Day 300/309 Sat 10 –Fri 17 Aug 2007 Newcastle to Grasmere, England

Stopping at Vindalanda and Housteads Fort on Hadrians Wall, another world heritage site this time shared with Germany and designated ‘Frontiers of the Roman Empire’ we reach Carlisle in time for a late lunch with I1’s aunt Joan and cousin Peter and wife Sue. It's a good family get-together with lots of news of the diaspora to catch up on.

Then it's through the lake district to Ambleside to collect the key for our Lakeland cottage where we plan to spend a week with the minimum amount of driving. Unfortunately all the directions to the cottage have been posted to Australia so it takes us until late afternoon to find it, tucked away on a hillside behind the village of Grasmere. However there’s a pub within 300m and a lovely garden with views over High Side and Loughrigg. After finding the Co-op in Grasmere we make dinner before meeting I1’s school friend Ian and Wendy who’ve driven up from Rutland to spend the week with us.

The rest of the week is spend variously in the pubs and tea shops of central Lakeland, visiting Wordsworth’s home at Dove Cottage, Beatrix Potter’s husband’s office in Hawkshead and a Dante Exhibition in Grasmere. We also find time for a spot of fell walking including Alcock Tarn high above our cottage and the Coffin road to Rydal as well as more ambitious expeditions to the top of Coniston Old Man (with John, another school friend not seen for over 30 years) with splendid views but quite windy at 8.30 at night and Sergeant Man and Pavey Ark in Langdale when David and Karen visit. We also managed to sample the local beers in the Britannia in Elterwater, the Swan in Grasmere, the Old Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale, the Badger Bar at Rydal, the Tower Bank Arms in Near Sawrey and the General Burgoyne at Urswick as well as as visiting the sheep dog trials at Rydal and a summer music evening on the hard pews of Hawkshead Church as well as a nostalgia trip to Barrow to meet Ian’s mum and new dachshund puppy.

All too soon all the jigsaws have been done and it's time to move on again.