Western Lake District May 2011
Friday 27th May
Off up to The Lake District this morning a 30th Wedding Anniversary long weekend .Two old friends joining us . Its Julies spiritual home as all her family are from the Kendal area. Weather forecast is very patchy, leaning toward rain. Seems about normal for the Lakes. We pack light and then repack a bit heavier as friends are not riding up so gear can go up with them, yahoo can take laptop and refine routes we are intending to ride.
Off at 10am to miss rush hour Up the A1 to Scotch Corner A66 toward Penrith and Keswick. Seeing quite a few slow moving gypsy horse drawn carts heading for Appleby Horse Fair. Start to look for a lunch stop , all the nice looking ones are full so I press on with mutinous undertones coming in on the intercom. Any hoo order is restored as we pull into Threlkeld and head for the Salutation Pub. Its closed eeek! Wander across to Horse and Farrier. We know its pricey at night ! Lunch time bar meals and sarnies all good value, result. Well worth a visit friend had fish and chips and said it was as good as seaside. Not far from coast though. He was well impressed.
Had an intermittent intercom problem (again) on the way up. Last time one of Julies leads had worked loose. Nothing loose this time and scratching my head, I remembered her saying that she was now able to sing a long to ipod ,wondered what was scaring all the sheep. That shouldn’t happen so check mic connection. Bingo. Back on the road again and the sheep can relax , assured that when she sings again the autocom will mute the music
At the bottom of the off ramp into Keswick where we meet the Windermere road is our base for 3 nights Woodside B and B . Have stopped before in 2002 . A lovely place both owners are motorcyclists and also very knowledgeable if you like walking and cycling.
Very clean well presented rooms I think all en suite. Breakfast is excellent as are Ann’s home made jams. Brought some home. They have off road parking (gravel) bikes parked well out of site of road at the back of the house.
From previous visit came back mainly because of how friendly the owners Ann and Norman were.
They are still trying very hard and have built the business up improving all the facilities. The other reason being its 1 mile from Keswick and a good walk . Fresh air and exercise , what holidays are all about. Also an excuse to eat well.
Unpacked walk down for a stroll round Keswick.
Have booked Italian Casa Bella for Saturday, tonight we walk round checking out what’s busy and what’s not. Try out a little place called 17 Again . Its eccentric charm draws you in , the Food is excellent. Highly recommended.
Walk home and an early night.
Saturday 28th May
Its raining so we decide to walk to Keswick for the market and to find Julie a gilet .
NO I know the kids have left home you can not take them home with you.
We buy fresh bread ,locally produced cheese and tomatoes for lunch, top up on coffee, then back to Woodside to plot a route for the afternoon. Over lunch we make the decision to go out at 2pm whatever the weathers doing. We set off in that fine rain that wets you through and stay in it for 50 % of the afternoon. Our friends are following our route later. John has all four routes we are going to use over the weekend sent to him in GPx format he then lets his zumo 550 recalculate and it works well about 98 % of the time. Occasionally not snapped to road or flying part way in a lake for a mile or two.
We scoot down to Keswick for fuel on the outskirts , cheaper than home and both bikes doing 50 + mpg We ride alongside Derwent Water and turn off right at Borrowdale . The difference between here and the Peak District really stands out. Our Lakes are really low and here they are topped right up. Thankfully my camera is waterproof and when John followed us round he had sun and better light. Most photos are mine and Julies. Johns are slightly higher quality as he was using an Slr of some description.
We head towards the Whinlatter Pass. Some good views to be had between clouds and rain.
Beautiful Country Ours. Ospreys are back on Basenthwaite Lake this year, didn’t visit as too many other tourists.
We ride on and skirt Crummock Water and Buttermere
moving on to the Honister Pass a stunning road.
We ride on to Seatoller past Borrowdale and on to
Derwent Water
Back to the Woodside for a quick rest. Then we walk back to Keswick to the Casa Bella Italian. Again comes highly recommended and you need to book in advance. All the ingredients are fresh and where possible locally sourced. The place was packed and the service and attentiveness of the staff excellent. The Owners Husband and Wife are front of house . Not expensive and not rushed at all.
Few food pics
Sunday 29th May
Lazy start and breakfast as our youngest daughter and partner are driving up to meet us at 10.30 for 11am
Julie and I taught her how to drive on a motorway journey or two local to home. This was her first long distance adventure. The Challenge to the Lakes and Home in a day. A proud parent moment and a very happy, slightly tired teenager arrived on time . We scoot off an hour later for todays run. Allegedly the AA says it’s the most scenic road in England the A686 Penrith to Alston road. Lunch at Hartside Café. Or Not packed to the rafters.
We go onto Alston and dine there with the Gypsy Community at the Angel Pub.
Another definite place to have a spot of lunch or tiffin. The road is really good both ways. We return to the Woodside . The young ones depart for there drive home . This challenge was to help prepare for the next big one ,driving through France, Germany bypassing the cucumber mountain and into the Dolomites for our Summer Holiday. Her first big road trip. Also provide Julie and I with Ewan and Charlie support type vehicle . No luggage whoooooeeee.
Another wander down to Keswick and 2nd visit to 17 Again mmmmm
and coffee from something that might explode.
Monday May 30th
Up and breakfast later today as there’s no rush to get home, we pack and say goodbye. We leave at 10am in the rain and trundle over to Ambleside passing Thirlmere, Grasmere and Rydal Water . We pick up the Kirkstone Pass
up to the Inn for more photis and the Cloud cover is decending .
On to Ullswater and a quick coffee stop and the Loo yes its 200m across that field. Felt a name change coming on from Andrew to Russell as I walked back in all the raingear.
We move off and work our way back to A1 for home. An uneventful journey.
The rain made those 3 days more fun somehow . I think it was the light quality. Also we usually always do Wrynose and Hardknott . Made a conscious decision to concentrate more time in the Western End to get to know it as well as we know the South Lakes.
Result.
Andrew and Julie B
