EXPLORING

We were told Monday was to be a beautiful day and so we had decided to take advantage of it and take a boat trip on Lake Windermere.  Imagine our disappointment when we looked outside and it was overcast. We looked on the bright side and decided to dress warm and go out on the lake anyway.  It wasn't raining and that was a plus!

We boarded a steam engine boat and proceeded on a lovely trip up to the Lakeside area of Windermere.

Truly beautiful scenery and some magnificent homes with  lovely grounds.

Although a bit chilly initially the sun was starting to come out and by the time we docked it was turning into a beautiful day.  We had a great little lunch at St. Martins Tearoom and then split up.  JoAnne and Ginger elected to stay in the home port and Sharon and I decided to take the bus to Grasmere.

On the bus we met a local who heard us talking about getting some exercise and doing some walking. She recommended we get off at Rydal and hike the "coffee trail" to Grassmere.  " A lovely hike , about a mile , mile and a half."  We got off the bus and began looking for the trail. We asked a couple of people where the "coffee Trail" was.  We finally met someone who thought it began at the top of the road.  We were lucky enough to meet some hikers coming out of their hotel and we asked them where the "coffee" trail was.  They asked if we meant "the coffin walk?"  ( Oh, these foreign languages). We decided that must be it.  

Before starting we discovered we were right by William Wordsworth's home Rydal Mount so decided to buy a ticket and tour it. It was his home for 37 years from 1813 until his death in 1850. Pictures were not allowed inside but we were able to take some of the gardens. The garden was designed by the poet and is considered to be an outstanding example of a romantic style garden.  The home us owned by the direct descendants of the poet and remains a family home.

Finishing our tour we headed out to start the coffin walk. After looking at the hill we had to walk up to get to the "easy" trail we knew why it was named the coffin walk.  

That doesn't look bad but believe me it was steep!

We finally started our walk and were anxious to see all the beautiful vistas.  It really was beauiful but here was my view most of the time.

Yes. I was staring at my feet which were trying to navigate the rocks,water, inclines and declines.  Not easy for a beautiful woman from Iona who happens to be getting on in years.  When I did manage to look up I did see some wonderful scenery and the walk was worth it.  We met people along the way.  

We slowed down to let these teens pass us.  Teenagers have such a time with self image these days.  We wanted to do our part to make them feel good about themselves.  They could go home that evening and tell their parent's how they overtook two old ladies on the coffin walk.  (Good deed done for the day).

You are probably thinking that a lot of these pictures show Sharon from the back so I must have been behind her the whole walk.  Let me assure you those pictures were staged.  

We volunteered to take a picture of a mother and her daughters if she would take one of us. We are selfish that way.  We only sat down for the pictures, we were not in the least bit tired. oh if I have to be honest, Sharon was :-)!

We finally came to the end of our walk and there was a stone which we thought for sure had to be for the walkers to rest on.  We learned that the stone was actually used to rest the coffin on while the bearers rested.  Knowing that we trudged onward into Grasmere. 

At last relaxing and quenching our thrist.  

I had been looking for a hotel that I stayed at years ago with Terry and some friends from England and was just about to give up when we happened upon it on our way out of town.  It had changed of course but still had the lovely feeling about it.  It was that visit to the Lake District that made me want to return.

And so our day ended.