Lake District & Pickering

After overnighting in the most amazing B&B in Lanark (Station House, Lanark), we headed back into England to the Lake District.

We spent a lovely few relaxing days hiking up more hills amongst the sheep (and meeting a very friendly, retired couple along the way), riding open air buses and wining and dining in some pubs. Also met up with Claire (from our Turkey Tour) in Grasmere for lunch one day.

We were so looking forward to going to English pubs (they were all closed when we were last in the UK during lockdown), but sadly, the traditional, free-house pubs are mainly gone 🙁 Instead they are either restaurants (calling themselves pubs) or they are pubs serving international, poncy cuisine. I want bangers and mash, and Yorkshire pud the size of a baking tray, and homemade soup and pies and … and … I can’t remember what else – but not what was on offer!

We took a drive to take a walk to Aira Force waterfalls one day where we came across giant trees (see below) and a somewhat small waterfall, anyway it was a pleasant walk in the the rain and mud (getting plenty of use out of our wellies bought in Scotland).

Happily on the way back from the waterfalls, through the mist we came across a free-house pub of suitable quaintness! Warm and dry from the wet day outside – faith restored. (PS: Pic below right is not a black and white pic).

Things were looking decidedly Christmasy in Bowness-on-Windermere:

After the Lake District, we took a minor detour across the country to Pickering to see Sam and Emily (two of the three token English people on our tour of Turkey.) Sam had found a 3 mile walk in Goathland, where they told me, to my delight, that this is where “Heartbeat” was filmed. Used to watch Heartbeat when we lived here back in 1993/94. ALSO, the train station here was Hogsmeade station in Harry Potter! Seems where-ever we go in England, we stumble upon filming locations.

Had a lovely walk to the Mallyan Spout (waterfall) and also came across a fallen tree that has hundreds of pennies pushed into its bark (see below). We spent the night in a lovely hotel (with suitably quaint pub) in Gillamoor – wish we had stayed longer than just the one night though! The area is very picturesque and it was a lovely inn and pub.

Daily Giggle:

At a “pub” in Bowness, Jarrah was signalling to the waiter for the bill, and he looked straight at her but kept walking. Having flash-backs to Germany, Jarrah’s hand gestures got more fervent as he got closer … only to have him walk past her and sit down at the table behind us!

DOH!!