Lost!

After another very enjoyable breakfast as Café 26, we packed our bags, jumped into the Minx's car and headed south. We wanted to drive down past the lake, so we circled 'round Keswick until we found the right road and off we went. With the expanse of water to our right and circled by the hills, it was a beautiful view, and we stayed with this road even once we were clear of Derwent Water.

We chatted away and watched the scenery pass by until, eventually, we found ourselves by the old slate mines and then heading through Honister Pass. In my head, this runs north-south but, in fact, and having looked at a map later, it actually runs west and a little north. And so it was that eventually, without realising it and no sun to correct us, we were heading back up into Cumbria again.

I think when we realised, the Minx was a little shocked - she has an excellent sense of direction (usually) - but I rather liked it. When I worked in Edinburgh fifteen years ago, I had a team in London and I'd fly down every Monday morning, returning on Tuesday evening. I used to stay at Club Quarters near Ludgate Circus on the Monday night and every Tuesday morning, I'd set off for work, heading east and following my nose. 

I never got properly lost but I didn't really know where I was going. I'd be all right as as far as Cannon Street or Bank (depending which way I was going) but then I'd just take turnings that seemed to be in roughly the right direction. What I always loved was how often I'd recognise road names without knowing where they - or, therefore, I - were located. What should have been a thirty or forty minute walk would often take me an hour.

These days, of course, we have smartphones and as soon as the Minx and I picked up some 3G, we found out where we were and planned a route home, driving through the surprisingly named Rowrah, which we practised pronouncing, and then on through the bleak Cleator Moor and Cleator. We hit the main road at Egremont and after that we were able to follow the signs as we travelled down the west coast of the county before cutting across to Broughton-in-Furness and thence home.

The journey must have taken three or four times longer than we'd anticipated when we left Keswick but I enjoyed every minute of it. As long as the traffic is moving, there's nothing I like more than a drive through the countryside and towns, especially with someone whose company I love.