Keswick

17th to 20th March 2023

Another three night trip, this time to Castlerigg Hall, Keswick.

Quite a hard site to get into with little availability after this weekend.  We were surprised to see a superior lake view pitch available and pounced on it before realising that the summer bus timetables don't start until next week and the nearby Crag bar would be shut.  Then we saw the weather forecast....

Friday

We set off quite early with a sparkling van washed by the storage site owner, and there was no traffic so we arrived dead on 1pm.  Fortunately the motor mover worked after poking the wires a bit (we know which ones to poke now) and we were soon pitched up and entertaining a frequent visitor.

The walk into Keswick is about a mile and a quarter down a steep hill, and that is where we headed after setting up.  We had a look in most of the outdoor shops without buying anything, as usual, and tea in one of the many cafes.

Then we visited the Craft Beer shop, the new to us Crafty Baa, the Wainwright Inn, and the usually impossible to get into Dog and Gun, with tapas in Bar eS somewhere in between.  All excellent venues.

The pre booked taxi back to the site at 9.30 was very welcome.  We like Iains Taxis, they accept bookings via Messenger so no phone call necessary!

Saturday

Very murky and misty to start with, these pics of the lake were taken from our pitch.

The worst day weatherwise, according to the forecast.  Undeterred we set off for a relatively easy walk around Sale fell, which is at the top end of Bassenthwaite.  Another Wainwright ticked off.

It did rain a bit to start with but soon brightened up and turned out to be a much better day than expected.

On our way back to the site we stopped off at the Bassenthwaite Lake Station, which is a cafe in three converted railway carriages, complete with engine.  Very expensive, so we just had tea and cake.

In the afternoon we set off to get a bus into Keswick but we got to the bus stop too early, so we walked to the next, then the next and then it wasn't worth getting the bus so we ended up walking all the way.  We didn't stay out long and got a bus back to the site at 6.30 for dinner in the caravan and a night in.

Sunday

Very grey first thing, so much so that we almost abandoned our planned walk up Fleetwith Pike from  Honister slate mine.

So glad we didn't.  It never really brightened up but it didn't rain and we managed our second Wainwright of the weekend.

Later in the afternoon we got a bus into Keswick and did pretty much the same as we did on Friday.  We had a massive charcuterie slate in the Crafty Baa, which was our discovery of the weekend.  Very quirky decor.

Another pre booked taxi back to the site at 9pm and an early night.  Not sure what wore us out more, the walking or the eating and drinking!

Monday

It rained as we were putting everything away and didn't stop until we were almost home.

All in all a very, very good trip...almost 10/10.  A  bit more blue sky would have been nice but we managed to do everything we wanted to and got into all of the places we wanted to.

Coming soon...

Nothing booked but we are hoping to get away again before Easter.

Pooley Bridge

 3rd to 6th March

Our first "real" trip of the year (the last one was more of a city break) to Hillcroft Park, Pooley Bridge.  Hillcroft Park is a big site which gets very busy, and noisy, in high season, but it's nice and quiet this time of year, which is how we like it.

Friday

We arrived shortly after 1pm and headed to our chosen pitch.  The booking system here is second to none.

The recently repaired motor mover failed to work initially...again, but did after poking the wires around a bit.  Obviously a loose connection somewhere, which is very annoying because we just know it won't work when we need it to!  D will have to improve his reversing skills!

No trouble getting into this pitch, though.

And no problems with the caravan, fingers crossed it has survived another winter.

After setting everything up we walked down the hill into Pooley Bridge, which as usual was very busy.  No freehouses here, so a choice of Robinsons or Thwaites.  Not a beer drinkers paradise unlike some other places in the lake district.

We thought about having dinner out but instead retreated to the caravan for a Gousto meal, prepared mostly by D.  We are really into Gousto at the moment but running out of introductory offers, so might have to resort to paying full price soon.  It's great having all the ingredients weighed out and clear instructions to follow.

We spent the rest of he night inside the caravan listening to the radio and reading.

Saturday

The best day weatherwise, accordng to the BBC weather forecast which wasn't entirely accurate on this occasion!

We got a bus to Glenridding (we're loving the fares capped at £2) to tackle Glenridding Dodd (475 metres) and Sheffield Pike (675 metres).  What should be an easily achievable objective this year is to do at least ten new Wainwrights, so only eight to go.

Quite steep in places, but a good walk of about 5 miles in good walking weather.  Very cloudy, so not a great day for pics but great views of Ullswater from the summits.

In the evening we went to the Secret Garden restaurant, which is somewhere we have wanted to go on previous visits but haven't been able to get in.  It turned out to be not as good as we thought it would be, but at least we have been now.

Sunday

The weather was a bit better today, but still lots of cloud around.  We drove to Penrith and went for a quick walk to the beacon overlooking the town.

Then into Penrith town centre, which seems to be shut on a Sunday.  Hardly anything was open!

A bit disappointed, we headed back to Pooley Bridge for a pretty good roast dinner in the Pooley Bridge inn, then a couple of pics of the lake and back to the caravan for another night in.

Only a couple of caravans left on site now, and a very hardy camper in a tiny tent!

Monday

The overnight forecast had been for light snow but there was not sign of any when we got up.  It rained a bit on the way home.

Coming soon...

Three nights in Castlerigg Hall, on a superior pitch.