A poignant day

Dad was very clear about where he wanted his ashes to be scattered - on Caldbeck Common above Uldale, a place he remembered very fondly from his childhood where he could view both the mountains of the Lake District and the lowlands of Dumfries and Galloway over the Solway Firth as well as a place he'd always hoped to catch a wild pony with a piece of string he kept in his pocket.  We had everything in place thanks in no small part to his cousin Ian who knew the area well and had checked things out just to be sure.  What we had failed to do was organise the weather so we could share and enjoy those views he loved so much.  Instead of blue skies, rolling fells and elusive fell ponies, we had heavy mizzle, a chilling wind and 14 relatives and friends wrapped up in winter woolies, jackets, hats and scarves braving the unpleasant conditions but happy to say our final farewells on his beloved fells.  We shared a drop of his favourite Lakeland whiskey and toasted his memory then headed to the old schoolhouse in Uldale, now Mae's tearooms, where we shared an hour or two of chatting, catching up and reminiscing.  Dad would have loved it all and I'm so pleased to have been able to deliver on his final wishes.  Rest peacefully dad xx