28 Mar 2012

Back on the road

23rd to 26th March 2012

We’re back!

Our first outing in the caravan in 2012, much delayed due to bad weather and other unpleasant things.  Three nights at Castlerigg Hall, Keswick.

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We’ve been here before, around the same time last year, when we had lots of problems with our new to us caravan.  No new caravan this time, and the only problem a loose connection in the water pump which seemed to fix itself after a bit of wiggling.  The caravan has survived the winter very well, probably better than us!

Friday

Arrived early afternoon and settled quickly into pitch no. 20.  Excellent reversing from D but nobody around to be impressed!  No awning this weekend, so not much setting up to do.

The walk into Keswick is ok going but not so good coming back, because it is up a steep hill, but we decided to give it a go anyway.  Had a look in the outdoor shops and bought some stuff we didn’t really need, as usual!  Had a couple of drinks, too.

Then back to the caravan for dinner and a quick drink in the adjacent Heights Hotel.  Not the nicest of bars, a bit pokey and dated, but ok for a quick drink as it serves Loweswater Gold.

Saturday

D’s birthday!

Up very early…presents to be opened.  Then off to Rosthwaite for a walk up Great Crag (456 metres).  Only about 4 miles in total, but we haven’t done much walking recently so we were a bit out of shape.

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Lambs wearing waterproof coats in Rosthwaite?

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Quite a steep climb to start with, through trees.

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Ducks on Dock Tarn, just before the summit.

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Made it to the summit.

Another Wainwright bagged!  All in all, a very nice walk in great weather.  J even got a bit sunburnt!

The weather was so nice we decided to have a barbecue instead of going out for dinner.  Very successful, after a bit of struggle to get it going!  Why do we always think we can light it and then start cooking after a few minutes?  You think we’d learn, but no!

Sunday

Lazed around the caravan in the morning, listening to the birds and enjoying the sunny weather.

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A visitor to our pitch.

Then we drove into Keswick to get something for lunch.  Spent a while watching a street performer…A J James, I think his name was.  A mixture of juggling, acrobatics and escapology…quite entertaining.

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Get out of this!  He did, very easily!

Late afternoon we decided to go and bag another Wainwright.  Latrigg, 368 metres, to the north of Keswick.  Very easy, because you can drive almost to the summit and there is an easy access path from the car parking area!  Excellent views of Keswick and Skiddaw, albeit a bit hazy.

In the evening we walked back into Keswick and ended up in an Italian restaurant.  Really good food but very poor service, so no recommendation here.  No tip, either!

Then  a couple of drinks in the Dog and Gun, our favourite pub of the weekend.  Lively, in a nice way, and lots of real ales for D to choose from.

Couldn’t face the walk up the hill in the dark so we got a surprisingly inexpensive taxi back to the site.

Monday

Packed up early and on the road by 10am.

All in all, a very good first trip of the year.  We went away a couple of times in December/January, staying in hotels, but you can’t beat the freedom of a caravan!?

Coming soon…

Braithwaite Fold, Bowness...tanker drivers strike permitting!

We could never get in here when it was a CC site but now it is a C&CC one and seems to have vacancies all of a sudden.  Probably because you have to pay a deposit when you book with the C&CC!