January 2017

A Happy New Year!

I saw the New Year in standing out by the seat with friends, a glass of champagne in our hands, watching the Kirkstile’s fireworks in the pouring rain. By morning we were in glorious sunshine and so went down to Crummock to enjoy our first picnic of 2017.

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The view wasn’t too bad either!

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One of my friends was recovering from an injury so could not walk very far. This posed a bit of a problem for me as walks and picnics are my usual fare for guests. However we spent a very enjoyable, if somewhat different, time together. We visited Holme Cultram Abbey near Wigton, which is an amazing historic place and used to be an important abbey, well worth a visit. This was en route to Silloth for a gentle stroll along the prom and lunch at Mrs Wilson’s café where Kathleen Ferrier once lived. Unfortunately it was closed, but we discovered the Fairy Dust Emporium round the corner, which will be a ‘must visit’ when the grandchildren next come – the paninis were excellent.

I have always wanted to take the train down the coast route, so the next day, armed with our railcards we headed for Workington station to catch the two coach DMU to Barrow. A fascinating journey, the train hugging the coast very closely most of the way and passing through places I had not even heard of. In Barrow we visited the Dock Museum  which is situated in an old dry dock. All very interesting and as both Lynn and I were born and bred in Sunderland we really enjoyed the shipbuilding history.

The beautiful New Year’s Day weather continued into the next day and after my visitors had gone I took a quiet gentle stroll down to Crummock and up onto Brackenthwaite Hows.

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The sun was getting very low in the sky as I reached the boat house where two swans were feeding before settling somewhere for the night.

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