The daftee-boy's birthday trip to the Lake District: 14th August 2016

[Marco]

Del and I recently spent a lovely day and a half in the Lake District, this time getting right out into the sticks, away from all the bloody walkers and tourists, which have previously marred our sojourns there, in places like Keswick and Windermere, simply because you can't move for folk! To really appreciate the stunning beauty of this part of England, you have to get off the beaten track.

Before lunch, we enjoyed a nice long walk around the wooded areas of Elterwater, heading towards Chapel Stile and beyond. Nice and peaceful, without a soul in sight. The sense of tranquility was palpable. Not often one can say that about the Lake District in peak season!

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Pile of Lakeland stone, just beside the path where we walked. On the way back, I picked up a couple of really nice bits (pretty heavy, though) and carried them back to the car, about a mile away at that point - certainly gave me an appetite for lunch!! The intention is to turn them into shelves to sit lamps on, for our new bespoke kitchen, which will have a very natural and organic feel to its design.


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Just showing how lovely and clear the water was in the stream running alongside us. Some nicely coloured stones, too:


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On the right, a nice pub we stopped at for a drink, on the way across the Hardknott Pass, at the tiny and remote little village of Boot:


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Shown below is the Britannia Inn, in the picturesque village of Elterwater, behind the village green, where we enjoyed a superb pub lunch. Very quaint and idyllic! Details here for anyone interested: http://thebritanniainn.com/food-drink/eating-at-the-brit-.aspx


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The Stove restaurant, which was part of the Langdale Hotel, where we stayed, situated in the Langdale estate, just outside of Elterwater, where we enjoyed a superb dinner in beautiful surroundings:


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And at night, where the vibe was really cosy and intimate:


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Small reception check-in area, shown below. As the hotel rooms are dotted around the estate, you're given a small map with directions to your room! Ample parking facilities are provided right outside. This unconventional approach gives the hotel a very open, non-claustrophobic and relaxed feel, which is one of the things I liked most about it :)

Details for the hotel here: https://www.langdale.co.uk/index.html

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The spectacular Wrynose Pass, leading onto the even more spectacular Hardknott pass, where the scenery was breathtaking, but the roads were, shall we say, 'somewhat challenging'! :eek:

Details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrynose_Pass

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Took my dad's little Honda for the journey (with its retractable panoramic roof), which was far more suited to these roads than the Brabster:


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Remote, rugged and just stunning - the pics don't do it justice...


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This is about as wide as the road got, and there were both sheer climbs, followed by blind bends, and sheer drops right at corners to contend with... It was certainly 'entertaining' when one met an oncoming car :eek:


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A nice little choo-choo... Ravensglass and Eskdale steam railway:


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The quaint little village of Boot:


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I think we must've taken a wrong turn somewhere.........


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:D :eyebrows:

Marco.

[JohnJo]

Lovely scenery, it really is a beautiful place. I think we often don't appreciate the beauty on our doorstep.

Thanks for taking the time to share the photos. Hotel looks nice!

[Beobloke]

Looks stunning, Marco, although I can't believe you left the Merc behind. I bet it would have made short work of the Hardknott Pass (despite the tractor engine under the bonnet!) :D ;)

[prestonchipfryer]

Looks idyllic Marco. Some stunning scenery there for sure.

[Marco]

Looks stunning, Marco, although I can't believe you left the Merc behind. I bet it would have made short work of the Hardknott Pass (despite the tractor engine under the bonnet!) :D ;)

Hehehehe.... In bits, yes, but honestly Adam, there were other parts of the road where, when you met on-coming traffic, even at the widest part of the road in the appointed 'Passing Places', you could hardly get a lolly-pop stick between both cars when you were side by side!! :eek:

The Merc would've been too wide, and I wouldn't have risked scratching it, just before it's going in to be 'detailed' next week: http://www.clbcarcare.co.uk/enhancement-detail-164-c.asp

I've been wanting to have that done for a while, but was waiting until we had our new car port built, which will be happening shortly, in order to ensure that the car is protected properly from the elements, after the work's been carried out. Should hopefully turn out nice, and save me a fortune in car washes! :)

Marco.

[Firebottle]

Fabulous post Marco, glad you and Dell had a good visit :thumbsup:

[Marco]

Looks idyllic Marco. Some stunning scenery there for sure.

Cheers, John. It was lovely - one of the nicest UK-based trips we've been on in a while. We intend to go back again before the end of the year and stay for a week, this time at the Brimstone, which is part of the same estate the Langdale was located in:

http://www.brimstonehotel.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw88q9BRDB5qLcwLXr7_sBEiQAZsGja9JtYd_ P33sbEtWWaGyiRaFjHWo8WeFZ1gxoOQYwwsYaAqkG8P8HAQ

Marco.

[Marco]

Fabulous post Marco, glad you and Dell had a good visit :thumbsup:

Cheers, Alan. We certainly did. I think you'd have enjoyed it, too :)

Marco.

[Jimbo]

Nice one Marco, it is a great part of the world. I have mountain biked Hardknott and wryness pass and crashed on one of them!:doh: Takes a bit of puff getting up them but the downhill is...:eek:

[Marco]

Lol - you're on your own with that. We met a few cyclists, and most were struggling to get up the sheer climbs! Ideally, I'd take a motorbike with me, to tackle those passes, as the ride would be thrilling! :eyebrows:

Marco.

[Jimbo]

Not sure how long you are up there Marco but if you get a chance drive up to Buttermere and take a walk round the lake, takes about 1.5 hours. It is probably the most beautiful lake in the lake district and quiet remote.

[walpurgis]

Very nice Marco. I've just got back from somewhere as scenic. Makes a great change from being in town.

I passed through Wiltshire today and was reminded how pretty it is. Picture postcard English countryside. :)

[walpurgis]

Hehehehe.... In parts, yes, but honestly Adam, there were other parts of the road where, when you met on-coming traffic, even at the widest part of the road in the appointed 'Passing Places', you could hardly get a lolly-pop stick between both cars when you were side by side!! :eek:

Marco.

Sounds familiar. I had to reverse up a tiny Cornish lane for nearly a quarter of a mile yesterday to let a tractor and trailer get past.

[Marco]

Not sure how long you are up there Marco but if you get a chance drive up to Buttermere and take a walk round the lake, takes about 1.5 hours. It is probably the most beautiful lake in the lake district and quiet remote.

Yes indeed, we'd planned to go there too, but ran out of time.

I'd also like to tour around Ulverston and Barrow-in-Furness, then up north around Swinside, Derwentwater and Rosthwaite, just outside of Keswick :)

Have you been around there?

Marco.

[Marco]

Very nice Marco. I've just got back from somewhere as scenic. Makes a great change from being in town.

I passed through Wiltshire today and was reminded how pretty it is. Picture postcard English countryside. :)

Cheers, Geoff. I'm really not a town or city person, so love getting out into the country, miles away from any noise and hustle and bustle, where you can breathe in totally fresh air! I can get most of that just outside of Wrexham, in the likes of the Berwyn hills, or Glyn Ceiriog, but not with such nice mountains.

Snowdonia is comparable, and has higher mountains, but there's a quaintness and picture-postcard element, and attractiveness to the The Lakes, which takes things to a different level :)

I've been around Wiltshire before, and it is lovely, if a little busy sometimes, traffic wise, compared with up north. However, I usually find that's the case.

Marco.

[struth]

some nice pics there.

[Marco]

Cheers, dude. Did you like the 'Saltcoats' shot? That one was for Snapper! ;)

Marco.

[struth]

So, what your saying is you stayed in a caravan in Salcoats and snatched the photos from the web :lol:

[Marco]

Drats - foiled again.... :o

:eyebrows:

Marco.

[Jimbo]

Yes indeed, we'd planned to go there too, but ran out of time.

I'd also like to tour around Ulverston and Barrow-in-Furness, then up north around Swinside, Derwentwater and Rosthwaite, just outside of Keswick :)

Have you been around there?

Marco.

Yes very nice up that way especially Derwent water and particularly like Keswick -we are up there at least once a year and do a walk up to Castlerigg which is a neolithic stone circle, bit like a mini stone henge but completely surrounded by mountains - stunning place.

[Marco]

Nice one, Jim. That's certainly noted :)

Marco.

[The Black Adder]

Looks lovely, Marco.

The hotel looks really cool. Might have to book a room there soon for a weekend away :)

[Marco]

Lol - I should be on commission now! Thoroughly recommended, Jo. I think you guys would love it there :)

Marco.

[take5]

Nics pics. But it would have been good to see some pictures of Peely-Wally legs, white socks and sandals.

PS did you return via the Ayrshire coast ?

[brian2957]

Looks like you had a nice break Marco . We're big fans of the Lake District too , the wife loves Grasmere . Haven't been for a few years , must correct that :)

[Marco]

Nics pics. But it would have been good to see some pictures of Peely-Wally legs, white socks and sandals.

PS did you return via the Ayrshire coast ?

LOL - we must've chosen a route un-favoured by fashion victims! :D

Yeah, we thought the Saltcoats thing was funny....

Marco.

[Marco]

Looks like you had a nice break Marco . We're big fans of the Lake District too , the wife loves Grasmere . Haven't been for a few years , must correct that :)

It was a great break, Brian, cheers.

The funny thing is we've been disappointed with the Lakes on our last two visits, simply because where we went was crawling with walkers and tourists, mainly in the 'usual suspect' towns, so this time we decided to go off the beaten track, and visit some out of the way little villages, etc, and it really paid off, both in terms of the beauty of the scenery and our ability to enjoy the surroundings without bumping into other folk!

Therefore, that's what we'll be sticking to from now on :)

Marco.

[Audio Al]

Marco , Did you take the Bra Bus over Hard Not Pass ?
Europe's steepest road :) I traveled it in both directions last year , it was very interesting and the views were awesome :)

[Marco]

Did you miss picture 18, daftee? The wee silver car featured there answers your question... ;)

Is the Hardknott Pass really Europe's steepest road? I won't argue, as it certainly felt like it!! Yup, the views were indeed awesome :)

Marco.

[Audio Al]

Ravensglass and Eskdale steam railway:

Thats where you SHEEP place mat was purchased :D

[Marco]

Was it, lol? It's in use every day and sitting beside me now :)

Marco.

[CageyH]

Marco , Did you take the Bra Bus over Hard Not Pass ?
Europe's steepest road :) I traveled it in both directions last year , it was very interesting and the views were awesome :)

Vale street in Totterdown, Bristol has a 35% gradient, making a mockery of the Hardknott pass at a mere 33%. :ner:

https://c4.staticflickr.com/1/51/185872507_ce6bb8912c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/hqDqp)The steepest street in Britain. (https://flic.kr/p/hqDqp)

[Marco]

Yes, but how wide and twisty is the road? ;)

Marco.

[CageyH]

Not very compared to Hardknott pass, which apparently you wussed out of doing it in a proper car.... :eyebrows:
I have been up it in the "7", and it was great fun.

[Marco]

Lol.....It's not me I'm worried about, but the tossers I'm sharing the road with who don't know how to drive [whom we met more than a few of that day, coming the other way]! ;)

Better that they hit the old man's Honda, than my car, as it'll be a damn sight cheaper to fix.... Close the road off to traffic, and I'd gladly take the Brabster up there and 'do it right'!! :eyebrows:

Marco.

[Marco]

https://c4.staticflickr.com/1/51/185872507_ce6bb8912c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/hqDqp)The steepest street in Britain. (https://flic.kr/p/hqDqp)

At least they'll never be flooded! :D

Marco.

[CageyH]

I like the token drain at the bottom.
It's not like it is going to make any difference!

I still need to get across to Stelvio one day.

[Marco]

Stelvio? Wossat, den?

Marco.

[Marco]

Ah, just Googled it...

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=stelvio%20pass

Not heard of or been on that one :)

Marco.

[Marco]

We normally do this one:

DXphEp0EoPk

Marco.

[Arkless Electronics]

Wusses! I've done Hardknott Pass in the dark, pissed, on a motorbike... no problem.

[struth]

Wusses! I've done Hardknott Pass in the dark, pissed, on a motorbike... no problem.

nothing to be proud of

[Arkless Electronics]

nothing to be proud of

I disagree :ner: Bloody nanny state's contagious.... It was about 30 years ago!

[walpurgis]

I disagree :ner: Bloody nanny state's contagious.... It was about 30 years ago!

You should be ashamed doing that at the age of fifty! :lol:

[Marco]

Wusses! I've done Hardknott Pass in the dark, pissed, on a motorbike... no problem.

Yesh, a motorbike is just a wee bit narrower than a large car! :eyebrows: Oh, and at night you'd almost certainly have the road to yourself, along with the ability to see any headlights coming towards you for miles! There's three massive advantages straight away, travelling on that pass during those circumstances, despite your state of pishedness :ner:

You're also missing the point, daftee.... If I wasn't worried about damaging my rather nice car, due to (based on what I saw) the high likelihood of some old fart coming the other way not paying proper attention to the road conditions/having the inability to handle them, and crashing into me, then there would've been no issue ;)

Marco.

[Arkless Electronics]

Yesh, a motorbike is just a wee bit narrower than a large car! :eyebrows: Oh, and at night you'd almost certainly have the road to yourself, along with the ability to see any headlights coming towards you for miles! There's three massive advantages straight away, travelling on that pass during those circumstances, despite your state of pishedness :ner:

You're also missing the point, daftee.... If I wasn't worried about damaging my rather nice car, due to (based on what I saw) the high likelihood of some old fart coming the other way not paying proper attention to the road conditions/having the inability to handle them, and crashing into me, then there would've been no issue ;)

Marco.

Yep, spot on in your analysis:D You missed the outrageous power to weight ratio of a motorbike though.. what 1:3 incline?:eyebrows:

[Marco]

Indeed... Depends on the motorbike and car in question, though, and their respective drivers - particularly how fearless they were ;)

Marco.

[Arkless Electronics]

Indeed... Depends on the motorbike and car in question, though, and their respective drivers - particularly how fearless they were ;)

Marco.

On my first run through the pass during the day there was a 2CV which didn't have the power to get up one hill! The 3 passengers had to get out to lighten it and then give a good push!

[Marco]

Ha - I think a 2CV's happier going through a ploughed field than halfway up a mountain! :eyebrows:

Marco.

[mikeyb]

Ha - I think a 2CV's happier going through a ploughed field than halfway up a mountain! :eyebrows:

Marco.
It's funny you say that, were they not originally designed for a gentleman who would be wearing a top hat, and be able to be driven over a ploughed field whilst holding a glass of wine?

I was told this when I first started in the car trade way back in the 70's but never found out if it was true not?

[Marco]

So the story goes, Mike. I can quite believe it though, given how those cars are designed and the type of suspension that they have :)

Marco.

[walpurgis]

I owned a 2CV in the seventies. It was remarkable on rough or muddy terrain and never got bogged down. I remember a friend had a new and quite rapid Opel Ascona Berlinetta, but negotiating a rough track slowed him right down to about 5mph. He got most annoyed when my 2CV came breezing past him at 30mph without any bother. It was also amazing in snow, far better than other cars I saw which would all slide about or fail to manage gradients, again the 2CV just sailed by.

[CageyH]

It's funny you say that, were they not originally designed for a gentleman who would be wearing a top hat, and be able to be driven over a ploughed field whilst holding a glass of wine?

I was told this when I first started in the car trade way back in the 70's but never found out if it was true not?

Apparently,
The new Citroën management ordered a fresh and detailed market survey that was conducted by Jacques Duclos. France at that time had a very large rural population which could not yet afford automobiles; Citroën used the survey results to prepare a design brief for a low-priced, rugged "umbrella on four wheels" that would enable four small farmers / peasants in clogs to transport 50 kg (110 lb) of farm goods to market at 50 km/h (31 mph),[12] if necessary across muddy, unpaved roads. The car would use no more than 3 liters of gasoline to travel 100 km (78 mpg ). The most famous design brief requirement was that the envisaged smallholder-customer be able to drive eggs across a ploughed field without breaking them.

[mikeyb]

Apparently,
Been waiting nearly 40 years to hear the right version lol.

Another fact I heard about them was that a large number of them were called Harriet?

[struth]

Apparently,

Love it.... Always wanted one, but never got the chance..did get an old land rover, and that was a challenge to drive anywhere other than a ploughed field ..... Pretty unstoppable though and had a huge steel cable winch on front to pull you or others ot of a hole

[CageyH]

Been waiting nearly 40 years to hear the right version lol.

Another fact I heard about them was that a large number of them were called Harriet?

Taken from the Citroen website, history section -
Pierre Boulanger conçoit le projet d'une voiture populaire de petite cylindrée, la future 2CV. Son cahier des charges se résume ainsi: « faire une voiture pouvant transporter quatre personnes et 50 kg de pommes de terre, à la vitesse de 60 km/h, pour une consommation de 3 litres d'essence aux 100 km avec un confort irréprochable..."

Which translates as:


Pierre Boulanger conceived the idea of a popular car of small displacement, the future 2CV. Its specification is as follows: "make a car that can carry four people and 50 kg of potatoes, at a speed of 60 km / h, for a consumption of 3 liters of fuel per 100 km with impeccable comfort. .. "

So the first one was pretty close. ;)