GARDENING

A quiet day for me today catching up on a couple of projects.  Hubby went down to Kents Bank Station this morning as the volunteers had a work day tidying up the station.  After lunch he went out to do some gardening at home, here he is tiding up some of our bushes.

THRELKELD 01-03-2022
I never did my write up about our trip to Threlkeld last week, so here it is now with a couple of collages to go with it.
I've been meaning to visit Threlkeld for a while but never got round to it.  I was reminded of it by an author I follow, Rebeccca Tope who writes the Lake District Murder Mysteries and the book which came out recently was called The Threlkeld Theory.
It was a cold but lovely morning so we decided to go.  It didn't take long scootig up the M6, coming off at Junction 40 and along the A66.  It took about an hour that's all.  
There is very little parking in Threlkeld, so we tried at the little car park up Blease Road at the foot of Blencathra but it was already full, so I was trying to decided what to do and where else to go but we decided to call in the Coffee Shop attached to The Village Hall first where there is parking but lots of signs asking you to only park there when using the public loos, village hall or coffee shop.  Fair enough
So we had coffee and decided we would simply have a walk around the village to take a couple of photos and then scoot on down towards Keswick.  As we came though out we noticed a space had become free right outside the Village Hall.  Hubby quickly ran back to the car and parked - yippee.
So we thought we would do part of the Old Railway Line Walk, was the old Keswick to Penrith line.  That must have been one spectacular railway line and such a shame that it ever closed.
It was a lovely walk alongside the River Greta and the only line, now fully renovated with many bridges and a short tunnel.  Such a lot of bird life too.  Glorious.  Just what I needed to help soothe the jangled nerves over the Ukraine atrocities.
On part of this walk we met a couple with a gorgeous cockapoo who was sooo friendly, so of course I had to stop and speak to the dog with lots of cuddles.  The couple were obviously used to it yes he is gorgeous and he knows it!!
There are a couple of places along the old line which give a really interesting history of the line and a few photos, so we duly read them all.
After walking about an hour we turned round and went back.  For some reason going back didn't take as long, probably because I didn't stop to take as many photos for one.
We met the couple with the cockapoo again and this time we had a little chat.  There were holidaying from Billingham in Cleveland and thought we were too.  I explained we lived  in the South Lakes and were just visiting for the day.  A really lovely couple with their gorgeous dog, who of course got more cuddles (sorry Gus and Fletch, but you two are still the best!!).
We decided to stop for lunch at the coffee shop, which was very busy now but we managed to get a seat outside looking out to the view in the top left hand side of the collage in the first extra.
We had a very nice lunch, just a cheese roll for me (but huge) with a side salad and a Mexican Bean soup for hubby with nachos and cheese - delicious.
We then drove on back down through The Lakes.  Ambleside was busy as always, but not packed and just headed home.
A really lovely walk and a lovely much needed day out.