The English Lakes...again!

What a great day! Beautiful sunshine, at least for half the day, not too much traffic and the freshness of late Spring, early Summer all around.

Picked up a delicious pork pie at our usual pre-picnic shop in Great Eccleston, some petrol and then the open road to the Lakes, a route we have taken for decades but never tire of.

Coffee at Hayes Garden Centre, Ambleside

The cry came, from my navigator above the noise of the exhaust and wind, that it was time to stop for a coffee so this we did at Hayes Garden Centre in Ambleside.....free parking, albeit rather cheeky if you're not visiting their Centre.

The Grasmere Gingerbread shop

Passing the delightful views across Rydal Water we arrived in Grasmere, now thriving since the A591 was rebuilt following the floods, where we called at the Grasmere Gingerbread shop to pick up some gingerbread.

Car Park of Travellers Rest Inn, Helm Crag in background

The Travellers Rest Inn

Driving further on the A591, we bumped into the 'Travellers Rest' public house nestling in the shadow of Helm Crag (widely known as the 'Lion and the Lamb' due to the stones at its summit that resemble the aforesaid beasts) for a gradely pint of 'Jennings Best Bitter'! Followed by our pork pies, consumed in their car park.

What glorious scenery!

Back into Grasmere then and up Red Bank over to Skelwith Bridge and thence Coniston.

The 'Bluebird Cafe' and Coniston Water

From Coniston it was back through Penny Bridge and Greenod to the main Barrow road when we headed to Finsthwaite where we stopped at our friends for a welcome cuppa.

Looking north across Coniston Water.

Home beckoned, so it was a fast drive via the good old M6 to a welcome Gin and Tonic....but not before I had to clean an enormous amount of guano off the Volvo that I had parked under two Silver Birches that are the roosting spot for two enormous Wood Pigeons. Never again, the V70 goes in its garage when we are out in the Morgan!!