2 Sept 2021

Keswick

 31st August to 2nd September

Our 6th trip of the year, to Castlerigg Hall, Keswick, booked a long time ago and much postponed due to lockdown restrictions.

Tuesday

A week off work, so a Tuesday start after the bank holiday.  The journey took about two and a half hours, so a bit longer that we have been used to recently, but no problems with the caravan or traffic.

And no nasty surprises on arrival, our pitch was pre allocated and was one we have been on before.  A great pitch with an excellent view of Keswick and the surrounding area.



Our bird feeder was a great success for a change...it hasn't been on recent trips!





The robin was very friendly and stuck around for most of our stay.  We didn't see the helicoptor again!

We walked into Keswick in the afternoon.  It was a drizzly, grey afternoon but we didn't get soaked and went via Castlehead Wood which is a good viewpoint for Derwent Water.



The town centre was packed but we managed to get a seat sitting outside the Dog and Gun pub under an umbrella.  We didn't need the umrella, the rain eased off and we had their speciality, Hungarian ghoulash, for dinner.  Then a couple more drinks in the Wainwright pub. We have struggled to get in there in the past, but, because their kitchen was closed it wasn't very busy.  An excellent range of beers in both pubs and a selection of gins for J in the Wainwright.  We overdid it a bit!  D particularly liked Fell brewery's  Tinderbox IPA but it is a bit strong at 6.3%!

A taxi back to the site?  No chance.  No buses either, so we had to walk uphill in the dark.  We chose a longer route along the road instead of going through the trees.  Torch app to the rescue again.

Wednesday

At last, back in the high mountains again.  Well, the medium sized hills!

Today's objective was Ard Crags via Knott Rigg.  Two more Wainwrights ticked off taking our total to 132 out of 214.  It would be good to do them all but we are not getting any younger and time is against us now, especially as the remaining ones are in harder to get to places or involve really long walks.


Today was a not very long, out and back walk with excellent views throughout for not too much effort, and the weather got better as the day wore on.


Looking back to the car park



The path leading to Ard Crags



A couple of pics of the local wildlife...



We lazed around the caravan in the afternoon and then had a barbecue when we found out the visiting pizza van was fully booked!  We didn't even know you had to book!

A great sunset tonight without having to leave our pitch..






A trip to Castlerigg Hall wouldn't be the same without a visit to the nearby Crag Bar, which is part of the vegetarian Heights Hotel.  Like stepping back in time...in a good way.  The host is very friendly and it looks like he has weathered the pandemic okay.  The bar was busier than usual tonight.  We have been the only ones there on previous occasions, listening to his playlist of Neil Sedaka, Lindisfarne, Wings etc.  No Loweswater Gold this time but Keswick Gold was an okay substitute...in disposable plastic pint glasses - the pandemic isn't quite over yet!  We even had a bowl of chips, mainly because everyone else was ordering them and we felt left out!





Thursday

Up and away early and we we got home just before midday.

Coming soon...

Coniston, in a couple of weeks.  We will try to cram in as many trips as possible in September and October.