We were on the Coast to Coast walk across northern England and had overnighted at Grasmere in the Lake District. The fifth day: Our fellow breakfasters were an American couple who had walked the Coast to Coast path three years ago. Every year they return to Grasmere for a couple of weeks to indulge their passion for daily rambles in the district. Bob, our host, brought us food and regaled us with stories of his maritime days travelling the world as a “chippie” and later as a fiddler with a … [Read more...]
Grasmere, Wordsworth and the Lake District – Part 3
September 23, 2010 by
We were in the Lake District on the Coast to Coast Walk across England, a 307 km journey. We were visiting Dove Cottage, one of Wordworth's home. Read on: Around this time the five Wordsworth children were born in the Lake District and the second eldest, William was to leave an indelible mark on English poetry. The middle three children, William, Dorothy and John were to maintain a close family bond throughout their lives. In 1789 the hated Bastille prison in Paris was stormed and the French … [Read more...]
Robin Hood's Bay – North Yorkshire
January 26, 2010 by
Once a smugglers' haunt, Robin Hood's Bay is now a walker's destination: Robin Hood's Bay was once a haunt of smugglers and legend has it that Robin Hood kept his boats here in case he needed to make a quick escape. Seeing the rocky shoreline and landscape, it's easy to imagine why this is a conducive hideaway. Robin Hood's Bay is very popular with visitors who come here to enjoy the views, have picnics or just to have a relaxing time. There are two parts to the village, the upper section is … [Read more...]
Coast to Coast Walk – Nine Standards
November 6, 2009 by
We were on the Coast to Coast Walk and had just left Kirkby Stephen. Occasionally, we glimpsed a group of tall cairns known as the Nine Standards. No-one really knows who built them or for what reason, but one story is that they were placed on this Pennine ridge to give the marauding Scots the impression that here were able folk, always ready to defend their lands from unwelcome interlopers. Another theory held that the cairns were associated with the Norse usage of the numeral nine, which was … [Read more...]
High Street – Roman Road
May 4, 2009 by
We were on the Coast to Coast track. As the wind rose the temperature dropped. We stopped and put on our wet weather gear and beanies. The wind relentlessly nipped at our ears. The gusting of the wind and the swirling of the clouds added to the beauty of this stark wilderness and I took photos to remind me that we had actually been here. Continuing on around to the far side of The Knott we arrived at a saddle between two ridges. On the right was the magnificent fell, known as High Street. It … [Read more...]
