Water, water…

I hadn’t been to the Lake District until recently so, aside from a mandatory visit to Coniston, I let myself be guided by SWMBO. No doubt she’ll correct anything I’ve mis-remembered in this diary-ette. Update - as predicted, SWMBO has indeed now corrected my chronology so the below is now correct

On the way to the holiday cottage we visited Brockhole where the kids enjoyed trampolines in the trees.

We climbed Barrow on Saturday. I say climbed but in reality it was an easy walk up and down a 1,500 ft mountain. Hill? I don’t mind walking. But I don’t take kindly to hills. This is going to be a tough week. Derwent Water to Friar’s Crag followed that afternoon and Buttermere on Sunday.

A splash of rain saw us go to The Puzzling Place on Monday followed by a boat trip, Lodore Falls and a meal out at Ivy House.

Tuesday was the appointed Coniston trip day where The Ruskin Museum was an obvious requirement followed by a walk at Tarn Hows culminating in some of my favourite views of the week.

Catbells, The Pencil Museum on Wednesday threatened to be a tough climb but in the end felt easier than Barrow to me. #relieved

Thursday was the final full day so we all had a walk in Whinlatter Forest followed by a cream tea. The walk was fine but the cream tea disappointing if I’m honest. But then most are … home cream teas ftw (they’re the only ones where you can get the correct scone/jam/cream ratio … which, btw, is 1:1:1 ).

Friday saw us drive to the South Lakes to drop off kids & SWMBO for their extra few days before I motored home. A cheeky stop-off at the Lakeland Motor museum in the afternoon - the sight of the (one and only) TVR Speed 12 was alone worth the price of admission.

So in the end the walks were not as taxing as I’d feared (undboutedly I’ll regret saying that as SWMBO will get ideas…) and the views made them hugely worthwhile. And we were apparently insanely lucky with the weather The museums were more entertaining than perhaps might be expected - highlights being the remains of Bluebird (that aren’t being used in the restoration!) and a half ton pencil…

Activities such as swims in the onsite pool, a few frames of full sized snooker and fixing Raspberry Pi problems with my father-in-law filled in the gaps of an excellent week!

Grub

Weeks before we went, Marianne organised an evening out at a posh restaurant for the two of us.

I’m always up for that sort of outing and Cottage in the Wood delivered. And then some. The tasting menu was, naturally, only ever going to be our choice … with wine, of course. For my appetite the portions were tiny … but the food itself was as spectacular as the view of Skiddaw we had from our table.

Overall it was up there with any of the (few) Michelin-starred restaurants we’ve been to.

It goes without saying we’ll be back…