9/16
The train to Penrith cuts a swath across the southern boundaries of Scotland and then forges downward to the lakes. We passed through Lockerbie, by the way. Very sad, the thought of what happened there.
At the station, I was met by Sandra and Neil again who had offered to chaperone me for most of the time I was in the Lake District. We drove back to the B&B (which was my favorite Goodwin House in the town of Keswick).
Keswick
We quickly made our way to the laundramat as it would be the only chance I’d have to do laundry that week. It took a relatively short time before we were done and on our way to Aira Force.
Neil and Sarn
Greg had taken me to this lovely waterfall many years before, and I was happy to be back trudging through the forests and uphill to catch the breathtaking view. I say uphill, but after Edinburgh, this was nothing! LOL
Aira Force
On the way up, we saw this very cool tree… isn’t it cool?
Cool Tree
Anyway, after the trip, we drove back to Keswick to rest up and agreed to meet later for pub and food.
The pub we went to had really great food, too! If you want a decent meal – for the most part pubs will give you more and better for your money. Whoohoo! We thought we might go pub crawling, but the entertainment at the second pub was so bad we decided to just call it a night.
9/17
The next day was our travel day. There were so many things I wanted to do, and we did them all. Our first stop was to the Wisconsin of England – which is Wensleydale. There, we visited the Wensleydale Creamery and Visitor’s Centre at Hawes.
If you go here, you can see part of the same video we watched at the Visitor’s Centre:
After our tour, we bought fresh cheese at the gift shop (let me just say YUM, by the way).
We stopped by the Ropemaker’s (also in Hawes) to get Eric some rope samples (he makes rope). Then, we packed it in and drove to Thirsk. Along the way, I saw signs that said “Ripon 6”… which is where I used to live, but we didn’t have time to stop.
At Thirsk, we were looking for the James Herriot Museum, and it wasn’t long before it found us!
James Herriot Museum
The museum was very well done and even showed the stage set for the television series (which I thought was pretty neat).
By the end of our tour, we were getting hungry… should we eat in Thirsk or at our next stop, Kilburn. Hmmmm. We decided to shoot for Kilburn and off we went.
Kilburn is a tiny town in Yorkshire, but has several interesting sights. The first is the Sutton Bank Visitor’s Centre at the Great North Yorkshire Moors National Park (which we didn’t have time to visit).
The second is the White Horse Cliff:
White Horse Cliff
Neil, Sandra, and I hiked up to the top and had a breathtaking view of the surrounding areas:
Views from the White Horse Cliff
We even got to watch as a glider was hoisted into the air from the nearby airport. It was rather surreal in this remote part of Yorkshire.
Anyway, we made our way back down the hill and into the town of Kilburn. We were famished by then, but were unpleasantly surprised to find the local pub closed! Luckily, there was a little café open and we were able to get some sandwiches there. Across the street was our final destination…
The Mouseman. Robert Thompson was a phenomenal woodworker who hand crafted furniture (mainly for churches) in the early 1900s. His work goes on today and you’ll find nothing but the highest quality wood furniture with his signature “mouse” carved into it. I purchased a small pin dish and was delighted.
I think we’d all just about toured ourselves out, so it was back to Keswick and another night of great pub food. The pub we stopped at was a favorite of Neil and Sarn’s, and we were HUNGRY. So, Neil ordered something called a “Cow Pie”…which, obviously, was made out of an entire cow!
Cow Pie
It was enough to make the quasi vegetarian in me quake in fear.
9/18
On Friday, we’d decided that I’d go off and do my own thing and we’d meet up for lunch at our favorite pub. So, off I went. I had some shopping to do, and was happy to find the Fellswalker lotion at The Soap Co. in Keswick (great for soothing tired tootsies). I also just walked around and peeked into shops as I found them interesting. At one point, I located a large Oxfam store (their version of Goodwill), and found some interesting souvenirs that didn’t cost very much.
I also wanted to go to the local liquor store and buy a gift for Neil and Sarn (which turned out to be an expensive bottle of Single Barrel Jack Daniels. After all that shopping, it was time for lunch! I had a lovely roast beef with peas and Yorkshire pudding (yum).
Neil and Sarn had some things they wanted to do on their way back to Manchester, and I was just enjoying the leisurely pace of the day, so we parted ways (sadly). It had been a great visit and thanks from the bottom of my heart, you two, for all you did for me!
In the afternoon, I was just sort of milling about and trying to figure out a plan of action. I decided at the last minute to purchase a ticket for the local lake tour. This is a boat that travels (almost like a ferry) from point to point along the lake line. I think many of the lakes in the region do something similar. Anyway, if you like, you can get off at one point and hike to the next. It’s a great way to get some walking in and still be able to catch a ride home.
Here’s a video of part of my walk down to the lake:
Heading back, I took some pictures at the local park (Hope Park).
Hope Park
Sadly, I headed back to my B&B to pack for the final leg of my journey to London.
9/19
Got a taxi very early in the morning as I had to be at the station in Penrith by 8 to catch my train. Marion, the owner of the B&B, graciously fixed me a large lunch and had it waiting on the front desk when I left.
I was lucky enough to find a seat next to two elderly Glasgowian ladies on their way to Blackpool. They were such a hoot! (When I could understand them.)
I got into London around noon, caught my train to Penge and realized that staying in Penge that last day was a mistake. There were no trains out of Penge the following morning until 8 am… much too late for me to catch my flight. Frances, the owner of Melrose House, kindly assisted me by ordering a taxi for the following morning to West Croydon which would then take me on to Gatwick.
I was too tired to do much that afternoon, so I hung around Penge and did a final walk around the area. The local church was having a barbecue, and the smells wafted throughout the street. It was perfect weather, and I just enjoyed the leisurely time soaking in the houses and gardens… and everything that IS England to me.
How can I describe what it feels like to feel a country in every pore of your body? From the shops in the villages to the footpaths, lakes, and mountains… from the kindness of strangers to the peaceful solitude of sitting on a park bench and just “being.”
I was so blessed to have this trip, and so lucky to have my good friends along the way to escort me through parts of it. And to have met new friends who I’ll cherish even if we never meet again.
9/20
It was an early day to the airport, but I got there in good time. Made my final purchase in duty free (my favorite Estee Lauder perfume, “Beautiful” and headed for the boarding area. I regretted having bought a round trip ticket.
I landed in Charlotte and easily caught my connection to Austin. Arrived on time and without incident. Tom was there to pick me up (THANKS TOM!). I do appreciate your making that effort.
I was whisked back to my house and my dogs and my daily grind. I’m glad for the moments of magic I had and the memories. I wondered if there would ever be a way for me, again, to live in England so that I could rectify all the times when I didn’t appreciate it so much when I lived there before. Ah well, only time will tell.