The Lake District. It Started Dry…….

Cockermouth. A feeble attempt to look intelligent/ interesting.

The day started well, the forecast was for ark building weather so it was with a little trepidation that I set out for the Lake District. Storms or no storms I wasn’t going to waste a day staring at the wallpaper.

Lancaster, bring me sunshine ( well we are near Morecambe ).

The day was a bit dull but by the time I reached Lancaster the sun was out and I was beginning to regret the big coat. The connection made the train greased it’s way up the West Coast Main Line to Glasgow, making the stop at Oxenholme for the Windermere train. The sun was still shining.

At Windermere I boarded the excellent 555 service that runs up to Keswick. Keswick used to have a railway station but the people in charge who think they know better closed it. They are the same people who complain about the traffic. The trackbed is largely still there if anyone with a few million wants to rebuild it.

The bus route is spectacular though, the hills and landscape folding away on either side as the bus chugs it’s way up and down the hills. Put it on your bucket list.

It was about now that the rain decided to muscle in on the day. Light at first but getting heavier by the time I got into town. Food was the first call of the day, Henry’s Diner was the location.

Keswick. The regular market was in soggy mode unfortunately.

Keswick. The chippy on the left is quite good👍

After lunch I had a walk around getting increasingly wet so I opted to fill an hour or so with a run out to Cockermouth on the X5 bus. The day ticket offers fantastic value for hopping on and off the buses. Alas the weather was even worse so after a brief ( and wet ) walkabout I took shelter in the Fika coffee shop before starting the trip back.

The bus and train connections fell into place well enough to allow me a drink at one of my favourite bars, the Tite and Locke on Lancaster railway station.