We’ve been back from our latest excursion for several days but the ‘interesting’ connectivity issues whilst away meant that I am posting news of these adventures retrospectively. So cast your mind back a few weeks, we are now in early September )although in my head we have surely only just got to June). Day one, other commitments meant that we left home at lunchtime and had an uneventful run to our ‘breaking the journey’ stop in Tewkesbury. Van pitched, we took a short walk into town to acquire some very tasty fish and chips. Tewkesbury makes the most of its heritage. There are several historic buildings and plaques explaining their significance.  Heraldic banners along the main street also give a unique flavour.

As it was raining the next day, we forewent another walk round Tewkesbury and drove straight to Keswick amidst delays on the M6, due to an overturned lorry. The satnav was counter-intuitive but we didn’t get lost. The campsite at Borrowdale is in a beautiful wooded setting near Cat Bells and a short walk from Lake Derwentwater, where Swallows and Amazons and Star Wars were filmed. Access to the site is a little challenging but nothing that fifty years’ experience of towing caravans couldn’t handle. A friendly robin greeted us and even popped in the van to say hello. As a bonus, the sun came out, allowing us to walk round the lake. We passed a shed that is home to ‘Teddy in the Window’, who collects money for charity. The outside of the shed is decorated with letters and postcards to Teddy from all over the world. The downside of the site is that wifi access is limited. To be fair, the hot spot includes the information shed, which is one up on huddling under a tree. It does however necessitate standing up and moving continually, as the light in the hut works on a sensor. With two evening meetings due this week, at least for as long as my battery lasts, I anticipated an interesting time.

On our first full day in the Lakes, we set off for Allen Bank in Grasmere. I had neglected to note the postcode and had no phone signal but the helpful site warden found it for me, saving me repairing to the shed hotspot. There is blue badge parking only at Allen Bank, so we parked in Grasmere Village and walked up to the house. It was built in 1805, an era when many industrialists from Manchester and Liverpool were settling in the Lake District. This house was rented to Wordsworth for three years. There is a definite twist to this National Trust property, which suffered from fire damage. It is set up for interaction, with opportunities to sit and read, borrow an art pack and draw, play board games, or just admire the impressive views. An added touch is the provision of explorer rucksacks that children can borrow as they explore the grounds. Some of the fire damaged walls have been painted with interesting murals by a local artist. A nearby, detached billiard room, which resembles a chapel, complete with stained glass, is being renovated and is due to open on Friday. It doesn’t take long to view the house but it is definitely worth investigating the surrounding gardens and woodland. The gardens have been designed with biodiversity in mind and Herdwick Fleeces are used as mulch. There is an uphill walk through the woods to a viewpoint. This did involve climbing wet granite steps, made additionally slippery by fallen leaves but we survived. This despite my not having my non-varifocal glasses with me, making clambering more difficult, as I am unable to see my feet clearly.

Next, a look round Grasmere and a stop to consume cake and a drink. I was tempted by the many sales in the outdoor clothing outlets and acquired what is allegedly a waterproof jacket with a 70% discount. Just as well as I would never spend £90 on a jacket. It will be interesting to see if the claims of breathability and waterproofing are valid.

We stopped off in Keswick on the way home. This was partly to try to purchase an SD card to USB convertor to download my photographs as the new laptop is lacking an SD card slot. In both Grasmere and Keswick there are plenty of cafes, upmarket tourist shops and outdoor clothing outlets but a distinct lack of a camera or computer shop. We managed to secure roadside parking in Keswick and having drawn a blank amongst the shops, went down to the lake. There were people feeding the geese and ducks, providing photographing opportunities. Apparently the views of the lake were revealed in 1747 when the Crow Bank oak plantation was felled. From then on Keswick became a magnet for artists, writers and travellers.