other thoughts
a blog about mid-life adventures from exploring outdoors in countryside and gardens to exploring ideas and music in fields at festivals, plus a space for all those thoughts that have nowhere else to go ...
Sunday 17 March 2024
Fell Foot
Saturday 16 March 2024
Wray Castle
After the Dawsons died, the property passed to a distant relative who leased the castle to summer visitors, among them the family of Beatrix Potter. Inside the castle there's currently an exhibition of photographs taken by Mr Pottter on holidays around the Lake District - some informal family groups, some of landscape. I was quite surprised at them as I must admit that, based on the film Miss Potter starring Renee Zellweger, I'd thought of him as a rather dull businessman with no interest in arts of any kind.
Thursday 14 March 2024
A Wet Weekend in the Lake District
The first day, the wettest and coldest, we didn't do much; a short walk round Ambleside, looking at the (many, many) outdoorsy shops, and a lovely lunch at Dodd's restaurant. I'd hoped to visit Grasmere in the afternoon, but torrential rain put me off the idea.
After an early lunch the weather stayed dry for a little while as we wandered round the grounds and admired the views - there's smaller scale lake where model boats are sailed.
Onwards then, back through Ambleside and round the northern end of Lake Windermere, to Wray Castle, a fascinating National Trust property built in the mid-1800s as a second home!
Sunday 10 March 2024
February
The end of the month saw me off on my first short break of the year - a weekend trip to the Lake District. It was wetter than I'd have liked but wonderful to get away for a few days. Now it's time to really start thinking about this year's holidays ...
Wednesday 28 February 2024
Shipley Snowdrops
Saturday 24 February 2024
Thornbridge Hall
Sometimes you can drive past a place for years but never stop, so I thought it was time to at last visit Thornbridge Hall, near Bakewell, Derbyshire. I'd been persuaded to visit at this perhaps less-than-delightful time of year by the promise of snowdrops (I'd seen Thornbridge feature in a Top Derbyshire Places to see Snowdrops guide) but apart from the occasional clump here and there I didn't see any.
The delight of Thornbridge lies though in its water garden and formal Italian garden.
In the first, streams tumble down the hillside, with mini-cascades and still pools breaking their journey.
Last stop - the cafe for tea and cake (as always)