My Aunt and Uncle and I made an attempt to get away before the big Christmas rush set in. We decided to go to the Lake District, a mountainous region in northwest England. I have heard of it many times though have never been and since I am missing my walking, thought it would be a great place to go as it is known as a great walking area.I We settled on Penrith Lake in Cumbria and a B&B called Johnby Hall near the little hamlet of Greystoke. Johnby Hall is a 14th century Tudor manor house currently being run by Henry and Anna Howard (I had to wonder, given the age of the house, if he is a descendent of THE Howards...) The weather was cold, rainy and miserable so we stopped on the way in a place called Hawkeshead, a small village where they were having a christmas fair. Despite the weather, there was a good turn out of people and we had a great time wandering around the quaint little shops and tasting the locally made cheese, sausages, and meat pies. When the rain got really bad, we popped into the pub to warm up. I loved this little village and understood why Beatrix Potter was so inspired there (it is where she lived and wrote her lovely books).
After getting lost, we finally arrived at Johnby Hall where we were warmly greeted by our host Henry. There were two studios, one in the main house and one in an outbuilding on the property. After getting settled, we headed down the the local pub for a hearty meal and some wine (I won't say how much). It was a clear, beautiful night and as I walked across the driveway to my bed, I tried to ignore how cold it was...and the snow that was beginning to pile up on the ground! I awoke to blue sky and, though it was cold, I was determined to go for a good long walk. Terry and I had a plan; a 7 mile walk near the lake and we were prepared with good boots, warm clothes, and a flask of hot something. We breakfasted in the Great Hall and it was drafty and cold. Fortunately for me, I was having a hot flash and sat there in my t-shirt much to the horror of our hosts. It was a delicious full English breakfast, the meat and eggs made from their own hand reared, free range pigs and chickens. Whilst we were eating, Sue got a call from her sister Angela saying that Aunty Margy was not doing well at all. After some discussion, we decided to go back to Liverpool but would try and do a short walk before we left. When we went outside, the weather had turned completely and there was a veritable blizzard! We packed up, apologised to our host and made the treacherous drive back to the city.
I'm determined there will be a "Take Two"!
(did you notice that I am beginning to use the word "whilst"? And my new swear word is "bollocks". I may pass the citizenship test after all!)
