who love all this kind of stuff. And it was actually fun.
To mark our labradors 8th Birthday this year, I thought I would turn his ‘ Lakes Paddled in’ map, into a blog post. Looking back over the last 8 years, well we’ve certainly spent quite a bit of time in the English Lake District! Though even before Hugo ,we were bagging lakes and tarns with his predecessor Jake. Hugo still has several lakes and countless tarns to discover, as do we. Here are the ones hes doggy paddled in…so far.
Bassenthwaite Lake. At 4 miles long Bassenthwaite is one of the largest lakes in The Lake District and the only body of water actually called a lake. All the others are waters or meres. Ospreys fish in Bassenthwaite and nearby pooch friendly attractions include Dodd Wood, Mirehouse Gardens & Grounds and The Orient Express at Bassenthwaite Lake Station. This beautiful lake is alot quieter than neighboring Derwent water , it’s so nice to visit!
Bassenthwaite Lake.
Beacon Tarn. We’ve walked to this pretty tarn twice when staying in nearby Torver near Coniston. Charmingly serene Beacon Tarn is getting more popular with Wild Swimmers and even hosts a yearly naturist Skinny Dip!
Beacon Tarn.
Bowscale Tarn. There’s a nice walk up to this Corrie Tarn from the hamlet of Bowscale. It was a popular hike with tourists in Victorian times and the water is said to contain two Immortal Fish, they are mentioned in a poem by William Wordsworth. No fish were spotted on our visit , but Hugo loved his paddles.
Bowscale Tarn.
Brotherswater. Located at the foot of the Kirkstone Pass, Brotherswater is a small picturesque lake with lily pads. Formerly called Broad Water, the lake was renamed Brotherswater in the 19th century after two brothers drowned there. Here’s a walk found on Miles Without Stiles , a great resource, especially if you have a dog who doesn’t like Stiles. Call in at The Brotherswater Inn for refreshment on the way.
Brotherswater.
Buttermere. The scenery around Buttermere is particularly stunning and a Lakeshore path takes advantage of the scenic vistas. Nestled amongst several mountin peaks including Haystacks ,Wainwrights favourite fell, Buttermere is owned by the National Trust. The nearby village of Buttermere sells ice cream made from the Ayrshire Cattle farmed in the Buttermere Valley.
Buttermere.
ConistonWater. Some of my fondest camping memories are of Wil and I stopping with Jake ( Hugo’s predecessor) and later Hugo at a campsite on the shores of Coniston Water. The campsite had some rampaging tent eating goats , you never knew if yours would be next! Coniston is a grand lake known for both Water Speed Record attempts ( Donald Campbell & Bluebird) and elegant leisurely boat trips on the Victorian Stream Yacht Gondola owned by The National Trust. Writer Arthur Ransome based the Swallows and Amazon’s books around here too.
Boat Launch at Coniston.
Derwent water. This is definitely a lake we visited alot ! We especially love the lakeside town of Keswick with all its dog friendly pubs and cafes and attractions including A Puzzling Place and The Pencil Museum. Derwent Water itself has a great 10 Mile Walk around its shores and The Keswick Launch Company provides a hop on and off boat service. You will probably see almost as many dogs here as humans!
Centenary Stone, Derwent water.
Elterwater. There are bodies of water in the Lake District that we have only ever visited once and Elterwater is one of those. However I would love to return as it is such a lovely spot ! Situated in the picturesque Great Langdale Valley this small lake is not far from Windermere and a scenic walk will eventually take you along the banks of the equally pretty River Brathay.
Elterwater.
Ennerdale Water. It is a good few years since our last visit to Ennerdale , today the Wild Ennerdale project looks after the lake and the surrounding countryside. It hopes to introduce Beavers and Pine Martins to the wildly rugged terrain. Ennerdale Water is the most Westerly of the lakes and there is a lakeside path that follows the shoreline. Last time we visited Ennerdale, it was to bag a Wainwright Fell below.
Crag Fell looks over Ennerdale Water.
Grasmere. Proclaimed by Wordsworth as ” the loveliest spot that man hath ever found ” , the picturesque lake, village and surrounding countryside are indeed an idyllic treat. We were here quite recently and I enjoyed a warming mulled apple drink at Faeryland Tea Gardens on the lakeside. Such a magical little place. Nearby National Trust Allan Bank is one of a very few National Trust places that welcomes doggys indoors.
Grasmere.
Haweswater. Although once a lake, Haweswater has been a reservoir since the 1930s, a valley with a village and farms flooded ,so the city folks of Manchester had access to fresh water. Today it is a secluded place with a narrow road that weaves its way down one side and a solitary hotel looking out over the water . We have stayed in the art deco Haweswater Hotel with Hugo twice, a great base for bracing fell walks and red squirrel spotting.
Haweswater.
Rydal Water. This small body of water is attached to nearby Grasmere by the River Rothay. Like Grasmere Rydal Water has many associations with William Wordsworth , one of his favourite views was from a rocky outcrop looking out over the lake, known now as Wordsworth’s Seat. Another landmark is Rydal Cave , a man-made cave accessed by stepping stones.
Rydal Water.
Small WaterTarn. Whilst staying at the Haweswater Hotel , we walked amongst the nearby fells to find Small Water, a tiny peaceful tarn. And what a stunning hike it was. I came across this Old post from 2016 about our walk.
Small Water Tarn. Not sure what Hugo is doing here. 🤣
Thirlmere. We have actually only been to Thirlmere in the Winter with Hugo, we definitely need to return in the warmer seasons. The surroundings in crisp white snow were beautiful, however even Hugo thought it was too cold for a swim! Thirlmere is a reservoir created from two smaller lakes ( like Haweswater) and there is a 10 mile circuit around its shores . One for the list!
In the snow above Thirlmere.
Ullswater. Of all the lakes, waters, tarns and meres , I guess Ullswater is the one that I feel most connected to. I have close family nearby who moved here when I was still a teenager, so I have spent many days out by the lake. I love the old fashioned Ullswater Steamers that connect the walking routes of the Ullswater Way , a 20 mile loop of its beautiful shoreline. Aira Force Waterfall and the lakeside villages of Pooley Bridge and Glenridding are worth a visit.
Ullswater.
Wast Water. At 260 feet deep, Wast Water is the deepest lake in the Lake District. And the deepest lake in England. Surrounded by giant mountain peaks such as Scafell Pike, this glacial lake is located in the remote Wasdale Valley. If you like peace and serenity, the area has that in spades, along with gorgeous scenery. England’s smallest church , St Olaf’s is located at Wasdale Head.
Wast Water.
Windermere. It’s the largest lake in the Lake District and I would say the most popular. Windermere is 10 miles long and 1 mile wide, and in the Summer it’s a tourist mecca. I would like to visit this Southern Lakes area more often, but to be honest Windermere gets a bit too crowded for us. Needless to say, there are some nice lakeside towns and villages here, Ambleside is my favourite. Hugo has been on the Windermere Lake Cruise , his ticket read Well Behaved Dog. 😇
At the weekend we returned to the village of Shap in the Eden Valley of Cumbria, to complete a walk we took back in June. At the time we ended up fleeing from a feisty herd of cows ( and a bull! ) , so didn’t finish our hike properly. This time we opted to do the final part of the walk first, ending at Shap Abbey and then retraced our steps back.
We used roadside parking in Shap near this handsome house called The Hermitage. We took a footpath a little further on into fields with limestone walls. And here is The Gobbleby Stone , dating back to 2000 BC. Click on the link for more info about this ancient piece of Shap Granite. Watched by some wary ewes. A signpost showing the way to the hamlet of Keld. Keld. Keld Chapel, a simple medieval chapel owned by The National Trust. Closed for renovations at present. A Keld Cat blends into a stone wall.
Keld was actually a slight detour for us. It is a pretty little place and from which a ‘temporary road’ known as The Concrete Road was built in the 1930s for the construction of the Haweswater Reservoir. Cars are not permitted as the cement track is full of pot-holes, though walkers and cyclists may use it apparently. Another time we will explore!
We turned round and found a footpath sign for Shap Abbey just before the hamlet. Scroll down for a surprise little face, peering at
us from a tree. 🤗
River Lowther at Keld. Bright yellow Monkey Flowers on the river bank. Squirrel Nutkin maybe. Approaching the abbey ruins. The 15th Century tower is most of what remains of Shap Abbey.
On the way back to Shap we passed more late summer flowers and some curious cows. Luckily they were safely tucked away behind those lovely dry stone walls.
Restharrow. Field Scabious. Safe on the other side of the wall. Lunch at Abbey Kitchen.
Back in the village and just in time for lunch. I love the little cafe there , which is named after the abbey. Ploughman’s for Wil and homemade quiche for me. A happy morning indeed. 🙂
When I haven’t been to the caravan for a couple of weeks, I’m always amazed at the changes in the garden. Not being a gardener at all, I struggled to identify this latest blossoming shrub. Any ideas?
My poor pansy pot has been used by a moth to lay their eggs in the flowers. The culprit is below. I think it’s an Angle Shades Moth. Oh well! It’s good to give back to nature. 😃
Saturday morning in Melmerby and the church was all decorated for a wedding with pretty white wildflowers.
And there’s always something to see on little walks round about the village.
In the afternoon we went to Honister Slate Mine where Wil would be going to Infinity and Beyond! His Birthday present from me this year was an Infinity Bridge Experience at Honister. Rather him than me! Scroll down for Wils photo of the bridge. Meanwhile Hugo and I explored around the site. There are some cool slate sculptures. 😚
Wil was buzzing after the Infinity Bridge.
I had noticed several people heading up the fells from the Honister Car Park. Has anyone done a Wainwright from there?
We then went for tea at Mary Mount Hotel near Keswick. The terrace has wonderful views. 🥰
Bank Holiday Weekend ( also platyjubes of course! ) , we escaped the celebrations for a while, choosing a less obvious Lakeland area for a countryside walk.
Shap is a long grey stoned settlement in the North Eden District. It has a couple of pubs, a shop, cafe, chippy and an open air swimming pool, the highest heated outdoor pool in England. The steady A6 is the main road that meanders through the village, it used to be the principal thoroughfare for the Lake District & Scotland.
Not far away is the busy M6 , but to the West of Shap it is picturesque and remote. I had downloaded this Walk from the Eden’s River Trust. Part of the route is on the Coast To Coast footpath , though we didn’t see one other human being out walking. It was so peaceful.
The hike starts at the Northern end of the village, following a country lane signposted Bampton and Haweswater. We then turned right through gates into a field with a footpath sign saying Rosgill. Lots of ewes with lambs in the fields. A large boulder in a farmer’s field called The Thunder Stone. ⚡Cow Parsley aka Queen Anne’s Lace adorning a quiet country lane. An old disused Lime-Kiln. There were a few bleached white sheep skeleton remains here. Look at this Skull which I placed on a rock. Hugo had whizzed off with a bone. We decided to ignore him and he dropped it after a bit of crunching. Cooling off time. The weather was warm, the sky blue. A cooling breeze did make it perfect conditions for walking though. View of Lakeland mountains in the distance. Here is a field where lots of gap walling needs to be done. This walk does have alot ( alot ! ) of stone Stiles like this one. A waymarker featuring a Golden Eagle, there used to be a couple nearby in Riggindale. Maybe oneday they will venture South from Scotland again. 🙏We headed through fields towards the small village of Rosgill. And down to the River Lowther where we sat by the water for a while. We veered off a tarmac track to follow the Coast to Coast Footpath through a field. Bonnie bovines or Cow culprits??
Things then got a bit scary , a family of cattle that we hadn’t noticed at first started to take a bit too much interest in us as we tried to cross the field. They had a Bull with them and youngsters, but it was the cows themselves that started kicking up a fuss , fairly galloping towards us. We managed to scare them away , though not before Wil got knocked off his feet and Hugo got butted. I’m not sure how but we legged it into a solitary farmhouse garden with the cattle at our heels. Definitely a hair raising encounter, we were a bit shuck up!
To make matters worse we would have to sneek past the herd again to continue with our walk. We waited until they had calmed down and ambled away, an unconcerned resident of the farmhouse didn’t seem to care that we had hotfooted into their garden or that the cows had chased us there…
We breathed a sigh of relief once we had crossed this packhorse bridge. Looking back to Fairy Crag, the cows are just behind it. The remains of some farm buildings. Following the Coast to Coast to Shap Abbey. The Coast to Coast Footpath was devised by Alfred Wainwright. A very late blossoming Blackthorn tree. These lambs look like just the one , with two heads. Approaching Shap Abbey.
The Preminstratensian Order of Monks from France settled in Shap in the 13th Century and built beautiful Shap Abbey from local stone. The monks became known as The White Cannons because they wore robes made from undyed sheep fleeces.
Here was a lovely place to stop for a while by the river Lowther again. I must admit we had lost our thirst for continuing the planned route , which would take us through the hamlet of Keld and on past another large standing stone called The Goggleby Stone. Instead we made our way back to Shap through a couple of cow free fields and along a country lane.
Shap Abbey. River Lowther. A bit of a tight squeeze.Dry stone walls on the way back to Shap. Time for a brew in Shap.
We ended up having a delicious cheese scone and a cup of coffee each at the Abbey Kitchens cafe in Shap, the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by. I’m so glad Wil and Hugo were non the worse for our ordeal. We will definitely be keeping our distance from any cows in the future. Although apparently there are some handsome looking Highland Cattle in Swindale………..
My goodness these months are whizzing by are they not. May seems to have come and gone in a flash! I am currently off work as it’s the Spring Bank Half Term Holiday ( advantage of being a school cleaner) so it’s a good time for me to do my May Round-Up Post.
Reading ~ not that much to be honest. After recently extending my hours at school with five earlies a week, I find myself frankly too knackered to pick up a book. Wrong I know! I have bought The Lake District In 101 Maps & Infographics to take to the caravan. And I shall learn all about Haunted Cumbria, Cumbrian Film locations and quirky Cumbrian place names, amongst other things. Should keep me going for a while!
Everyman Cinema trip to See Top Gun Maverick. As soon as I heard the original soundtrack music I was hooked!
Watching ~ it’s all about good old nostalgia for me at the moment. I’ve been to the movies! We Clitheronians are very fortunate in that we have a fabulous Everyman Cinema in town and May has not disappointed on the film front. I have enjoyed both Downton Abbey A New Era and Top Gun Maverick , they are both appearing on the big screen right now.
On the box my go to show is Grace & Frankie. I am as usual a bit late to the party with this one. Not sure how a witty comedy series starring Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin escaped my attention until now but I am loving the pairing of uptight Grace and Kooky Frankie. 🙂 Other shows I have returned to in May include Ozark , Bosch Legacy and of course Stranger Things.
A lovely meal at Roundthorn Country House near Penrith.
Eating ~ It is rare that Wil and I spend time up at the caravan without our Black Labrador Mr Hugo, but we did have one weekend in May when we were there without him. It seemed a good time to book a meal out somewhere where you wouldn’t usually take a dog. Roundthorn Country House on the outskirts of Penrith is one such place, there wasn’t a four legged friend in sight. Which was strange for us, though also kind of liberating not eating in front of a drooling hound, eyes transfixed on our dinner. The food was yummy but I couldn’t help missing my boy.
Lowther Castle. A walk through Cow Parsley.
Exercise ~ Our pet free weekend was all because we actually won a prize! We won half a days E-Biking at Lowther Castle In the Lakes , it was great fun. However I still felt like I had done some proper exercise even if it was power assisted cycling. 🙂 There haven’t really been many notable walks this month, just my normal dog walking routes. I have loved seeing the wild flower displays, the lacey blooms of Cow Parsley have been beautiful lately.
Relaxing at the van. Lilac Time. 🙂
Enjoying ~ Relaxing at the caravan ~ My favourite area at the van is probably the front bit of decking, which is a real sun trap and perfect for lounging about on a deck chair with a brew. I especially like to look up and watch all the Swift’s whizzing about the sky, now they have returned from Africa. The scent of a lovely lilac bush in the garden there was a real treat too.
~ Friends Reunited ~ On the last day of May it was great to meet up with some friends I haven’t seen for two years. I love how normality has returned at last, I’m not taking it for granted.
Catching up in Holmes Mill.
Thanks for dropping by. Hope your May has been a good one. 🧡
sunshine and celandines 