We arrived in York this afternoon after unexpectedly spending two days in the Lakes District. What a place! Discovering more to do than our original time allocation ( which is hazy at the best of times) we camped in a rather tiny attic room ( with the bathroom two floors away!) Turns out ‘private bathroom’ does not equate to en-suite. Intrepid tourists lesson number 437.
Before we left so many people said “ head to the Lakes District” and I am so glad we did. My main aim was to visit the Beatrix Potter exhibition and her house, so we did this and so much more. Beatrix Potter was a favourite of mine when raising my children and I loved reading them any one of her 23 stories. Her colourful tales hold long, happy memories and I was delighted when we ventured into the exhibition. Stunning displays retold the stories she wrote and illustrated along with her life story. Born in 1866 she is famous for her “ little books” and Peter Rabbit, published in 1902, is by far her most famous. The exhibition draws hundreds of visitors a day and I suspect the maintenance is pricey, queues are long and parking is non existent, so there were some challenges just finding the place. Disturbingly, we watched a number of tourists ‘cheat’ the admissions staff to save themselves the miserly £7.50 each to enter. They pushed passed other visitors and generally were rude and inconsiderate. This behaviour has been commented on by others and seen many times exacerbated by the constant stream of tourist buses loaded with predominantly Asians.
Beatrix Potter’s home on the Hill Top has been carefully restored and maintained by the National Trust to whom Potter bequeathed 15 farms and over 4000 acres of land upon her death. The bequeath now forms part of the Lakes District World Heritage Site. Her home which we were fortunate enough to tour, before the crazy crowds arrived, contains many original possessions and works from her life there. It is quite amazing that it still stands so strong today after the original foundations and walls of the home were built in the 17th century. We enjoyed a tour of the home and then wandered the gardens where she herself would have wandered many lifetimes ago. Enjoying some Damson flavoured home made ice cream on a wooden bench, it was a moment of stillness and reflection amid our chaotic schedule.
Leaving here, we discovered an alternate route around the lake, via ferry taking us back to Bowness instead of navigating the narrow windy back roads as we did on the way up. After successfully getting lost, we finally found the ferry and boarded for a four minute trip over the Lake, much more pleasant than the hour it took us, following a tour bus, on the first leg.
Smooth sailing was the order of the day and after parking (a far distance away) we returned to the terminal to board a Lakeside cruise from Bowness to Lakeside. From here we disembarked and boarded the iconic steam train ‘Repulse’ for a short journey to Haverthwaite station. Lovingly restored and maintained the steam locomotives run tours along the steeply graded former Furness Railway branch line to the southern tip of Windermere. The journey was relaxed and Daryl, insisting on putting his head out the door window, managed to get his hair sprinkled with soot from the funnel. Once again , the return trip saw us get directly back on another cruise boat to return to Bowness. By this time we were nearly sure our parking ticket would expire but we hoped the parking meter man would be delayed. The sailing across the lake was again smooth and provided spectacular views of the majestic homes and mountains that protect them and provide a picturesque background for the Lake. The air had chilled and it was nice to find a seat out of the wind. Sadly, as we prepared to disembark we heard the announcement calling for anyone with medical background to attend the back of the boat; someone was unconscious and their loved ones were clearly distressed. I’m not sure of the outcome but hope all ended well for them. Our parking dilemma did not. Daryl bolted back as quickly as he could but missed our cut off by 15 minutes and our penalty notice was firmly secured to the hire car window. Another opportunity to support the local economy. I felt our shopping in the local stores, bars and restaurants was sufficient support but clearly not! Welcome to England!
It seems such a long time ago since we left Scotland but really it’s only two days. After our travels finished in the northern highlands we travelled south and found our way to Edinburgh. Arriving late we drove up to our accommodation ( very much budget) and wondered what on earth we had booked. Despite our initial reservations we found a welcoming reception, avoided the local louts at the bar and discovered our room to be simple but sufficient. Wanting to enjoy a little local culture we ended up at the Jolly Botanist - a quirky, charming pub with fabulous food, and also happened to specialise in Gins. With music from our generation blasting from the speakers we settled in and patted ourselves on the back for such a good find. A pleasant stroll home allowed us to walk off the food, sober up a little and not get lost.
The next morning we were rudely dragged back to reality and I found myself in the Central Library of Edinburgh ( I now have a membership) tapping away, dealing with issues from home which I couldn’t do from my phone. What a building. Apart from the incredible amount of materials here, the history and the architecture is mind blowing. I could have stayed all day except for two tiny issues - one the cranky library lady who wouldn’t extend my computer time passed two hours and the fact that Daryl was wandering unchaperoned in Edinburgh city. Oh, and we were meant to be on holidays, not working in a foreign library. In my absence Daryl had walked and walked and walked ( he got lost) discovering many treasures we now needed to explore.
First stop was Edinburgh castle which stands at the top of the Royal Mile, at the west end of the Old Town and is believed to have been established, ( in a more crude manner) as early as the 12th century. Over the centuries it has been modified, improved and developed as required dependent on the battles at hand. It is still used today for military purposes and opens its doors to some two millions visitors a year. Naturally it was raining as we toured and the Scottish wind had followed us. Wearing only a thin T-shirt our pace was brisk as possible given the hilly nature of the castle layout. Cold and wet we returned to our accommodation to the sight of a police car and divvy van outside reception. Inside was a local lout who I suspect sampled too much of the local ale. Having been given the all clear to return to the hotel, we watched with interest from the bar as it took four officers to assist him from the vehicle into the back of the van.
The next day saw me back at the library for a short time before continuing our exploration of Edinburgh. The previous day, we found a laundry service and now had some clean clothes, which is a bonus when travelling. We located the cafe that is now famous for hosting JK Rowling while writing her Harry Potter novel. This unassuming little cafe boasts a small plaque commemorating the significance, otherwise if you are not looking carefully you might miss it. Of more interest to me was the Writers museum which is dedicated to the lives and works of three of Scotland’s best known writers: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. An exquisite display of works, memorabilia from their era and life’s work. Daryl rested his weary feet while I made my way through the three levels of displays. Continuing on with our theme of ‘all that is old and interesting’ we ventured into another National Trust treasure, one of the oldest homes on the Royal mile. With steep staircases and tiny rooms, it is amazing how people lived in such conditions, as this was in the wealthy section. Our two volunteer guides were a wealth of information telling us intricate tales of life in the Scottish city along with its the deals and devious schemes of some men to ensure entry into the privileged circles. Practices such as manipulating and marrying for prestige, being a witch pricker and ruthless businessman is little different to the antics of modern day folk ( apart from the witch bit). In order to earn good money, influential men could be authorised ‘witch pickers’ and went about pricking womens moles to see if they bled - having a mole or birth mark was the first sign you were a possible witch and enough reason to warrant further investigation. These rather crude practices would have sent many innocents to the stake.
We wandered much of Edinburgh city enjoying its cobblestoned streets, and quaint little shops that boarder its many one way roads but time was ticking and we had a date with the Royal Yacht Britannia. Whether you are a royalist or republican, this ship is worth the visit. The design, the history and the family she carried cannot help but peak your interest. Faithfully maintained by a voluntary crew, she is a beautiful vessel. We meandered our way slowly from deck to deck, enjoying lunch in the newest addition to Britannia, an enclosed dining room, before purchasing a few souvenirs and gifts.
Our plan was to cross the English border after our yachting adventure but time had again gotten away, and we predicted correctly that this would not be the case. Daryl was keen to visit some distant relatives, on his mother’s side, so we found our way to a tiny region of Peebles in the southern Scottish countryside. Having no way to contact them, this was going to be a surprise and what a pleasant time we had. Roy and Celia welcomed us as if we were long friends. Before we knew it a couple of hours had gone over shared tea and stories and it was well past time to make tracks. This leaving took another hour as we enjoyed a tour of their home the former “olde school” which they purchased some 30 years before, after the government of the day closed it down a few years prior. Left to ruin the couple, uprooted their lives in England and took on a Scottish way of life with the challenge of some major DIY. Restored and converted it into a majestic home from a two classroom old school house, this is a work of passion. This home could easily be a feature on Escape to the Country. I’d hate to have their heating bill, but their home is a renovators envy in every sense of the word.
Now into early evening, we were left with the dilemma of where to stay, England was too far away, even for us, and so finding a bed proved to be a little challenging. Travelling through a few little country towns we came upon a gorgeous town called Biggar - picturesque with grand buildings, quaint garden beds overflowing with colour, this place was worth a stop. Finding another pub we sat down with a drink, ordered a homely meal and Daryl spent the next half an hour running from one hotel/pub to another looking for a room but with no prospects, the place was booked out. We reverted to Google and found ourselves a place in the next town on, Moffatt. While we scrambled for a bed and shower, a young couple sat on the adjoining table. Within seconds of them opening their mouths we recognised the Australian accent. Exchanging some travel tips we laughed at their decision to sit near us so they could hear our accents only to discover it was as dry as their own. Covered in tattoos piercings and a trendy haircut the girl was the friendliest person and eagerly asked for advice as they were heading to Edinburgh where we had just left. Her partner, with a head full of dreadlocks shared our idea to trip around the country with minimal planning in place. They had just competed a flying visit to France and Belgium, driving and stopping in a range of unique destinations. People laughed at them, advising them they had planes to do such a journey. Apart from the price of fuel, this is still proving to be the best way to get around Britain.
Our journey from Scotland took in Dumfries farmers market and Carlisle castle infamous for keeping Mary Queen of Scott’s a prisoner for 20 years before beheading her! Some where in this adventure we did stop at a whiskey distillery Dalwhinnie, near Perth. Neither of us drink whiskey but it seemed the thing to do if in Scotland. We are still not fans of whiskey and while prices ranged into the thousands, we found the a standard bottle selling at the distillery for around £48 in the local supermarket for a bargain £35. It is still on the shelf. We will stick to gin and cider and the odd cocktail to wet our appetites.
England is damp and looking out the window today it is trying to rain. The overcast skies will prevent any chance of sunburn ( haha not possible so far) as we take in all the delights York has to offer.
Until next time,
N
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