A delicious vegetarian breakfast to start Day 4 :)
Then D and I drove to Far Sawrey to get a paper not realising that the post office/store had closed :(
This is the hotel where we used to stay. It used to be known as The Sawrey Hotel but under new management has changed its name. In the old days the evening meals at this hotel were legendary - 5 to 6 courses all delicious. I still have some of the menus somewhere. We have been since the owners changed - we stopped there several years ago and the food is still good but only 3 courses!
We didn't visit Hill Top (Beatrix Potter's home for many years) in Near Sawrey this time but D took photos of the Tower Bank Arms and Buckle Yeats from the car. Both places feature in her books. We did try to book a meal at this pub this holiday but they were sadly fully booked.
Back at Broomriggs - Plants in Walls and a mossy garden.
We decided to go to Grizedale forest - a Forestry Commission site with walking (and cycling trails). It was a trifle confusing when we arrived because they have moved the car park which used to be by the Visitor Centre.
The name Grizedale comes from - Grize Old Norse for Boar and Dale Old Norse for valley.
Ancient Forester
We walked along one of the shorter trails.
Coin posts (thanks to John Scurr from the Stray Rambler who commented on my Quarr Abbey post). These are posts of living or dead wood where people hammer in coins.
The sheep are Texel sheep (thanks again to John Scurr via Twitter)
In 2010 a Red Kite re-introduction scheme began at Grizedale when 30 chicks raised at a breeding site in Rockingham Forest, Northamptonshire, were first released. A total of 90 kites were released over 3 years. We weren't lucky enough to see one but there were records in the sightings book. Esthwaite isn't far away and they have been seen in that area too.
On the drive back D managed to get these pictures from the opposite shore of Esthwaite of Broomriggs nestled in the trees.
We had decided to spend what was left of the day walking along the shores of Windermere parking near to the car ferry crossing.
It was only when I saw this signpost that I remembered reading about Claife Viewing Station on The Quacks of Life Blog and thought at the time we had never visited and there was me thinking I knew this particular area of the Lake District well as, apart from two other holidays, we have always stopped in the Cunsey/Sawrey/Hawkshead area.
A path through the woods leads to a flight of steps which leads to the Viewing Station (although as I discovered on the way down there is an easier route from the National Trust cafe!).
"Ent" roots
Nearly there!
Claife Viewing Station - the views are excellent.
The Picturesque
Until the beginning of the Picturesque Movement it was thought that the Lake District was an unattractive wilderness! The Picturesque Movement led people to study landscapes as if they were a painting. People took the beauty in art as inspiration for seeing the beauty in natural landscapes. Strict rules were applied to decide which views captured the idea of the picturesque and were thus beautiful.
According to William Gilpin the perfect Picturesque view depended on it having the correct elements, viewpoints, texture and composition. Visitors today are still attracted by the beauty of the Lake District.
Some views were considered that awesome and spectacular that it was feared visitors might be totally overcome and faint! Therefore a Claude glass (a portable artists' device similar to a mirror) was used to view the landscape as a reflection and prevent people swooning!
What makes the view of Windermere from this point picturesque?
1. The dramatic hills and mountains which contrast with the smooth lake.
2. The natural mirror-like lake surface with the effects light has on the water.
3. The gloomy woodland in the foreground which contrasts with the openness of the scene.
4. A landmark such as island(s) on the water.
5. Tree planting which frames the view.
The original viewpoint here was built in the 1790's as a two-storey octagonal tower inspired by Greek and Roman architecture. It had windows of tinted glass to create views of the landscape under the different seasons and different times of the day - yellow for summer, orange for autumn, light green for Spring and dark blue for moonlight. The land and summer house was purchased in 1801 by John Curwen who owned Belle Island on Windermere. He altered the viewpoint by enlarging it and changing the architecture to a Gothic Revival style which made it more romantic in its dramatic setting. The building is made of stone rubble and was originally whitewashed.
John Curwen and his wife Isabella used the viewing point to entertain their friends.
By the end of the 19th century however it had fallen out of fashion and it was eventually handed over to the National Trust by E A Curwen in 1962.
To be honest I could have used the windows to far better effect but there were several people also trying to take photos and to be honest my fear of heights meant I was not going to go too close to the windows! So I rather failed in getting a photo that reflected the Picturesque ideals!
Timothy was rather enjoying himself!
By the time I left the family, even D who normally lingers taking photos, had completely disappeared so I assumed they had gone to the lake shore and started the walk originally planned.
I could have done with a cup of tea and a piece of cake at the cafe!
I set off along the shore of Windermere in the direction of Wray Castle
Good to see a delicate harebell in flower.
After walking for about half an hour I started to get a bit concerned as it was beginning to get dark - I didn't expect to catch the others up as I kept stopping to take pictures but I did expect to see them walking in my direction on their way back to the car. In the end I decided to turn round and make my way back to the car park. When I was nearly back I was quite surprised to see our car approaching me. It turned out they hadn't for some reason walked along the shore but had instead walked to the ferry terminal!
Some photos D took.
In the evening we went for a meal at the Kings Arms in Hawkshead - an inn which has been there since Elizabethan times.
Our pumpkin now alight :)
Day 5 will be the last day of the holiday and there won't be many photos next time! - it teemed down with rain!
*D Photos taken by my son with Canon SX50HS bridge camera
Rest of photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera
Reference: National Trust Information boards by Claife Viewing Station
12 comments:
That breakfast would just about do me for the whole day!
David Gascoigne - Thank you. There were definitely no need for sandwiches that day for lunch :)
Shame that you didn't see any Red Kites, I get at least one, and three Common Buzzard over my place almost everyday. It all goes on in Milton Keynes!
Toffeeapple - Thank you. Would have been nice to see one. In recent years we get the occasional buzzard sighting over the garden here too - the way the have spread is wonderful :)
Playing catchup, so will work backwards on your posts! We have LOTS of Red Kites round here - they are commoner than Buzzards and it's not unusual to see 6 at once (even more when they are cutting hay or silage).
I loved the photos and seeing what you did around Windermere. It must be 20 years since we were last up there (I remember camping on the shores and discovering that, in my haste to pack, I hadn't checked the camping equipment properly and we didn't have the inner lining of our tent!! We had to make do with Tesco carrier bags as a floor . . .
It is always disappointing when a favourite place to stay changes hands. I have that dilema now when I visit Northumberland.
Do you know the story/history of coins being buried in wood? I first noticed this when I visited a historic house when one of the trees had a branch imbedded with coins. I was not able to find the reason for this behaviour/tradition.
I love the picture of Timothy in front of the window :-)
Bovey Belle - Thank you. It must be wonderful to have Red Kites by you. I've seen them in Wales and round the Chilterns and in Scotland. There is the occasional sighting round here and a roost I think in South Warwickshire so hopefully they will eventually become a regular sighting locally. I never tire of watching them :)
I did smile at your Tesco carrier bag story. There is always something I forget to take on holiday - once on a Lake District holiday OH forgot to pack shirts!
CherryPie - Thank you. Yes, the Sawrey was in the same family for years - we stayed regularly twice a year for about 14 years and did do back when my son was a baby and toddler but once my daughter was born we reverted to seaside holidays and as the children got older reverted to self catering in the Lake District. We did stay at the hotel, after it had changed hands, on the last holiday but it just wasn't the same. They had modernised parts for the better and the food was good but somehow it had lost its ambience!
John, the Stray Rambler, did send me a link to a post he had read on the coins in wood - it appeared from the post that no-one knew the reason or why or how it had started. The blog post link is here although sorry I can't get links to work on comments so you may have to copy and past. howardwilliamsblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/27/the-halfway-house-coin-post-snowdon/
Oh now that is a breakfast!! Yum! Such lovely views and isn't the Ancient Forester imposing but I do like him!
The breakfast must have kept you going all day on your adventures. The view point is interesting and I like the window through which to see the views. I watched Great Canal Journeys on Sunday which went up the Lancaster Canal,nearly to Kendall and then into the Lake District and then, I think, to the hotel you mention. Apparently Prunella Scales and her brother were evacuated to there during the war with their school:)
The occasion that I saw coins pressed into a tree was in 2008 at Belvoir Castle. There are not as many coins as in your photo or the link you shared with me.
Here is the photo I took (I wonder if the branch has accumulated more coins over the years)...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/-cherrypie-/2407629576/in/album-72157623095517498/
Pam - Thank you - yes he is imposing :) They have a range of sculptures throughout their trials :)
Rosie - Thank you. That is so interesting about the Great Canal Journeys programme - I will see if I can watch the programme. In the old days we learnt that Jasper Carrott used to book the hotel for about 2 weeks every Christmas and descend with his family and friends. Chatting to the care taker at Broomriggs it appears he still does so!
CherryPie - Thank you - I will check out your photo. There are some interesting new customs occurring such as the one where people leave locks on the bridge at Bakewell.
CherryPie - have just checked out your photo and yes it would be interesting to see if there are more now.
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