Terrafirma Travels

Reluctantly tore ourselves away from Ann, High Bield and Little Langdale and headed south. First stop Knutsford just because it's halfway to Hinckley, then because Dave & Sue were busy til 4pm we stopped off at National Trust Stoneywell. It's another Arts & Crafts holiday home for a rich family, but much more modest than Blackwell. It is built into a rocky outcrop, 'part of the landscape' being a thing.  The inside was delightful, quirky, compact. Had a lovely 18 hours with the cousins, meal out, loadsa chat, Strictly, slept in our duvalays but indoors, healthy breakfast. Had a good run home, via lunch in Gloucester obviously. Writing this on 8th after my monthly chemo - first chance to sit down after 2 days of washing, cleaning, gardening and generally catching up at home, including swim TT gym yday which left us a few healthy aches.

Started the day with Ann's delicious cooked breakfast, perfect eggs, bacon and tomato.  Ann gave us the latest on the storms, how her son Robert had taken stranded motorists into his house, how he had removed a tree blockage near the house, how some roads had been flooded and cars abandoned. But everyone was well, and no bones broken. However it was still raining in great waves across the valley, with fierce winds bending the fir trees nearby. We asked Ann for any board games she had, and were rewarded with a huge boxfull. Thing is, they were all for young kids. We played Junior Scrabble, without scoring. A bit frustrating. Then Connect 4  which L had never played. When she beat Nic twice, we stopped there. Had early lunch and ventured out, through showers and flooded fields, to Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts House near Windermere. We had been once, with Mary, many years ago. It was enchanting, with glorious wooden panelling and stained glass. We learned of the architect Macka...

First named storm of the autumn is coming in this afternoon for 24 hours or so. No problem with a day off driving anyway. Walked down to see a very fast flowing river under Slater's Bridge. Must have been a lot of rain overnight. Next the ever wonderful Cathedral Quarry. Then on to Tilberthwaite footbridge and ford - I don't think even the blasted Kankus would attempt that today. Back home past Shaw's and the road.  Kept getting passed by cyclists and runners, sometimes the same ones in both directions. They are on some kind of team orienteering activity, from the numbers on their backs. Some give us a cheery 'Good morning' while others are more focused on the road. It drizzled all the way back, and the rain set in properly as we had our elevenses coffee in Ann's cosy kitchen. Good timing. Now we prepared to hunker down and let Amy blow past. Some reading, some cards, perhaps even some writing.  As Lesley finished making the pasta dinner, the lights went out. Po...

We set off from High Bield on the well-worn driving route to Ambleside, parked up and began a walk to High Sweden Bridge.  The weather was better than previous days, with low cloud and unremittingly grey skies. But it was dry, though damp underfoot. The walk was fairly easy and with not too much up, though there were some wet patches with stepping stones. Nic used his trusty poles. The bridge was a fine sight, and we sat on a convenient stone to have the last of the stroopwafels and a rest. The return leg went past a force, as they call a waterfall around here. By the time we got back to Ambleside we had done 10k steps and were getting behind schedule. So we dived into a cafe to buy sandwiches. On the way back to the van, we stopped on a bridge in the middle of town and saw an uncommon bird, a black and white dipper, on a rock in the stream! To add to the joy, we then saw two longtailed tits in a nearby tree, cheeky little beasts.  We ate our lunch in the van and drove up to...

Wet weather today as forecast. Had a lazy (!) morning with baths and reading. Lunch in, then rain eased so grabbed an hour outside, a walk past the cake farm as far as the gate by the woods. The autumn colours are finally showing. Bought some cakes, of course, and got mobbed by the chickens. The blackberries this year are non-existent for the first time ever - unripe or fried. Lack of rain I suppose. Home for tea and massive blog catchup. Ann is out a lot today, friend this morning and family this afternoon/evening.  We're off to Zeffs for the final Downton film followed by a veg meal at Fellinis.