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Quarrystone Bank

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  • TravelerBritan and SriLanka
    13
    Day 7

    Day 7 - Circling around

    May 30, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Left Jane and Bernards' in Holme and headed through the Lake District, over the Penines and through to Hexham.

    The terrain was incredibly varied and the weather has been quite beautiful for the whole trip.

    The lake district has been a holiday. destination for posh folk since Victorian times. Beautiful hills and lakes. Lately there has been protest about raw sewage going into the lakes. Apperently Steve Coogan's not happy.....i dont blame him.

    From there we went to Keswick, where we pencil museum (!). And them to castlerigg stone circle. A mini stonehenge, built 4500 years before present. I think i felt a small jolt when i touched a stone.

    We ventured further north to Penrith where we visited another stone circle called ' long megg'. This one was much larger and was in a cow paddock. We were the only people there.

    Northward through the Pennines a mountainous and barren area. Still lots of stone walls but the villages are spaced further apart than in the more productive areas. I cant comprehend how many miles of stone walls there are. They are everywhere. Millions of tons of rock moved by human hands over who knows how long.

    After dropping down from the heights of the pennines we arrived at Hexham to stay from the night.

    Jon has finally crashed    Read more

  • TravelerLiving In the UK
    11
    Day 42

    Lakes. District Pt 1

    July 26, 2024 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    📌 The lakes district was too beautiful to keep it to one post! A Friday off at work, meant a car hire on Thursday and hurried exit from work to get away for the weekend. Chloe picked up the car from the most blase local dealer and the car was a bit of a bomb but it added to the adventure of it all.

    📌 We were staying at a very quaint town outside Penrith, the Airbnb was a cottage that was super comfy and charming. Apparently it was a big step up from my Vietnam accommodation choices ☺️

    📌 The weather was looking okay for the Friday so we planned on doing Hellvlyn, the 3rd highest peak in England at 950m (high for the UK ☺️). The walk was approximately 16km and it was gorgeous but a tough ascent. There were many lakes, sheep and goats along the way as we walked through the hilly landscape.

    📌 We ended the afternoon with a rewarding beer at a local pub in one of the lakes quaint towns (a super busy one). The town full of small local shops, so many pubs and delicious food stalls was wonderful to walk through. Once satisfied , we headed back to the accommodation and out to a local pub to get amongst some traditional pub fare. The pub was buzzing with a beautiful interior/exterior and we tucked into some fish and chips w mushy peas and a steak and ale pie accompanied by some G&T and wine. An excellent finish to the day exploring.    Read more

  • TravelerC2C and Ireland Coasts
    1
    Day 13

    Welcome to the Yorkshire Dales

    June 12, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    A much gentler and shorter day hiking across the dales and pastures towards Orton. Beautiful wildflowers scattered in the pastures and along the roadsides. More gates and climbing over stiles. Our accommodation tonight is on the M6 motorway to Scotland at the truck stop. But Boy Oh Boy 4.5 star at its most luxurious thus far. Beautiful luxury restaurant and rooms.
    Our normal hiking day tomorrow appreciating more history and sites.    Read more

  • TravelerI Wandered Lonely As A Cloud
    Day 9

    Bampton to Orton

    May 10, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Day 6 of the coast to coast trail. We have left the Lake District and are now in the Yorkshire Dales. No more steep climbs like in the lake district but more undulating landscape. It was a good day of hiking covering 18.5 km. I was tired by the end of the day getting in around 3:30 pm.

    This morning I met Debbie and Ginny from Colorado at breakfast who are also doing the C2C trail and we're staying at the Mardale in Bampton. I had met them on the first day. Debbie has gained some notoriety with the hikers on the trail as she broke her wrist on Day 3 of the C2C. She had to have it reduced but has decided to carry on. What a trooper.

    I got off to a slightly later start at 8:45. I was off the official trail but I had figured out how to get back to the C2C trail without having to back track. I walked to Bampton Grange and visited their beautiful church before doing some meadow walking back to the main trail. It took me a good 45 minutes to make it back to the C2C trail.

    Without the Acock brothers to guide me things were more challenging and I had to keep checking my phone. I felt like I was playing Pokemon. Within the first 15 minutes I had become off track. To get back on track, I scaled a small wall beside a locked fence with my phone in one hand. With my boots wet from the dew, I slipped getting off the wall falling on my back and left hip. I was shocked but fortunately didn't hurt myself too badly other than having a sore hip afterwards. This is probably a great way to break one's hip. I was lucky as I landed on some nice moist grass.

    Fortunately the rest of the hike was uneventful. The rest of the hike turned into a mini pilgrimage. I visited the ruins of the Shap Abbey. The monastery had existed for 500 years before it was partially disassembled and destroyed by Henry 8 in the 15 century. These old monastery sites are so beautiful and serene. The monks really had a knack for choosing their sites. After hiking through Shap and crossing over the M6, one of UKs busiest highways, I returned to the solitude of the countryside. My guide book had indicated that past a farm/village of Oddendale in a field there was neolithic stone circle. Like we are talking about a mini Stonehenge. How cool is that. I just had to find it. I wandered around the field for about 15 minutes before I found it and soaked all of the cosmic energy of the universe. I continued onwards after lunching. Other than when I walked through Shap I hadn't seen any other hikers all day. It was a little eerie. Around 1:30 in the afternoon I came across 4 hikers having a break all with their boots off and lying on mats. It was like a yoga retreat. Why hadn't they done this at the stone circles. I stopped and chatted a little bit and they gave me a very wonderful Belgium chocolate. Just as I was getting ready to leave Debbie and Ginny rolled up. They were making a good time. I was just heading to find Robin Hood's grave which was off the trail 300 metres and they agreed to come looking for it. I envisioned a Viking mount but instead it was a pile of stones making a cairn. We continued onto Orton and found the George Hotel which is pretty well the only place to stay in town. Before supper I checked out the town and bought myself some lunch for tomorrow and visited the church. I have been saying a prayer for our friend Kevin who passed away last week at all of the religious sites I visit. Yes I said a prayer for him at the stone circle. After a mediocre curry supper at the George Hotel I walked back up to the church and joined the Orton bell ringers in their Friday night bell ringing session. What a way to end the day.    Read more

  • TravelerBeyond Carlisle
    Day 6

    Penrith - Crossfell Campsite

    August 11, 2024 in England ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Well last last full day of cycling today and it was tough going. Not any big mileage or any proper hills just knackered! Probably over did it a bit yesterday if I’m honest. Also, it was really warm. So weatherwise only complaint today is sunburnt knees.

    Haven’t really spoken properly to anyone this week (except John on day 2) but today all that changed.

    I stopped for some breakfast at a café in Annan and outside was an old bike with some pretty non-aero luggage.
    It belonged to Fergal from Cork who was wearing a Tour de France yellow jersey and tucking into a full Scottish. He had arrived at Stranraer from Larne yesterday and ridden all the way to Annan on the dreaded A75. He agreed it was a bit ‘sketchy’, but he was in a hurry. He was starting his second day of a coast to coast - planning on reaching Whitley Bay later that day. He didn’t seem in too much of a hurry as he ordered extra toast, but needed to be back on the ferry on Wednesday.

    The 15 miles from Carlisle were really tough for me. Lots of hills. Not proper Richmond or Bray bills, just annoying little lumps that had me scrambling for the tiny gears. That and the heat meant I was on the lookout for any reason to stop. At a roadside cafe I bought two bottles of Coke (118% of my daily sugar requirements!) and sat in the shade and guzzled them both. Then the owner, Oktai, brought out a plate of orange slices with chocolate sauce (‘for extra energy’). It was such a nice gesture.

    Penrith is a lovely place - especially on a sunny Sunday afternoon. There are lots of bars and I found myself in one, enjoying a pint of local Ghyll beer. I got chatting to Dave (77) and Lin (70), widowers who had met on an Internet dating site earlier this year. Their romance may be in its infancy, they aren’t hanging around.

    As Dave said, ‘life is too short’ so having already been to Italy on holiday, they were in Penrith to introduce Lin to Dave‘s oldest friend,. She said she was nervous and Dave said ‘you’d better have another drink then’. Before they drive back to Lind house in Shropshire, they were going to Yorkshire to get Dave‘s house ready to sell. They were great fun.

    The campsite is small and quiet. When I arrived next door to my pitch was another guy on a bike. Obviously being close neighbours we got chatting.

    Mick lives in London. He is a market trader specialising in antiques and also runs a car park. For the past two weeks, he has been cycling from Lands End towards John O’Groats. He has done loads of long cycle tours but ‘can’t stand those blokes in Lycra who are only interested in their speed and don’t even look at the view’. I was In full lycra as we spoke, but he could obviously tell that I wasn’t fast. When I asked him
    how much planning goes into his big trips, he said ‘I’m lucky I’ve got such a good missus - she agrees to look after my dog otherwise I couldn’t go’. We pooled our resources for a cup of tea (he had milk, I had gas) as the sun went down.
    I had toyed with getting up early and cycling over Shap to the boat tomorrow. Craig the campsite operator tells me there is a headwind and thunderstorms forecast. So I won’t be.    Read more

  • TravelerCoast to Coast England (C2C)
    Day 10

    106/300

    September 18, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Tag 7/22
    Km 19/14

    Es war eine sehr milde Nacht gewesen. Und das es stark regnet bleibe ich bis 11 Uhr liegen.
    Man sollte fast meinen ich würde mich erholt fühlen. Tue ich für eine kurze Zeit auch :D

    Nach 6km werden meine Essensvorräte aufgefüllt.
    Zum Mittagessen gibt es Kakao, Eier und Hähnchen.

    Es geht über weite Felder, Kuhweiden und Schafweiden. Die Kühe machen mir immer ein bisschen Angst.

    Das Wetter wechselt zwischen windig, sonnig und regnerisch. Die Sonne beflügelt mich ein bisschen.

    Bei km 100 ist es unspektakulär, regnerisch und matschig.

    Wenn man den Weg nicht in den üblichen Tagesetappen läuft trifft man übrigens kaum jemanden.

    Jetzt liege ich fröstelnd im Zelt es sind leider nur 8 Grad.

    Morgen Abend habe ich ein Hostelzimmer da es morgen den ganzen Tag ohne Pause regnen wird.    Read more

    See translation
  • Emil PostSchottland 2023
    Day 20

    Lowther Castle and Gardens

    May 22, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Den letzten Tag haben wir noch ein Castle besichtigt: Lowther Castle and Gardens. Das Castle besteht eigentlich nur noch aus den Außenwänden. Nach dem Krieg fehlte das Geld, so das der Schlossherr sämtliches Inventar verkaufte. Später dann das Dach abbaute, und dann alles so stehen und vergehen zu lassen. Ein Nachfahre kümmert sich nun um die Anlage. Einen Plan über 20 Jahre für den Garten arbeitet er nach und nach ab. Es ist insgesamt eine sehr weitläufige Anlage, die nach endgültige Fertigstellung bestimmt sehr schön ist. Derzeit sind noch einige Gärten im Bau (Steingarten, japanischer Garten). Und zu unserer Zeit waren kaum blühende Blume zu sehen. Das aber liegt wohl an der Jahreszeit.Read more

    See translation
  • Coast to Coast

    A Rest Day

    August 1, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We stayed in Patterdale today in order to take a break before we go on to the next stage. After a nice breakfast we took the bus into Penrith. We spent the day looking in shops, going to the visitor centre and museum, and stopping for tea and lunch. It poured rain at one point but it was short lived. Tonight we went back to the White Lion in Patterdale for dinner and drinks. We’re now back in our room getting ready for tomorrow - it will be a long walk of over 24 km with 900 m ascent and descent.Read more

  • TravelerPortugal Spring 2018
    Day 1

    Weekend at an English Manor House

    March 25, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Mike and I left Victoria, once again, on Wednesday morning. Our first stop on this trip is England where we will spend a total of 7nights. Mike’s brother Alun turned 70 on March 22 and we are here to celebrate with the extended Parrys.
    Our trip over to Europe was pleasantly uneventful as we enjoyed premium economy, bulk head seats, the airport lounges and a glass or two of vino to make things easier. We rented a car in Manchester - an SUV with a funny name (it has 2 Qs in the name?) Poor Mike has to take the burden of all the driving in the UK and coming off a plane tired and having to immediately navigate round-abouts ( traffic circles) going the wrong way... well you can understand why one needs a refreshment upon arrival. Actually, we rested and then took Al “out to pub” for his birthday dinner.
    Friday A.M. we packed up some food and ++ cases of champagne and set off north to the Lake District. For those unfamiliar with English geography, the Lake District is in the county of Cumbria on England’s west coast. It is the hilly region of the country with the highest peak, Scarfell. There are many beautiful lakes in the area. It is probably the most popular holiday area of the country for Brits who cottage there and enjoy the walking while all the overseas tourists are crowding places like London, Oxford and the likes.
    Mike and I spent Friday exploring some small picturesque towns like Windemere where we spent time with Ron and Diane a few years ago. Mike pointed out some of the spots he and Ron hiked last year on their coast to coast hike. I have a new appreciation for how challenging their 2 week walking adventure must have been.

    We arrived at our weekend home away from home , a beautifully restored Manor house called Melmerby Hall located in the small village of Melmerby. Not quite Downton Abbey scale but certainly very large and beautifully appointed. There are many common rooms, some formal and some less formal. There are 9 bedrooms with ensuites. There is a massive industrial type kitchen and a kitchen table that can seat 20. There is a formal dining room which we used last night. We all agree it would be a spectacular property in which to live if it had a Mr Carson and a couple of Mrs Hughes.
    The entire weekend gang arrived at about 530 Friday night and there was lots of hugging, oohing and awing over the children we hadn’t met yet-and lots of group pictures. Besides ourselves and Al and Natalie, there are Al’s 3 sons, 2 partners, 4 children ,Al’s brother-in-law Eric and his wife from Plymouth whom we stayed with last year , and two couples who are close friends of Al’s. On Friday we had our meet and greet at the local pub which is only a few hundred metres up the road.

    Yesterday Helen arrived by train from London. We also managed a very long walk to a nearby village and then back over the fields. The British system of rights of way is so interesting as there are marked walking trails in virtually every direction. The fields are full of sheep and their babies as they have just birthed. A few of them might have ended up at dinner last but.... they are rather sweet to see. There were lots of horses to pet along the way so the children were happy. Mike and I decided not to travel with heavy hiking shoes/ boots for this part of the trip so we were a bit mucky by the end of the walk.

    Last night (Saturday) was the big birthday event and we all got dressed up to celebrate. The men looked particularly handsome in their tuxedos. Mike borrowed one and we hitched up the pant hems and squeezed him into a borrowed shirt. The party was a great success with a wonderful dinner that Al had catered. There was free flowing champagne and a few toasts. After dinner we moved back the rugs and danced. We were missing you Jon on DJ duty. I think that Al was very pleased with how things went and having the family and his closest friends around.
    Today we were all moving a bit more slowly. The children including a 7month old, a 2 year old like our Malcolm named after Mike’s Dad Frank , a very chatty 3 year old girl named Lowrie and Chris’s daughter Lilly were all up at their usual time. I think one of the parents Susanna was on kid duty so the rest could lie in.
    We enjoyed another very scenic walk today up and down the local farmer’s fields. The weather is holding but promises to get cooler for the rest of the week.
    Helen took the train back to London this afternoon. She puts her head down for a few days of work and then we RV again on Thursday night for the second leg of our trip in Portugal. Until Thursday, Mike and I are planning to spend a few more days exploring the Lake District and the Yorkshire dales. We are actually looking forward to a couple of quiet days as things have been a fast-paced blur for the past few months.

    That’s all the news from the Manor house. Ta ta for now!
    Heather/ Mom    Read more

  • TravelerLEJOG 2023
    1
    Day 32

    Day 32 LEJOG

    May 8, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    18 miles. 592.4.
    Dufton to Alston
    A very wet day. We were due one😟. And we were going over the tops to the west of Cross Fell to a height of 660m - under mist all day. Firstly we went through several small fields on non existent paths, past cows, some more boisterous than others, a farm with a dead cow and sheep😟. We passed Mark Anthony’s hanging walls- a few grass terraces. Then onto the Maiden Way - a Roman Road - still with obvious foundations and very straight. Up into the mist and continued down although more boggy. Unfortunately through a ford - even wetter feet. Onto the roads for a fast decent into Alston Railway station for a cup of tea and to watch the toy train departing.Read more

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