Bank Ground Farm Coniston

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 ...

... Riding down through Cumbria the amount of rivers that had burst their bank & surface water on the roads was staggering and really confirmed that we had made a good decision.

Currently, we are all sitting in the kitchen with Anne, Phillip and their two children Ieuan & Elise having stuffed our faces with home made lasagne & apple crumble claimed to be all of work of Phil our host!.. the look on Anne's face might mean he was exagerating some what!

What a lovely day I've had.
I was a tad sleepy this morning as I didn’t sleep well last night and also probably due to the fact of yet another late night out with Rachel partying on sat, but what a fun night! I must admit the flight has been playing on my mind ALOT and I’ve had the shakes BAD but I went into town this morning and got some Kalms and Mum got me some Sealegs which should hopefully help ...

... town. We were able to drive the Ambleside and Crook and saw some of the stunning country side. Many stone cottages and fences, lovely valleys and hills. Unfortunatley it was not the weather for any walking which is one of the main attractions of the area.
Had a very relaxing weekend and a stunning meal at Postillion resturant. 28 years! where has it gone.

Yet more car trouble was on the horizon for Sunday morning. Sherpa had managed to turn his car on, then somehow knock the locking system as he was getting out, just as the door blew shut. Sherpa was now locked out of his running car. Several resourceful hikers spent some considerable time trying to poke the switch on the dashboard with a long pole through the bent window seal. Fun.
Hawkshead, England, United Kingdom rachelkw

... local stone and was heavily besieged with the rising brook. The trees opposite were already underwater.

Back at the hut, the key was nowhere to be found. We stood in the porch feeling damp and sorry for ourselves, whilst the rain continued to bucket down. I searched under every stone and in each possible hiding place. Clearly someone had been back and gone out again. We dripped pathetically and considered our options.

My car was there, but the ...

The Michelin Route Finder suggested the journey to the Lake District would be 3 hours and 40 minutes. I know from experience that they are generally underestimating the real time, so I banked on about four and a half to five hours of driving. I collected Donny from school and we set off straight away.

The M6 was dreadful. It was handbrake driving - on, off, on, off, on, off - we managed less than 90 ...

Tow truck 2, turns up at 15:29 and we are off again for the next leg of the journey, Stirling Services to Lancaster Services. This journey takes around 4 hours and I have a nice chat with the driver, Jim all the way. We phone ahead and arrange the next tow truck to meet us at Lancaster at 19:15, guess what? Yes, it wasn't there and I am told it won't be there until 20:15 and it finally arrives at 20:30

... was kind enough to buy an $8 bottle of wine at the gas station (breathe, wine club friends, breathe) and by this morning, things were much sunnier, both figuratively and literally. Coniston is one of the loveliest places I've ever had the the pleasure of visiting, and it will feel bittersweet to be moving on in two days. (Katharine) As Willy Wonka would say,'Greetings starshines ,the earth says hello' For the ...

... of the lake and I strolled around for 10 minutes or so. I assume that was Windermere, but I am not sure. I upload a few picture from there and if you know where it is, please tell me. Anyway, on our way back, we dropped by Lakeside Motor Museum. I was not interested antique cars exhibited in the museum, but John really was.