28 Apr 2019

Southport

26th to 28th April 2019

1 Apr 2019

Keswick

29th March to 1st April

A three night trip to one of our favorite sites - Castlerigg Hall, Keswick.

Friday


No problems on the roads this time, so we arrived more or less when we wanted to and slotted into pre-allocated pitch no. 22.  Great view from this pitch.



It was warm enough to have lunch al-fresco and sit outside for a while, even for J!  Then we walked down the hill into Keswick and had dinner in the Wainwright, which is our pub of choice in Keswick.  We got a taxi back to the site.

Saturday

Not as sunny today, but it didn't rain until late afternoon when we were safely back in the caravan.

We drove to Derwent water and got a ferry to Lodore, then walked back along the shore to Nichol End, about 4 miles.


Nice easy walking, D was saving himself for a more strenuous walk the next day.





The plan was to get a ferry from Nichol End back to Keswick, but we had all day hop on hop off tickets so we got one going anti clockwise round the lake instead, which took about 45 minutes.

A couple off odd looking trees...



We stopped off at Booths on the way back to the site to pick up some supplies for a quiet night in - cheese, beer, crisps etc.  The weather improved later and we got to see a pretty good sunset from the site.


Later we popped in to the nearby Heights Hotel Crag Bar, but it was almost empty and we only stayed for one drink.  It's very dated and lacking in atmosphere (although the background music was nice and jazzy this time, a nice change from the usual classic rock), but it serves Loweswater Gold and we like the man who runs the hotel with just his wife helping, we think.  A trip to Castlerigg Hall wouldn't be the same without going to the Crag Bar.

Sunday

An early start for D, for a walk up Grisedale Pike (791 metres) and Hopegill Head (770 metres) from the village of Braithwaite.  Two more Wainwrights ticked off.


Just about perfect conditions for walking. although not many people about except runners and on the way down cyclists lugging their bikes up the hill.





The last of the snow near the summit of Hopegill Head



Force Crag mine

J stayed in the caravan and had a nice relaxing start to mother's day.

Youngest daughter L is working in Tweedies hotel in Grasmere at the moment, and son A drove up for the day so that we could all have huge roast dinners in Tweedies.  A insisted we stay for the Liverpool match, which they won courtesy of a last minute own goal to keep their title dreams alive, much to the delight of just about everybody in the bar.

A dropped us off in Keswick before heading home, but we we didn't stay out long.

Monday

Up and away early, we got home well before midday.

Coming soon...

Nothing booked but we might try and squeeze another trip in before Easter weekend, which seems to be fully booked everywhere.