And now for something completely different

Our good fortune with the weather ran out today. We were treated to some torrential Cumbrian rain sheeting down for several hours rapidly turning becks and roads into raging torrents and on one occasion the same thing as water cascaded over a wall onto the road.

Then, all of a sudden, as we were nearly back at Keswick, blue skies appeared in the north and by the time we were back at the apartment the sun was shining.

In view of the forecast inclement weather we booked to visit the National Trust property at Townend Farmhouse at Troutbeck. What a fascinating place it was. Owned by the same family for almost 400 years the property gave a real insight into the lives of people over those years and a feeling of walking in their footsteps.

Today’s mono blip captures an interested group of visitors listening intently to a very interesting room guide telling us all about this “fire room” at the heart of the house when a fire was always lit. Where people used to eat and sleep.

It was a mistake to go to Grasmere for lunch. Parking up in the lay-by on the A591 Grasmere bypass we donned full wet weather gear for the walk to the village. In the 15 minutes it took to walk there my boots were squelching with water and gortex gloves letting in the rain.

We repaired to the garden centre for lunch, soup and a scone with coffee helped lift the spirits if not dry us out. The scones were every bit as good as blippers have said. Everything we wore is still drying in the utility room.

Time for one last visit to Adam and Jane’s for tea and cake, back to the apartment to pack and have dinner. We have to be out by 9.00am tomorrow. It’s breakfast at Lingholme.