Buttermere

Ah, the Sunday drive.

I've always loved driving; in my teens, when I'd saved up and bought my first car (and petrol was 70p a gallon), I would purposely take the long route to wherever I was going, savouring the freedom to explore my surroundings beyond the confines of the bus routes of south London. And thirty years on, of a Sunday, I sometimes like to get in the car and just go for a pootle about.*

This morning, the Minx wanted to go an take some photos for the drawings she's doing and as we drove along the lanes around Derwentwater, we came to a signpost for Buttermere. Neither of us had ever been, so we took advantage of the clear, sunny day and embarked on a small road trip.

The town of Buttermere itself is quaint but the car parking charges (minimum £4) precluded us from stopping for a mooch about and instead we drove along the side of the small lake where I took today's photo. Following the lanes further, we went along Honister Pass, which was breathtaking. We decided to stop for a cup of tea at the Slate Mine but, once again, the car parking charge (£5, this time) saw us off. I don't think we are particularly miserly but compared with Cockermouth (my new love) - where the first two hours parking was free - it all seemed a bit much.

*I realise that this is not terribly green nor is it particularly fiscally sensible, these days.