Keswick, Whinlatter and the Honister Passes.

It was while watching the Tour of Britain and particularly the Whinlatter Pass stages 5 and 6, that a germ of an idea began to form in my mind, not as a budding cyclist (my wife and I only watch for the scenery!) but as a possible drive in 'Nellie'.

It also offered the chance to get away for a couple of days and use a further dollop of the childrens' inheritance!

Our 5 star accommodation

With accommodation organised in a rather nice 5 star B&B in Keswick, my plan was to travel to the village of Braithwaite, just outside Keswick, drive through the Whinlatter Forest and Pass to Lorton and then drive to Loweswater, Crummock Water and Buttermere, up the Honister Pass and then down into Borrowdale and thence back to our lodgings.

First we visited two old friends who were caravanning at Pooley Bridge, Ullswater, had lunch with them and then checked in to our lovely hotel for our first night.

Ullswater in the background

Morning dawned and after a substantial breakfast we headed for Braithwaite where we found signs suggesting that the road was closed and there was a detour in operation! The best laid plans and all that!

Keswick Market Place.

Anyway, just outside Cockermouth !!!!!!! I realised that some oaf from Cumbria County Council had not removed the signs from the Tour of Britain event and the oaf driving the Morgan only twigged what was happening until it was far too late, necessitating a swift change of plans that meant us approaching the Forest from Lorton, having a quick reconnoitre and then turning around and continuing with the original plan.

Heading towards the Whinlatter Forest

The relationship within the narrow confines of our conveyance was somewhat strained to say the least!

En route to Loweswater

Thankfully the weather stayed dry apart from the odd drizzly bit so we were able to travel top down and the glories of our surroundings soon made up for the initial hiccup.

Crummock Water

Buttermere with Fleetwith Pike in the distance.

It had been some 50 odd years since my wife and I had visited Crummock and Buttermere in my first car, a 1936 Morris 10/4 fixed head coupe (now an exhibit in the Lakeland Motor Museum), so it was good to return after a long absence and enjoy once again the majestic scenery, albeit with much of it shrouded in cloud and mist.

Approaching Honister Pass

Posing again!....

.....Well at my age you are considered invisible, so the only way that I can get any semblance of interest now is to get out in the Morgan!

The Wyre Estuary Country Park, not exactly reminiscent of the Costas especially with the tide out!

Having said that, up 'ere in deepest Lancashire the vast majority of the population haven't a clue what sort of car I am driving, at best probably regarding it as some type of kit car.

However, there are a number of more sophisticated, well read individuals, like me, who do appreciate it and shout, 'ooh it's luvely, I bet they're not building those anymore'.....to which I reply ad nauseam my well rehearsed response. It's a 2008 4/4 (4 wheels,4cylinders), the longest running production model in the UK, built in Gt Malvern etc.,etc.,etc.,etc!

Although when the car does get some attention I thoroughly enjoy it and it does enrich the driving experience.

Today, nothing happened at all and I put it down to the fact that it was a bit cloudy, keeping most residents indoors and particularly where I was, it seemed that most of the people were giving more attention to their pooches, totally ignoring the fabulous car and driver pootling passed them!

Almost home!

Ah well!

Haematology to Ullswater!

As my wife and I waited patiently for my appointment with the Consultant, already half an hour late at 9.45, a group of gallant climbers were scaling the dizzy heights of 'Gummers How' overlooking Windermere.

The arrangement with my eldest daughter and family was that after my appointment we would drive up the M6 to Penrith, do a left and left again and meet at the National Trust site of Aira Force, a lovely waterfall on the shores of Ullswater.

They meanwhile, would, if they survived the climb, travel along the eastern shore of Windermere and then from Bowness head over the Kirkstone Pass, into Patterdale and thence to Aira Force to meet up with the illustrious grandparents.

'Skimmers' from the beach

Best laid plans and all that...when got to Aira Force the car park was full, so we speedily  changed our plans and met at Glenridding where we had some refreshment. We would then try to find somewhere that would interest my two grandsons ie., a beach by the lake.

Can't beat getting your feet wet!

Serious dam building.

This we were fortunate in doing and it was where we parked on the shore of Ullswater, at Glencoyne Wood, that William Wordsworth was inspired to write possibly the most famous lines of poetry in the English language: 'I wandered lonely as a cloud, That floats on high o’er vales and hill, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodils, Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze'. Perfect!

Taking shape.

The boys built a dam and I, being the elder statesman, supervised operations!

The steamer passes by

The proud foreman and the completed dam!

We then travelled on to Aira Force where there were now a few parking spaces and our daughter's clan climbed up to the waterfall while my dear wife and I sat on a bench and scoffed an ice cream!

Cor! That looks good!

What is more, while we were there a beautiful Morgan in pale blue metallic drove through the car park whose driver was of course hailed by yours truly!

What a wonderful time we had...you can't beat time with your offspring and theirs.

After the waterfall we travelled on to a pub to spend the night, but the less I say about that the better!

Polishing 'Nellie'

This is a job I quite enjoy doing as there is a lot of satisfaction when you've restored your Morgan to its absolute best...well almost anyway!

When looking at the photos you might think that I have shares in 'AUTOGLYM' which is not the case, but merely the fact that I have always used their products and find them excellent.

That's better!

Their Super Resin Polish is good for water based paint as used on modern Morgans, Vinyl and Rubber Care adds a nice finish to engine components of that ilk and Tyre Dressing gives a splendid matt finish that is discreet.

Vinyl and Rubber Care for the engine.

On the question of tyre dressing, someone in the trade once said to me that a car wasn't valeted properly until the tyres had similar attention.

 Anyway, she is looking good and ready for Autumn and the onset of Winter, God help us!

"Take it to the garage"....

.....my wife said as I suggested that it was time to once more launch myself under the Morgan to grease the front suspension.

Anyway, regardless of this sound advice I attacked the job....well,  'attack'  is probably not the appropriate word! Have you ever seen a giant sloth on the attack!

I tell you it would have been pitiful to watch, but thankfully I was locked away in the Morgan garage, so nobody could see my physical contortions or hear my moans interspaced with colourful language.

PLEASE NOTE MY COMMENTS BELOW REFERRING TO THIS 2011 PHOTO!!

Is it my grease gun? Or is it just because I am getting totally inept as the years advance. There was grease everywhere and I suddenly realised that I had only two sheets of heavy duty tissue and a limited supply of wipes.What an unholy mess!

What with the nozzle of my grease gun constantly coming adrift from the nipple and then ceasing to work at all, the job took three times as long as normal.

Fortunately, my wife was not on hand to take photos of this sad event so I am using one that she took in June 2011, 7 years ago, when I was the sprightly age of 67!!

When viewing this photo, picture a similar scene but totally ignore the smile, it not appear this afternoon!!

No doubt I shall try to complete the job again in the future, but a trip to Halfords is definitely on the cards for more cleaning materials. 

Before the rains arrive!

Having been led to believe from the weather forecasters that a heavy dose of very welcome rain is due in the next few days, Helen and myself decided we would give 'Nellie' a whirl.

Our parking spot with the cove below.

First stop was of course my favourite pie shop to pick up a juicy pork pie for our picnic lunch and then it was off to Silverdale and Arnside, off the M6 at junction 35, into Carnforth, passed the railway station where they filmed 'Brief Encounter' and then through lovely countryside, at times bordering Morecambe Bay, to try to find a picnic spot.

South towards Silverdale village with a bed of samphire in the middle distance.

Well, what a find it turned out to be, apparently known as the 'Dip' we parked by a gate leading to a delightful cove and what is more, despite the fact that it is August and school holidays, no people!

We settled ourselves on the limestone pebbled beach and surveyed the fantastic view across the sands towards the horizon.

Interesting tunnel under the road.

In mortal danger...I just hope he knows what he is doing!

This is a dangerous beach to wander about on due to quicksands, not that we had any intention of going for a paddle as the sea was probably a couple of miles away....so we just sat, read the newspaper, ate our picnic and drank a tiny bouteille de bier, or whatever they say over there!

Arnside, with the viaduct in the distance. 

 

 

The viaduct

What a car!!

The car was superb as ever, delivering joy by the bucketful, not only to us but to the oggling public.

Across the River Kent with the Lakeland hills in the background.

After our sojourn it was back on the road and on to Arnside, always a very busy place with an amazing viaduct that carries trains from Preston to Grange over Sands, Barrow and then up the west coast to Carlisle.

Quick shop in the delightful village of Milnthorpe and then back down the A6 to join the M6 again and back home.

What a cracker!!!!

Over the bonnet and far away!

Well it's 16.40 in the UK., but it's 18.00 hours somewhere, so here I sit with a welcome Gin and Tonic and a small offering of Manchego cheese and luscious green olives....oh how we suffer in apparently one of the most deprived areas of England!

Across Morecambe Bay towards the English Lakes one of our favourite stomping grounds.

My summer motoring cap blew off in the fresh breeze today, on the way back from Fleetwood, but thankfully, due to my Morgan lanyard, it landed just behind my head and not in the middle of the road.

Both pictures towards Barrow and Black Combe the mountain on the hazy left.

One of those bright breezy days when I wish that I had left the sidescreens on because, apart from the fact that I am conscious that my titfer is going to blow off at any time, I know that it is absolutely necessary in the absence of sunvisors to avoid being dazzled by the sun.....and there has been a lot of it in the UK this summer.

Close-up of Barrow...amazing the zoom on these small cameras!

Topped up with BP Supreme grade fuel, only the best for 'Nellie', and had a long conversation with the lady Assistant who rather admired my 'old' car!

Wonderfully enjoyable drive today, the 4/4 is so nimble and I wouldn't want to swap her for any other model.

Time for another G & T so I will bring this missive to a close.

Still hoping to sneak away in the Mog for two or three days at the beginning of September.