Lakes District

We are at Brougham Hall Farm for three nights. Arrived yesterday late in the afternoon after travelling down from Edinburgh. We'd stopped in Gretna Green, which has a honourable mention in every Georgette Heyer book I've ever read and I have to say it was a great disappointment. Just shops and restaurants and one little museum at the blacksmiths. Stopped again in Penrith for lunch and stocked up with wine, ham, cheese and beer so we wouldn't have to venture out again for nourishment.

Sarah's place here is lovely, Huge bedroom and our own dining and living room and voted the biggest bathroom with the best shower all trip! It's a working farm with pigs, sheep, horses, turkeys, geese, guinea fowl and chooks galore!

Another guitar workshop tour this morning, which couldn't have been more polar to the other one. Then when we are off for a day touring The Lakes!

Had a lovely day for it, a rarity I'm sure so we did see it at its best. Gorgeous lakes with beautiful mountains and waterfalls! Sarah advised us to stay away from the bigger lakes so we toured some of the smaller ones, Ellswater, Grasmere , Rydalwater, and Thirlmere. Saw the top of Windermere at Ambleside at lunchtime after we'd come down The Struggle a little narrow very steep connecting road.

Stopped in at Aria Force on the way and Keswick town for a bit of a look and then Castlerigg Stone Circle. These two seemed have escaped the popularity of a lot of the other attractions. England seems to be able to make a tourist event out of nearly anything but occasionally you find a little forgotten gem.

Home again then for a rest before dinner out at Dockray Hall.Read more