Trains And Boats And Planes

Mainly trains and boats, if I’m being honest, but Windermere does have a planes connection. The first ever British seaplane - Waterbird - took off from there in 1911 and Sunderland flying boats were built at White Cross Bay during WW2. I’d like to have seen one of those taking off or landing! We regularly see RAF planes flying low level up the lake and FB has reminded me that it was 8 years ago today that we stood on the pier at Bowness and saw the Avro Vulcan fly over on its last ever flight.
Despite having lived here for over thirty years, we have never been on the Haverthwaite and Lakeside Railway. With the season ending at the end of this month, and the weather set to get wetter and colder, we decided to take the train to Lakeside and then a boat to Bowness. A bit of shopping and a bite to eat before travelling back. Great fun it was too. The train was quite slow and rattly but it was like being in a period drama as we travelled the three miles to Lakeside, where we boarded the boat to Bowness. A lovely cruise up the lake sat up top and then plenty of time to eat and shop before returning. Weather not as good on the way back so we sat inside. Not the cheapest way to get to Bowness but definitely the most enjoyable. Something we will certainly do again, though maybe earlier in the year.
Quick pit stop at home now before we go out again. Tonight, it is “Francis Rossi - Tunes & Chat” which we should have gone to in April, but it was cancelled and rescheduled because he was ill. Well, I know he’s definitely going to be there tonight, because his tour bus was parked up outside The Grand last night, and I caught a glimpse of him inside, as I left the Footlights AGM.