The Lake District - The journey

 Our next holiday in Dame Shirley Bassey was to be a week in the Lake District. We had booked well in advance for the very popular Keswick campsite, right on the top of Derwent water. I was particularly looking forward to staying in the same place for the full duration. Being able to walk into town to the pubs and restaurants. Being able to walk into town to catch a bus all around the Lake District for sightseeing and walks. Being able to walk into town for shopping and early morning pastries. Alas the British weather had other ideas.

The week before our trip there was a hurricane, with heavy rain all around the UK, especially in the Lake District. The Keswick campsite being right on the side of the lake is prone to flooding. On the Wednesday before we were due to travel I saw a Facebook post from someone who had been evacuated overnight from the campsite due to a flood alert. We heard nothing from the Caravan Club however so just assumed our trip be going ahead. I search the Internet and found the river levels for the area. They were in decline, brilliant! However by Thursday the flood alert was still in place.

Falling river levels

On Thursday afternoon while at work I got a text from Ian. The Caravan Club had been in touch and the campsite at Keswick was closed. However, it was due to open on Tuesday the 26th, and all being well we could begin our holiday there from then. Of course we still wanted to go for the first couple of nights and scanned the area for a suitable alternative for the Sunday and Monday. I spotted a lovely looking site at Pooley Bridge On Ullswater,  but sadly it was booked for those dates. We debated Hawes and Ravenglass but finally decided on a site near Coniston within walking distance of the village. This site also had places for the rest of the week should Keswick still be unavailable. 

That’s settled I loaded up Dame Shirley on the Friday in preparation for departure. We had a busy weekend with football, Vicky, Kathy, Einar and Sam all around at some point, but on Sunday we loaded up the bikes and last minute stuff before leaving for the Lake District. Sir Georgie Kelly took us along the M62 M6 route and we were able to call in at our old favourite, Bolton services. The old building that was once the worst in the country has been demolished, a new one built, and the name changed to Rivington. But we remember. 

Just after 4pm we were rolling into Coniston Park Coppice Caravan and Motorhome club campsite. The man was very pleasant and efficient, basically telling me pitch anywhere. We chose pitch 39. It’s a massive site with three toilet blocks, the one near us is new and lovely. All the pitches are amongst trees but pitch 39 didn’t have a massive tree directly above. Heavy rain was forecast. 

Pitch 39

We set Dame Shirley up in five minutes flat and, after a cup of tea and a rest, set off to walk into Coniston for some tea. I had a leaflet from the nice man telling me two ways. We chose to walk in by the bottom path down by the lake. We passed through a tent site and through  a field of sheep, cows and bulls, before coming to the town and the Yewdale Hotel, where we both had a Sunday dinner.

In the tent field

Running through the sheep cow and bull field

Beer and Sunday dinner

As we left the yewdale it was pitch black and the rain had started in earnest. I tried to direct us back along the top route but in the dark we failed to find the ooooooolllld railway line so ended up walking along the road. Luckily Ian had his head torch (shining forward) and I had my hand torch (shining back) so we never got squished and left by the side of the road till morning, as I feared. We did manage to find the second part of the path to the campsite and eventually made our way home to Dame Shirl, soaking wet. We all dried off before having a coffee and florentines. Ian put the rugby on so I retired for the night with the rain drumming on the roof.

Neighbour watch

It’s a bit like a horror movie. All these caravans and Motorhomes in the woods, but no people. Maybe they don’t like rain. We shall see tomorrow.

OS watch

Pitch 39 is under the picture of the caravan

Dinner watch

New for this season where I rate the food we have. In homage to Bake Off, which starts again this week.

First up, The Sunday dinner at the Yewdale.

It looked great as you can see with a giant yorkshire pud. I had beef which, although I’m not sure was the real stuff cut from a joint, was very tasty. It was with a mustard crumb topping which gave it a nice tang. The red cabbage was exceptional, but the roast were sadly not up to standard. Ian had three meats which he proclaimed all good. He too wasn’t a rostie fan, feeling they had fennel on. All in all a solid 6/10 to start. The local cask beer was very nice. I’m no connoisseur but Ian gave it 7.5