Saturday 23 October 2021

Autumn Travels: Back to Appleby

Two weeks of doing very little worked, and I am fully recovered from the chest infection I started the month with. If I was going to get ill, the timing could have been a lot worse as we had booked to go back to our favourite hotel at Appleby in Cumbria last weekend - just what I needed to complete my recovery! M retired from his job with the NHS 111 call centre and worked his last shift on the Thursday, and we headed north on the Friday for a long weekend. 


Unusually we were unlucky with both the traffic and the weather. Driving up took as at least an hour longer than usual, and Saturday was cold and wet. We had waterproofs with us, but it felt too unpleasantly damp to want to be outdoors for too long. We spent a bit of time at Windermere and found a nice cafe for lunch, then took the car ferry across the lake and managed a short walk around Hawkshead, the small town nearest to Beatrix Potter's farm at Sawrey.

All was not lost despite the weather as we were able to warm up in the hotel spa in the evening. Sunday was showery, but with enough dry spells for us to get in a four and a half mile walk around Keswick and Derwentwater. 


A couple of years ago we climbed up Walla Crag, the hill in the photo below, but this time we just skirted around the bottom. It was raining a bit at this point, but the weather certainly made for dramatic views! 


The views in the Lake District really are gorgeous. I am hoping that we can take TG up there next year - she has started to appreciate natural beauty and I think she would love it. The only downside of Cumbria having been our destination of choice for short breaks on our own is that we have ended up not taking our daughters up there (although the older two did go when they were very tiny).


By the time we had walked through the woods to the lake the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to come out. 

Fortunately the traffic was better driving home on Monday, although there was heavy rain at times which is never fun to drive through. Considering that we have usually been up to Appleby in the autumn or winter, we have generally been very lucky with the weather. I think this was the first time we have had a wet weekend - we have had snow, but not so much that is stopped us doing anything. Despite the rain we still had a good time - the spa, lovely hotel food and Sunday's walk were pretty good compensation!

4 comments:

Penelope P. said...

So glad you’re now feeling better. The pictures of the Lake District are gorgeous. I did my teacher training at Charlotte Mason College in Ambleside many moons ago, so they brought back happy memories! Congratulations to M on his retirement from the 111 service. It must have been a very stressful job, particularly over the past two years. My husband has gone down to four days a week as a physics teacher. Ironically I have committed to doing Fridays this year for a year 2 class as a supply teacher. I thought it was a temporary thing, but it has morphed into the rest of the year! However, I am pleased Dave can have a day at home on his own, free to choose what he wants to do. That’s the thing I missed most during lockdown when he and my daughter were both at home!

elli said...

Good to have you back — so glad you're past the chest infection. Lovely to see these photos, too. Looks wonderful. xox

Kathryn said...

Penelope P - back in the day when I used to homeschool my two eldest daughters I tried to use as much of Charlotte Mason's method as possible. She was an extraordinary woman. Yes, 111 certainly had its stressful moments, even though he was sent home during the worst of the pandemic as they felt he was at too much risk in a call centre. He found it both challenging and satisfying after spending 40 years working in financial services. He will certainly never regret having done it. I know what you mean about needing some time home alone... M gets quite a bit, but me not so much!

Kathryn said...

Other Penelope - I'm very thankful it went away promptly and didn't decide to linger. The Lakes are always wonderful, even when it rains!