Just enough light for the step I'm on: Holiday

The Journey begins

Thank you for all your good wishes for Chloe and Ed. They return today from France - Ed having completed one of the stages of the Tour de France (ahead of the riders but with 10,000 other cyclists). It was an 80 mile cycle ride in the mountains - wow!

Sorry for the delay in posting about our holiday - I have been drowning under the piles of washing!

Again - anyone who doesn't do detail can stop reading now and just look at the pictures!

We travelled up to the Lakes on the train, which was wonderful. Paul had booked first class tickets for the London - Penrith section of the journey and it was great. Plenty of room and lots to drink - perfect!

Chloe and Ed met us at Penrith - and we had our first view of the ring on Chloe's finger.

Lovely first class

I am sorry I didn't take any photos! But it is very beautiful.

Driving into Borrowdale is like coming home for us. We arrived at the hotel to champagne and scones. A lovely way to celebrate and begin our holiday. Anne from the hotel gave Chloe and Ed the cork from the champagne bottle with a silver coin in for good luck.

We settled into our rooms ( a little suite with a lounge, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom) while Ed and Chloe returned to the campsite for a change of clothes.

Walking in the rain

Baths (for Chloe and Ed - their campsite just has cold water and a stream) and a lovely evening meal (roast beef) - followed by a walk to the stepping stones - in the rain! The rain in the Lakes is not like our rain - it is so, so beautiful. The mountains get covered with an atmospheric mist and everywhere glistens. I was delighted to be back in my favourite place.

Boat views

It was wonderful to wake the next day to the sound of the river burbling as it ran past our window.Yummy breakfast - the food in the hotel is delicious home cooking. Chloe and Ed met us after breakfast and we drove into Keswick where we took the boat across the Lake. The views from the boat are breathtaking - mountains surround the Lake which is so peaceful. From the other side of the Lake we then walked around a section before catching the boat back into Keswick. It isn't very long before the peacefulness seeps into your very being.

The boast drops at the landing stage

I love the reminder of our creator God all around us when we are in the Lakes. So much remains unchanged and untouched.

Lunch in George Fishers - yummmmmmmm. Followed by a bit of window shopping. Back in time to watch the end of that days stage of the Tour de France and a bit of tennis.

Evening meal - again very yummy. Thai sweet potato soup (must try this at home) followed by gammon with orange sauce.

So beautiful!

Next day - Grasmere. This includes a beautiful drive past lakes and mountains and always involves, some shopping, a visit to Heaton-Coopers gallery, Grasmere gingerbread and lunch in Bawdrys.

The afternoon was spent visiting Chloe and Eds campsite - with spectacular views. It must be one of the most beautiful campsites in the country - accessed down a very narrow driveway. They had pitched the tent right next to the stream which happily meandered past. The next field had sheep and plenty of lambs.

Muumy goose sheltering her babies under her wing

The brave ones jumped over the fence between the fields. Leaving lambs bleating loudly for their mums! Ed was not impressed when he had a lamb bleating very loudly right outside their tent at 5am!

We had a lovely picnic of scones, cream and strawberries mmmmmm.

Our last evening meal together was followed by a walk to the steeping stones for Ed and Chloe to say goodbye.

Chloe and Eds tent

Chloe and Ed had an early start back to Henley leaving at about 8.30 after packing up the tent thankfully not in the rain (it had rained all night).

Unfortunately I was quite poorly on Wednesday- the results of many days of business! I spent most of the day in bed (much to the surprise of the window cleaner) managing a short walk in the afternoon to meet Paul. However, this was good for Paul as he got to walk - up! I can only manage flat walks. So Paul walked all day coming back at lunchtime to check on me and to have a rest!

The view from the tent

Thursday - our last day and a very rainy morning. We took the bus over the Honister Pass and down into Buttermere and then onto Keswick. The scenery - even in the rain is stunning. The waterfalls were spectacular - full to overflowing! I wish I could capture the scenery better on photographs but it never does it justice.

Lunch in Keswick and shopping for a new light backpack for me. Then boat and bus back to the hotel.

An afternoon nap

Time for a nap and a catch up of tennis and Tour de France.

We followed the evening meal with our last walk to the stepping stones. The farmers were herding the sheep into pens to check and count them. It is lovely to watch the work done between the shepherds and their dogs. We chatted with a local farmer who told us that the sheep would usually have been sheared by now but because of the weather they haven't put on enough weight and so have to be left in the fields for longer.

Sheep jumping the fence

They moved the sheep into a new field and we watched the scramble as the lambs tried to find their mums. The noise was incredible - lambs and mums bleating loudly. Then the joyous reunion as they found each other. The shepherds work so hard - very long days.

Friday arrived all too quickly. Breakfast, packing and a last walk to my view before the taxi arrived to take us to the station.

More views

Again a great journey on the train to London - followed by a very packed train to Wokingham. We were pleased to arrive back home and back to Ben and Papageno. Poor Ben had been ill while we were away so was pleased to have us back. Papageno was very pleased to see us too and have everyone back in the nest!

So now I am wading my way through our washing and mainly Chloe's camp washing. Today I tackle the ironing pile.

Grasemere Gingerbread - yes please

I was so thankful to be able to go away for a few days and thankful to return home too. I am aware now that although holidays are wonderful they take a lot of energy! I am learning to pace myself - not always successfully (hence Wednesday's illness). It is hard when you are on holiday as you want to make the most of the time and fit in plenty. This is just a reminder that I still have to stop - even in the Lakes!