Ashness Farm Borrowdale

After making arrangements by text last night my friend Steve (from Crewe this time - I know a lot of Steve's) caught a train to Penrith with his family to arrive around 8am to collect my car. Joanna brought me back to Appleby and that little task was sorted. Typical of me to be finishing off such a large task at the last minute but it all got sorted and that's the main thing.

It is now the time to be assembling my stuff into ...

Well after a good nights sleep, well I did but Martyn woke up complaining bitterly that he was kept awake by another form of wind from Leigh? we woke up to.. yes you guessed it, RAIN! but with the added benefit of of strong winds with gusts up to gale force strength..nice!

Once everyone had checked out of the Motel we set off for Glasgow on the scenic route via Otterburn & Haywick, stopping for breakfast at the very friendly Percy Arms in Otterburn ...

... this so if you haven’t already downloaded Skype get it done girl!!! :o)
Mum made me a corking tea, Gammon baby!! Cheers for that Mum. I managed to eat it considering I’d lost my appetite, I couldn’t see that go to waste lol. An early evening visit to my Nan to see how she was (she’s smoking again…tut tut!!) but she’s doing good.
I had a few visitors over the course ...

Ingnoring most advice we did head off for our anniversary weekend to the Lake District. Cumbria had just experience record rainfall of 400+ mm of rain in 24 hours and amny parts of the area were severly flooded. We had a great run up on the M6 on Friday afternoon and settled into Elim House. In the moring we went down to see the lake which was now creeping ...

Travelled to Cumbria to see Mum and catch up with old friends - was originally going to leave all my kit here but realised that I needed more time to get used to the weight on the bike (and assess whether I might need to get panniers after all) so the trip has become largely a ...

... a few bits I need to try on to see if they'll make the final cut to come on this adventure with me. But, apart from that I'm pretty much sorted. I'm thinking that I'm forgetting something but Im a tad anal so Im prob just worrying for worrying sake. Few bits to get from town then thats me! So, I'll update again when Im off and let you know how Im getting on.

... back to Hawkshead.

We had planned to stop in Ambleside on the way home to see the Roman ruin "Galava", which unfortunately turned out to be a muddy field with some ridges in. Most disappointing, and it started to rain again as we walked back to the car, leading to a damp drive home. On a positive note, we did get home in a record four hours, just in time for Eartha to watch Dr Who.

... on a bench. She stood on first the window sill, then my outstretched hands and without a fuss, she was in. Of course, the fun didn't stop there. The door is mortice locked, so I had to climb in through the living room window.

Indeed, the next four people back also climbed in through the window, as they couldn't find the key either. We handed dripping items back and forth through the window for depositing in the drying room. Vince set the open fire ...

... for a gentle weekend's walking. The weather did not seem to be about to comply.

The Climbing Hut was not one I had been to before. It is set about two miles off the main road down a potholed, rocky track. It took us a couple of attempts to find the right potholed, rocky track in the dark, but eventually we did. It is narrow and weaves around, zig-zagging between tight farm buildings, over ...

Lake District was the northernmost area we visited. That's probably why the Lake District is one of the best attractions of U.K. John told me the story of Beatrix Potter, the author of Peter Rabbit.
Actually, I don't remember which lake I visited, because John took me there. I still remember I took a boat to the opposite ...