Holiday in the Lake District - 2021

 

Having been to Coachman's Cottage in Grasmere in 2018 and 2019 (both years we enjoyed superb weather), we missed last year when we went to Cornwall instead. This year we had rain on our arrival, one damp afternoon and some early rain on the day we came home. Not sure how we are so lucky as the last few weeks in Cumbria had been very wet.

Saturday 9th October

Leaving at just after 10am, we stopped as planned on the way up at the NT property at Dunham Massey hoping to have lunch there. However, the place was exceedingly crowded and the queue for the cafe far too long and slow. So instead we walked around the deer park to stretch our legs, went on to the next services and enjoyed a Waitrose wrap and drink from the shop.  We noticed on arrival in the Lakes how busy was Ambleside. We arrived in Grasmere at 4.40pm to expected rain. Alison's sister and her husband arrived just after we had unpacked. They cooked a lovely dinner for us in the evening.

Sunday 10th October

 We agreed that a walk from the cottage would be nice and the path up to Silver How started just outside Grasmere. There were great views over the valley all the way. I could not remember if we had been on this path before. We didn't make it to the very top of Silver How and we stopped for lunch where I took the picture above. There was a steep rocky descent under trees and next to a stream. I slipped on the wet stones and very nearly saved myself from a fall.

We came out at the bottom at Wykes which seemed to be a private road? Back at the lake, we turned right and walked all the way round until we found the road for the last stretch back. A maninly sunny day but cool in the shade. Chas cooked steak for dinner.

Monday 11th October

Alison's sister and I made our way to Holehird Gardens. See separate post. (Alison and Chas walked to Chapel Stile and back). Dinner was at The Good Sport which is the Tap-Room for the Grasmere Brewery. So good beer and not bad food. A lovely day with some sunshine and 14C.

Tuesday 12th October

I had a quiet morning after being outside for most of the last two days. The others walked the same route as the day before. In the afternoon, I headed out to the National Trust property Allan Bank which is only just around the corner from the cottage. There are nice views back to the cottage 

After wandering around the Garden Walk and seeing a red squirrel close up, I ventured up the Woodland Walk where the start seemed perfectly easy. 

However, the path (only one way) soon became extremely steep and rocky and I even had to scramble at one point. But the views of Helm Crag and the Easedale Ridge (that we had walked the last two years) from the top were just about worth it.

Fortunately the made steps down were much easier.

I had been tasked to buy some gingerbread in Grasmere. Although there was just a twenty minute queue, it did start to rain at 4pm. The day had been otherwise dry, mostly cloudy, 14C and no wind. Alison cooked a chicken dish for dinner with the England v Hungary World Cup group match. 

Wednesday 13th October

Alison joined her sister and her husband for their morning at Allan Bank. I went for a newspaper and joined them later. This time it was to look around the house. There are more good views from the windows.

We had teacakes for lunch back at the cottage before saying goodbye to our visitors who were leaving. My legs were still objecting to the last couple of days so Alison walked to Loughrig Fell and I had a rest before going into the village for provisions. A quiet evening in after another cloudy but dry day with still no wind at 14C.

Thursday 14th October

Alison joined me on a visit to the Wordsworth Museum. See separate post. On our last visit to Grasmere in 2019 I wrote the following:  I walked through Grasmere to the building site that is Re-imagining Wordsworth, the £6.2 Million project to upgrade the visitor experience at Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum.  https://www.cumbriaslivingheritage.co.uk/reimagining-wordsworth-250-years/

The building was only completed in May and I thought it was quite impressive. We looked at the shops in Grasmere on our way back and in the late afternoon we took the path to Easedale Tarn, turning round just as the path became steep. Another dry but cloudy day and still little breeze and a comfortable 13C.

Friday 15th October

Our last day turned out to be the most perfect weather we have experienced in The Lakes. We were greeted with clear blue skies and only the odd cloud bubbled up in the afternoon. I dropped off Alison at the NT car park at Stickle Ghyll that is next to Stickle Barn, as she was heading uphill into some high fells. I left the car there at 10.15am and walked down the road to to Stool End Farm.

Then onto a nice open path with the fells all around. 

Soon I reached the path going uphill on The Band towards it's destination of Bow Fell (see previous Lake District posts). 

I carried on at low level on the path through Oxendale and reached the bridge at Oxendale Beck.

The path up to Pike O Blisco turns left uphill, but I had reached my destination and headed back to the car for lunch at 12.30pm. I found a quiet spot just up from the Stickle Barn pub, only being interrupted by sheep passing through the only gap in the wall.

At 1.15pm I headed on the path through Great Langdale that we had walked (and run) on other occasions. Some of the views were quite spectacular. Here are Crinkle Crags on the left with Bow Fell poking out it's top on the right.

The Langdale Pikes were always in view.

Back at the car at 2.30pm I drove back to Grasmere. The day was a little cooler at 12C but the sunshine was pleasantly warm, and again no wind. we had been stuck under high pressure all week. Alison made it back on foot after a long day to Sargent Man, High Raise and back through the Easedale Valley. We had booked The Jumble Room (just across the road) for dinner and enjoyed Chicken Calabrian and Steak and Stilton Pie with parsnip flakes and stilton bon bons. 

Saturday 16th October

After a cold night, we packed the car and headed to Ambleside. It was damp rather than wet and we queued outside the Apple Pie, our regular cafe, waiting for a table. We had tea and bacon and sausage rolls for our breakfast. They were very welcome. We did some shopping at Gaynor Sports and the sweet shop for fudge etc. The weather was much cooler at 7C in the drizzle. we left at 11.20am for the drive home and made it home in four and a half hours. It had dried up when we hit Lancashire and it was bright and cloudy all the way down with no hold ups. 

This was to be the last year for Coachman's Cottage before it became converted into a separate residence. Maybe to became a holiday let once again?