43 Ambleside, 20.08.2009

After Keswick, we drove back to Ambleside,  where we saw some wonderfull old buildings including a working water wheel

The Country's smallest house... Bridge House, and
possibly the most photographed building in the Lake District.  It is also one of the most well known buildings to feature in many paintings of the Lake district, including one by Turner.

It was originally an apple store for nearby Ambleside Hall,.  the reason it was built over Stock Beck was in order to escape land tax.   legend has it that at one time a family with six children lived in the two rooms.

it was bought by a group of local people in 1926, who passed it into the care of the National Trust.  In 1946 they turned into their first information and recruitment centre.

Sadly it's now a rather cramped shop for the National Trust, I think personally it would be better if they turned it back into a house/home.

We came across a rather delightful bookshop, which had a wonderful Vintage Book window display...

Then we made our way to a rather lovely cafe, that Antonia had visited before.. and  well we had a late lunch/tea and pudding ! (pics to follow)

44 Keswick 20.09.2009

After Castlerigg we headed back to Keswick, we had a quick wander round the town and the market and then headed for tea and cakes!

 

we saw a man with a very friendly parrot, though his t-shirt was the cleanest!

a family with a couple of stunning Newfoundland  Dogs, both still puppies!!



we slowly made our way down to a rather quaint  Cafe, where the owners sold home made Knitted/ woollen gloves etc..

as well as an assortment of teas and coffees, each with their own kind of teapot - all very vintage and shabby chic!

Sue's coffee pot..

Lelani Japanese Green tea

and Lelani

and a Jo.. sat in the window making the most of the sunshine...

Antonia, waiting patiently and Sue enjoying her Coffee

45 Castkerigg Sone Circle 20.08.2009

On the Saturday we got up early and after breakfast headed for Keswick and Castlerigg Stone Circle







The circle was magical and the views spectacular.




looking up at the hills, really got the feeling on what it must have been like thousands of year before.. beautiful but bleak!

We of course had to make a sacrife...

Lelani didn't seem to mind too much...

46 Morecambe , Lancashire 19.08.2009

On the 19th August, I headed of with Sue, Jo and Lelani to stay a few for the weekend with our friend Antonia, who happens to live in Morecambe. A weekend of visiting places was planned... but the first is Morecambe itself!

We arrived in the evening, and after some refreshments, we went for a walk along the front, it was dark so not a great deal to see, though Lelani did find a friend.



The following day we did meet up with Eric Morecambe and his birds!






The statue was created and cast by Graham Ibbeson and stands on the Promenade as a tribute to the town’s most famous son. It was unveiled by the Queen in 1999. 

The life-sized bronze sculpture features the comedy legend in his classic ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ pose; one hand raised and a leg cocked. surrounded by stars of fame..

Eric was also a keen ornithologist, and around the statue and along the front you can find many statues of Turns and seagulls...





We did have coffee and cake ( or in my case tea), but we had those at Antonia's house, and I forgot to take pictures .. silly me!!

It was a lovely day and I got a lovely picture of the bay 


We have talked about going up again as soon as possible and to especially go and have cocktails and maybe even a spa day at The Midlands Hotel, which is a stunning Art Deco hotel, that has recently been restored to it original grandeur.

been a while

It's been a while since I posted - ooooopps sorry, life and all that seems to get in the way.

However, that does not mean that I have not been doing my 50/50.. so lets see if I can get my visits loaded and continue the countdown, I don't have long left.....17 days and counting!

47 Buxton, Derbyshire

On Sunday 19th July Lou and I, took Emily and William for a day out to Buxton, Derbyshire. Buxton is not that far from Sheffield really, but it's a place I have never actually visited. I have passed through I believe, and have seen many a sign of it when out and about in the Peaks.

It was a glorious day, and when we arrived there we found that it there was a festival of Morris dancers being held, so we merrily made our ways through the town, watching and occasionally being invited into the strange but rather fascinating world of Morris dancers.

William was fascinated

or maybe not....

I am sure I heard someone mutter 'You're my wife now!

They allok fabulous, and this particular group are called The Powderkegs Border Morris Dancers... and you can find out more about them by @ www.powderkegs.co.uk

We did manage to get the necessary tea and cake... at the Glorious Buxton Pavilion in the Pavilion Garden. After which we wandered around the town and saw the Buxton Opera House. And the stunning Crescent, designed by John Carr in 1780 and is now a Grade 1 listed building. Sadly, you are not allowed to go inside at present, as it has been closed down while it awaits refurbishment and repairs.

'The Crescent was a revolutionary new type of building and the forerunner of the hotel as we know it today – an idea brought to Britain from the continent to serve the ever-increasing numbers ‘taking the waters’ at Buxton Spa. On the ground floor shops were ranged beneath the arcade and included a draper, druggist, perfumer, hair and wig dresser, a post office and a lending library. In the basement food was prepared for guests, but more often brought in from a variety of taverns and chop houses across Buxton.

The Assembly Rooms, part of the ‘Great Hotel’ at the eastern end of the Crescent were the hub of 18th Century social life, where visitors danced, met friends and played cards. Residents of the Crescent would visit each other ‘at home’ drink tea, and catch up on the gossip about new arrivals at the spa. The Crescent was the brainchild of the 5th Duke of Devonshire and designed by John Carr, his architect, appointed for the ‘improvement of Buxton’. It is without doubt one of the finest buildings of its kind anywhere in the world and is, as the Duke intended, a fitting rival to the crescents of Bath.'

Across from the Crescent is the Bath House, and a small fountain where one can still take the waters.

We did, and they tastes quite nice if I do say so myself...





We filled our Buxton water bottles back up, and walked back up the hill to the carpark,









With one last look back we got ready for the journey home.