Week in the Lake District Day 4

On the Wednesday of our week away we went to a spa evening at Lodore Falls. As a reminder, we went there last time we were in the Lake District and liked it so much that Lee bought me a voucher for last Christmas to go back, so we decided to expand that into a week away. So I had booked the spa evening for the Wednesday night.

Lodore Falls isn't far from Keswick so we decided to go to Keswick for the day. We had a bit of a lazy morning and ate some breakfast, and then set off about noon for Keswick. We were a bit less than an hour away. We parked in a disabled space. Usefully, a lot of car parks in the Lake District permitted a blue badge holder to park for an extra hour for free - so you paid for two, for example, but got three. This worked out really well for us. I don't mind paying I just need the space!

We went in a bunch of shops. I bought some hot garlic chutney! I tried a bunch too. We went in a branch of The Cornish Bakery and had a hot chocolate each but it tasted of nothing, it was very disappointing. We bought some souvenirs and stuff. We went in a secondhand shop that we went in last time we were in Keswick, and Lee found a cool Robocop illustration that he bought for his office. It is very cool! 

We had decided to have a late lunch so once we had been in most of the shops we went into a fish and chip shop. I had fish and chips but Lee had a chicken pie and chips. It was delicious and not too expensive! Lee went and looked at some records and I sat on a bench.

We still had some time before we could go to the spa so we decided to go to the Pencil Museum. I have been before, but like thirty years ago when I was a little girl. We've joked about going before but have never got round to it, so we went. It was closing in about half an hour but that was plenty of time to get round as it isn't very big. It isn't very expensive either. There's a quiz you can do as you go round and we did that and won a metallic marker each so that was cool. 

We started the drive to Lodore Falls and pulled off on the side of the road to look at the lake for a bit. I can't remember which lake this is... Oh, Derwent Water. Where we had stopped was really pretty and there was a stream coming down too which was also pretty. If it had just been a touch warmer I would have dipped my feet in, but it was pretty cold. There were ducks and geese left and we still had some bird seed left from Monday so we fed them. It was really cute!

We drove to the spa but we were still too early to get in, so we had a drink in the bar instead. I'm sorry to say that the lift up to the spa was broken again, like it was last time we went, which would make it inaccessible to a wheelchair user. I could manage to make it up the stairs but I know plenty of people who couldn't. I had an elderflower cocktail and read my book as we waited.

Finally at 6.30 we were allowed in. The outdoor pool is really warm and has an infinity edge looking over the lake and stuff, it's really pretty. We spent basically our whole time in there and didn't really use the other facilities. We had a glass of wine each included in the vouchers, so I got to drink both of those and had one pink and one white! Lee had some orange juice I think.

As it got darker I could see loads of stars and took a photo or two. I read my book for a bit but honestly, mostly sat in the warm pool outside. It was lush! 

We left the pool area about 8.30 and got changed and left Lodore Falls. It was really quite dark driving back as there isn't a lot of street lighting up that way! But that did mean that outside our lodge I could take more pictures of the stars. Which I did. 

We had some supper before bed, but we were pretty tired and it had been a long day!

The disappointing hot chocolate in Keswick

In the Pencil Museum hours later, apparently I didn't take many photos that afternoon

These stills from The Snowman are in the museum too

This is the world's second largest pencil. It used to be the biggest but then someone made a bigger one. But it's still cool to see, and it's the thing everyone talks about

Cute vintage vehicle outside the Pencil Museum

Ducks by the water's edge when we stopped to look

Looking one way

And the other. The weather was changeable all week but we didn't get rained on too much

Looking across the lake

The sunlight rays were beautiful

There's Lee and me. I was wearing this dress I got off Vinted, I wear it a lot

The stream that came down into this part of the lake. I really wanted to walk across but didn't!

Looking at where the stream met the lake

Upstream

And a cute little bridge. I would definitely go back here to paddle and swim

The stream at Lodore Falls, it is very cute

And looking down towards the lake

The outdoor pool just as the evening session began

And looking over the mountains

Double wine for me!

Stars from Lodore Falls

And the stars from outside our lodge when we got back

Week in the Lake District Day 3

On the third day of our holiday we went to Carlisle to see my friend Rachael! She and I met online over twenty years ago and have met up many times over the years, but often closer to me than to her. She really likes it when people visit her in Carlisle so we said we would go. We set off early and the fog was still very much over the hills as we were driving up. 

We parked and met Rachael and then first of all we went to the cathedral. I've been before but not for a decade and a half and this time the Museum of the Moon was there! Lee and I have seen it before about five years ago, but it was stunning to see it in the cathedral as it took up so much of the space, and it looked great against the starry sky of the cathedral roof. It was really nice to see and it was plenty busy in there! 

Then Rachael took us on a tour of the shops of Carlisle! She wanted to show me the crystal shop where she goes and where she knows the owners a bit. I bought a couple of things there and we looked at the Hadrian's Wall thing in the pavement and the castle, but decided to not go in the castle. We went in a few of the charity shops as Lee always likes to look. We went in a chocolate shop which Rachael really recommends and we bought some goodies there too. We went in Sostrene Grene which she hadn't been into until recently, although I've been in the one in Sheffield before and maybe somewhere else, can't remember. I like it but I really could spend a LOT of money in there. 

We went in Bordo Lounge for lunch. I really like the Lounges chain as they have a decent amount of choice for a vegetarian. This time, as I am eating fish at the moment due to iron deficiency, I went for a salmon rosti, which was good. I also had a chai latte which was good too. 

We went in more shops in the afternoon and went in a vintage shop selling loads of weird things where I liked a lot of their jewellery but didn't buy anything. Then we went into a cafe for a hot drink and a piece of cake. I had millionaire's shortbread which was very good! 

We said goodbye to Rachael about 3.30 and got back in the car and Lee drove back to the lodge. When we got there, there were rabbits playing on the grass! It was so cute to see! I got into the hot tub which I actually think massively helped my joints that day because I had walked a really long way but didn't feel too bad the next day. It was raining a lot though so Lee lent me his baseball cap to keep most of it off me. 

I had been wearing this Simply Be dress with little blue hearts on it. I love the pattern and the dress but I don't like its cuffed sleeves so really I ought to just shorten them. In the evening we watched films and I did some of my rag rugging. It grows quickly so I was enjoying it. I also started a new book. 

Very low mist over the hills on the way to Carlisle

Going into the cathedral

A really ornate altar

And then the moon sculpture! This picture just not give the proper scale

This one is maybe better

This is the dark side of the moon

Some of the towns along Hadrian's Wall and their Latin names etc. Cool to look at!

The castle

One of the gatehouses which was really cool. There was a record shop just beyond this, but unfortunately it was shut!

I didn't get a picture of my lunch but here's my cake

Rachael and me and Lee as we said goodbye near the car park

Rabbits back at the lodge! So sweet

They were obviously quite used to people

Simply Be dress

And here I am in the hot tub in the rain

My rag rug which is now finished and which is now looking good in the living room

And finally the book I started

Week in the Lake District Days 1 & 2

On the 4th of October Lee and I went on a week's holiday to the Lake District! For Christmas last year he bought me a voucher to Lodore Falls Spa near Keswick, where we went in 2023 when we were on holiday there, so we had to go back! We decided to make it into a week's holiday and booked a lodge on White Cross Bay near Windermere which had it own hot tub. Lee booked it all and I just agreed, haha.

First thing on the Sunday morning I had my flu jab. It was at my doctors' surgery and it was extremely well organised. There was a small queue and you were directed into a room and it took longer for one nurse to take my name than for the other to get the jab done. I was in and out in less than three minutes I think.

We set off not too long after that and drove to Kendal. We went to Asda there and picked up supplies for the week which included things I had forgotten like socks, deodorant, and body spray. I wasn't quite in the right headspace for packing the night before and it showed!

We went up to the holiday park. It was a Parkdean one which you know I rate, and it had a pool on site which we would have had to buy passes for but it would have been fine, but we decided to do that later. We got into the lodge. It was a bit dated but cute and comfy inside. There was a double bedroom, a twin bedroom, a bathroom, another toilet, and a living/dining/kitchen space. The sofas were recliner ones which was nice; I ended up using that a lot and getting comfy.

We unpacked and we considered going in the hot tub but it was raining quite heavily so we decided we would leave it. We watched some films and I was doing some rag rugging. I've actually finished the rug now! It's lovely. I'll post photos when we update the rest of the living room. We just relaxed for the evening and had some picky bits for tea. 

On Monday morning we slept in a bit which was much needed for both of us, and then about twelve o'clock we set off to Bassenthwaite Lake Station. It's up near Keswick so it took about 45 minutes. I considered going there last time we were up that way, but we didn't get round to it. But I had had it recommended, so I had booked for the afternoon tea. They have a restaurant on a train that lives at the station (it doesn't move, but it's on the tracks) and the afternoon tea is in the final dining car. I had prebooked it and had requested the vegetarian menu because the main one had things Lee doesn't eat either. Now I am actually eating fish at the moment as my iron is low and the nurse recommended eating fish, so you may see that on my blog coming up. I mainly eat vegetarian though, so we had that menu. 

It was honestly one of the best afternoon teas we've ever had! We were shown to our table and offered tea or coffee, which was unlimited, and orange juice or apple juice, which is also unlimited. That's unusual and it was very good as I had much to drink! The food was very innovate and delicious. There was a butternut squash veloute in a tiny cup, some sandwiches, a quiche, a halloumi burger, and vegan haggis in a Yorkshire pudding. Then there was a scone, a cheesecake, a cupcake, and a piece of malted tea bread with local butter. 

I couldn't eat it all so brought some little bits back to the lodge with me! After we had eaten, which took quite a while as we were talking and taking it slowly, we walked along the tracks and found some ducks to feed with some seed that we had bought. There was a small boy with his dad so I let him feed the ducks too of course. We bought a couple of things in the shop which will be a recurring sentence in these holiday blogs, we picked bits up everywhere. 

We headed back to the lodge in fog; you couldn't see the surrounding mountains! We got back about 4pm and got into the hot tub! It was on the decking and it was REALLY hot. Lee couldn't stay in it for ages so he sat on the edge. I loved it though so I was in there about an hour. It really helped my joints!

When I finally got out I had a nice warm shower and got into my pyjamas. We just had sandwiches for tea and watched some more films. It was a good, chilled day. 

The view from just outside our lodge, proving we could see Lake Windermere

The engine of the train in the station

Looking down the platform towards the end of the train

Here we are at our table. There was a whole vintage vibe to the train, which was very cute. Murder on the Orient Express was playing on some tablets dotted around, too

The menu, which I'm posting to show you all the fanciness!

The food when it arrived, there was two of everything over the two trays

And a different view

The veloute was delicious and a really nice touch

Looking in the rest of the car. There were other tables occupied at different times but we happened to be alone at this point. The staff were really attentive and lovely

Lee conveying his feelings on tea bread, although he did try everything which is good for him. He didn't like the halloumi burger but he did try it

Clouds over the hills as we drove home

I was wearing this Simply Be dress that I got off Vinted, and a cardigan which is the same. The dress is so comfortable and I wear it often

The hot tub, it was so lovely! Definitely a nice luxury touch to the lodge