Author Archives: Karen

After a breakfast of porridge and toast, we headed out…started in Keswick where I took the Keswick Launch around Derwentwater, the most photographed of the lakes.  I had some idea of getting off at Lodore to go see the waterfalls, but somehow missed the stop because I didn’t realize they had skipped the first dock on the map.  Oh well…you can see the old hotel and waterfalls from the lake so all was not lost and I got wonderful views of the lake district from the bow of the boat.  Lots of folks were heading out for hikes.

I got back into town with time to kill before meeting my folks, so I poked around the St. John’s churchyard, vaguely looking for the grave of poet Robert Southey, but mostly enjoying the solitude.

Next stop was Grasmere…this time to visit the Wordsworth family graves in the churchyard of St. Oswald’s.  Then, thanks to a tip from a friend, we stopped into Sarah Nelson’s for gingerbread.  Just a tiny shop next to the church.  We also had lunch in town right next to the bridge over the River Rothay.

We had time so decided to check out the Castlerigg Stone Circle.  It is the oldest circle and one of many that can be found in this part of England.  It was crowded with a school group so we snapped a few pictures and then wandered across the field to look at sheep over the stone fence.  We had one of those great accidental moments:  we missed the stone circle the first time and found a pottery where we were just going to turn around.  Instead, we bought mugs and vases and chatted with the owner, Jan Burgess.

From there, we headed south along the lake to the Ashness Bridge with its beautiful view across the lake.  We continued south over the dramatic Honister Pass.  Just huge mountains and sheep on either side.

Check out more Lake District photos here.

Then we had one of those not-so-great accidental moments.  We managed to hit a rock and flatten two tires on the car.  We flagged down a passing motorist who was unbelievably helpful.  He and his wife drove into the next little town for a pay phone–no cell service out in the fells.  He came back to let us know that the Royal Automobile Club was on the job.   And, sure enough, some time later, a chap showed up to let us know that he had been in touch with our rental agency and they were going to exchange the car for us.  Unfortunately, it meant having to drive to Newcastle, about 90 minutes away.  As we sat in the car waiting for the tow, it got dark and then rainy and then windy and it was oddly exciting, if a little scary, to be stuck there.  But, no worries, the two truck driver appeared soon after and we took a lively ride with him to get our new car.  It was fun to chat with him about politics (the English are sure Barack Obama will be the next president) and sports and the ways of the world. We were tucked into our beds at the farm by 2:30 AM and I’m trying not to think how much it might cost.  Mostly, we’re thinking about how nice and friendly everyone was!

I am settled into the lounge at the Sunnydowns Hotel in Colwyn Bay, North Wales.  I’ve been without Internet access for a few days so will try to get caught up with the trip.  Photos are busy uploading in the background while I type.  It’s been a busy couple of days…

We left Stratford on Tuesday, heading for the Lake District.  We knew it would be a long driving day but planned a few stops, including the various potteries in Stoke-on-Trent.  We hit up Wedgwood and Royal Doulton for deals on china.  Once we got past the bigger cities like Manchester and Liverpool, we stopped for a late lunch along the Lancaster Canal.  We saw houseboats just like those on the Avon River in Stratford.

The landscape began changing the further north we traveled.  Hills lined with stone walls and littered with sheep rose from the road.  Then, the mountains appeared.  Finally, the road came alongside Grasmere Lake.  Our last stop of the day was Dove Cottage in Grasmere, the home of William Wordsworth, and the place he wrote many of his most famous works.  He was visited by all his friends here including Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Thomas DeQuincey.  The house is furnished with original furniture and cases are filled with memorabilia like his ice skates, dishes, and spectacles.  Excerpts from his sister Dorothy’s diary for the dates of our visit were lying on the table in the entry room, which originally served as the kitchen.  I don’t want to gush too much but it was pretty amazing to be standing in his study, imagining him writing Daffodils after coming in from the garden.

We drove north into Keswick and found our way to the Scales Farm, a lovely B&B along A66 with gorgeous views of the fells.  We ate a pub dinner–fabulous steak and ale pie–at the Salutation Inn in Threlkeld and watched the local pool club play.

Out of the Lake District and on to Wales on this grand tour of England!  We had pegged Chester as a good stopping point on a short driving day and we were not disappointed.  This ancient walled city is right on the border.  After a quick lunch at a spot on the second floor that looked out onto the street, we did a little shopping, which it seems is what Chester is known for these days.  The “rows” as they are known are two floors of shops that line the main streets of the town.  No cars allowed so it is relaxing to wander, marveling at the timber architecture amongst the modern retailers.  Couldn’t help but take a picture of the Starbucks!

We ended with the Cathedral: just amazing!  Beautiful stained glass windows tucked into soaring arches.   A wonderful escape from the commercial buzz outside.  We took the audio tour and got lots of great details about the cathedral that dates back to 1092.  You can view more photos, mostly of the cathedral, here.

We started out a little earlier today.  Again rode a bus and the Picadilly Tube Line into London.  Got off at Picadilly Circus and made our way to Trafalgar Square.  Along the way, we stopped into St. Martin’s in the Field to check on the Cafe in the Crypt and check out the church and the gift shop. We wandered through Trafalgar Square, admiring the lions and the fountains and the other statues, including the one of George Washington outside the National Portrait Gallery.

Then, with the huge crowds, we headed along St. James Park to Buckingham Palace.  The Changing of the Guard was meant to start at 11:30.  We got to see part of the Guard head down the street and followed them to the Palace.  It was packed!  We watched the Horse Guard arrive and then headed back across the park.  It was really just too crowded to see much.  I shot a little video but was happy to head back to the park to escape the crowds.

We saw lots of wildfowl in the park: grebes, widgeons, coots, moorhens, several different types of gees, and white and black swans.

We headed back to St. Martin’s for a lovely lunch in the crypt and tried to figure out the afternoon.  We decided we wanted to see the British Museum more than St. Paul’s so we hopped on the tube.  Again, huge crowds greeted us.  St. Giles Circus was under construction and it took us some time to get our bearings.  Eventually, we made it to the museum, which was also crowded.  But we sought out the Rosetta Stone, the Sutton Hoo burial objects, and the Elgin marbles.  On our way to the Sutton Hoo, we saw lots of great Celtic antiquities and all those wonderful mummies and mummy cases.  It’s just an amazing collection of stuff!

Of course, the Greek government has been suing to get the Elgin marbles back and there was an interesting pamphlet that made the case for keeping them at the British Museum.  I’m sure Egypt would like to have the mummies, too.

We got back on the tube for a visit to St. Paul’s.  We knew it would probably be closed but at least got to walk around it and even got to take a quick peek inside before the Holy Eucharist started.  From there, we walked down to the Victoria Embankment and walked along the Thames to the Temple Tube Station.

My legs are tired but I feel like I’ve really seen London.  It’s the same interesting mix of old and new that I’ve seen in other cities like Lucerne and Milan.  When you look up you see the ornate architecture with gargoyles leering down and statues of the famous standing in crevices.  When you look down, you see a multi-ethnic city.  Different languages fly through the air around you.  Taking public transportation really emphasized that…everyone ride the trains and buses from businessmen in suits and ties carrying briefcases to young people in grungy clothes, spiky hair and studs in their noses with ipods and backpacks to Muslim women in head scarves and long dresses with shopping bags.