ANOTHER VIEW

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Judy and Sally drop me off at the Windermere train station after we say heartfelt thank you’s to Eileen and Richard.  Here is my four-train itinerary just to get from one town in the Lake District to another.

Train leaves Windermere at 9:47, arriving at Oxenholme Lake at 10:06. I meet two Australians traveling to Wales, having already hiked in the Lake District. When we exit, they wait for a train across the tracks going in the opposite direction.  I have six minutes to cross the tracks to get on the second train, going on to Lancaster.  Tension!  

Early views from the train show the beautiful hillside.

The Australians going in the opposite direction.

The 35 minute wait in Lancaster for the third train means I can “hit the head” and compose myself.  A station agent mutters because the train is three minutes late.  “I can’t imagine why it’s running late.”  I try to reassure him as the train arrives at 11:05. 

On the Barrow In Furness train, I ask the conductor what “Furness” is.  She stares at me, looking perplexed, and says, “I’m sure I don’t know.  I’ll have to ask about that.”  [Wiki Eng tells me it is a peninsula and region in south Cumbria.  Low Furness is the peninsula which juts out into the Irish Sea.]   

Where am I and where are the green hills?

Appropriately-Named Town

At 12:36 we leave Barrow In Furness on the Carlisle service (my fourth train), arriving in Ravenglass at 13:21 (1:21 PM), right after passing Bootle.  Ravenglass (the only coastal town in the Lake District National Park) sits at the estuary of three rivers:  Esk, Irt, and Mite.  I just love all today’s names.

I am tired and hungry so I drop in with my suitcase to the Ratty Arms, which is right next to the train tracks.   “Ratty” is an old-timey name for Railroad.  Bathroom!  I do have a dinner reservation there, but a Kind bar is not going to hold me till then.  Thai cod and fishcakes plus dessert is a delicious lunch.  And filling!   I cancel the dinner reservation. 

 

Nice bathroom in the restaurant.

Then I roll my suitcase toward the water and the Rosegarth Guest House where I’ll stay till Friday.  Signs say that walkers and cyclists are welcome.

 Oh my goodness!  There is an ice-cream facility on the first floor, right above my room.  “All our ice-cream is made from fresh Cumbrian cow’s milk and cream.”  I’ve died and gone to heaven.  

My room is tidy with a view right onto the water.  I found out about this place from my insurance agent, whose father comes here every Spring.  He recommended Room 3, which is what I asked for.  I’m happy with the shower also.  

It is a gray day.  After I unpack I take a walk to orient myself to the new place.  The sign says “Rome 1127” miles.  Rome, Italy?  The Romans were in this area.  Remains of a Roman bath house established in AD 130 are nearby.  I find a nifty spider under a nearby porch. 

Maybe this sign is talking about the “Danger Area” on the map above.

I’m enticed by the narrow bridge crossing over the water.   Tide is going out, leaving boats in the parked position.  

So nice to see wildflowers close to where I am living.

A man is sleeping on a bench in the weeds near the boggy area.  I hope he isn’t homeless.  I cross over to see a bit of the farm, then head back, enjoying the little town of Ravenglass from the water.

When I return “home” I find a small family turning over rocks to find hiding crabs and a couple looking for new birds.  Bird-watchers in England are called “twitchers.”  They sit out there mornings and dusk.

I go to my room to write, read and prepare myself for tomorrow, when I will take my first walk in this new and, so far, different-looking terrain.

If you would like to comment on this blog, please do so below if you can.  Otherwise, I'd love hearing from you at rwoodel.woodel@gmail.com.

DOUBLE-HEADER ADVENTURES

SUNDAY September 4

Adventure One.

Judy, Sally and I head off to Orrest Head.  Here is what a walk-reviewer says: “...the thought of ascents that can be done in carpet slippers gets more appealing as the years stumble on.  AW [Wainwright, the fells-walking guru] listed all manner of reasons why people may turn to lesser hills -- half a century of pipe-smoking, brittle bones, unsympathetic families, senile decay, sexual over-indulgence.  As he said, though, ‘Rigor mortis is the one great disability to fear, and avoid as long as possible.’”

Judy is anxious to go on a walk you can do in your bedroom slippers.  But in real life, especially for the last bit ascending the hill, you could end up with stubbed toes and twisted ankles.  Maybe it would be worth it because the flowers are pretty and the views are marvelous.  Because it is a hill rather than a mountain and because the trail head is practically in downtown Windermere, it is not exactly crowded, but...    Sort of like walking the Panther Creek trail on a Saturday.  

Here are a bunch of photos for you to take the walk with us.  But the top photo is here ONLY for my friend, Kathy.  (Isn't this a neat kayak, Kathy?)  This store was opposite the trailhead.

OK for carpet slippers so far.

Well Sign-Posted

Path is lumpy here; ditch the carpet slippers.

Slippers OK Here

Through a Hole in the Trees

And then we're about halfway to the top:

About here is a bench where we sit and see the town.

A small farm is next to the trail.

"Wise and Beneficent Liberality"

 This stone has a prayer carved on it: "Thou, who hast given me eyes to see and love this sight so fair, Give me a heart to find out Thee and read Thee everywhere.

After huffing and puffing and clambering over very large rocks, we reach the top, which is glorious.

Before we walk “home” we stop at the train station so I can buy a ticket to Ravenglass.  I love this dog and his collar.

Sally and Judy will head back to Twickenham Monday.  It would take an hour for Sally to drive me to Ravenglass and another hour to get back to the highway for London.  But for only $45 I can get a marvelous train adventure!

The railroad ticket-seller, staring intently, asks me, “Why do you want to go to Ravenglass?”  

Hunh?  What does he mean by that?  Why should I, in particular, be interested in that part of the world?  Why would I want to leave beautiful Windermere?  

Then, “How long do you think it will take you by train?”  

When I tell him it will take three hours, he nods his head and smiles, “So we’re on the same page.”  He’s been sadly disappointed by people who say they want the ticket, but then refuse to pay for it after they read that four trains are involved in a three hour trip.   He can’t bear that heartbreak again apparently.

Adventure Two

After returning home to spruce up a bit, Sally drives us to Hill Top, the home of Beatrix Potter.  Before my trip Toni and I watched a lovely movie about her early life as a children’s author.  If you haven’t yet seen this gentle movie, press here for a hint:  Miss Potter Movie Trailer

Actually, though, amongst the people of the Lake District, she is better known as a conservationist and lover of the land.  Along with her husband, William Heelis, she bought farms and land which she then left to the National Trust.  She specifically is respected for “bringing new life to the now famous Herdwick sheep breed and supporting traditional farming methods.”

But first, we take the Windermere ferry across the lake.   

 

Every place has water bowls for dogs in the Lake District.

 Herdwick sheep are nearby, as well as another brand.  The Herdwicks have white faces and are especially hearty for living in the high fells where it snows in the winter and is rough and rocky all the time.  They all seem to be smiling.

 We are surprised at how many Japanese visitors are making a pilgrimage here.  Judy is told that they learn English in school by reading Potter books. 

A volunteer points out how many parts of the house are drawn in her books.  After she marries, however, Beatrix and her tall husband find it more comfortable living in the larger yellow house across the street.  She maintained this house, though, as her work area.  Ceilings are low and the windows are small; I squint a lot.  I love the bits of her letters which they’ve scattered here and there ... especially one.  If you are over 70 years old, you will know which one I mean.

"Had the best Herdwick ewe and gained the challenge cup to hold for a year."

This note says she is happy to have bought this old table and thinks the National Trust will like it.

"He is 42 (I am 47) very quiet - dreadfully shy, but I'm he will be more comfortable married -- I have known him for six years; he is in every satisfactory."

Here she draws how the sheep look when she sees them through the window glass as she lies in bed.

"Thank God I have the seeing eye, that is to say as I lie in bed I walk step by step on the fells and rough lands seeing every stone and flower and patch of bog and cotton grass where my old legs will take me again."  1937

For the Japanese visitors

The clock on the landing appeared in one of her books.

Nearby House

After our pilgrimage, we have an early dinner at nearby Cuckoo Brow Inn.  Dogs, of course, are allowed.  I just love that about the English countryside.  I follow the strange sign to “Stables, games, and toilets” then return to a difficult choice about dessert after our roast lamb.

Stuffed Creature in the Pub

Our Table

Roast lamb with an orange veg I never heard of:  Swede.

Hikers with muddy feet.  Why no mud on their dog?

Me in the "Toilet Games Stable" Portion of the Inn

Don't these old hotel bells remind you of the Downtown Abbey?

 We drive up to Hawkshead, which Sally remembers from years ago.  I have yet more icecream.  The little stores up there are so specialized.  One sells ONLY relish.  Another offers 30 kinds of cheese but sells other things.  I buy an icecream scooper there for Richard, who was using a tablespoon, for goodness sake! 

Wish I could see this in real life.  This is a postcard.

Woodalls of Waberthwaite.  Yikes!

A bit past the ferry, traffic is intense but then the road opens to yet more gorgeous scenery. 

Quite ordinary people use "whilst"

When we return, we enjoy three very large Maine coon cats that live with  Eileen and Richard. 

Leo

Edward a.k.a. Ted

Luna

I go to bed early because I have a big day of transportation tomorrow.  Unfortunately, I miss seeing the badger who comes by about 10:00 PM.  

If you want to tell me which of Beatrix Potter's notes you like the most, please write it in the comments below or send me an e-mail at rwoodel.woodel@gmail.com.