Vertical Take Off And Landing

Saturday sees us head off on our first trip away since our visit to Berlin in February, which was just as world was starting to panic about Covid-19. Everybody else seems have gone away, so we thought we might as well too and this is the first of five consecutive weekends away.

We head up to the Lake District and stay at the Lodge In The Vale which is on Thirlmere between Grasmere and Keswick, practically at the foot of Helvelyn. We are there for two nights, Saturday and Sunday. It’s dog friendly, so the boys are with us, although MD is non too impressed with the room's wooden floor which means he can’t get enough traction to jump on to the bed and has to be lifted on. The Lad has no problem but then he can still do a vertical take off and landing.

The bed is smaller than ours so with both dogs on, not that they’re allowed on the soft furnishings, there is barely enough room to breathe. At times L and I are forced to decamp to the single bed in the room for some privacy.

The Lakes isn’t too busy but it’s still difficult to get a drink in the evenings, let alone a meal, due to everywhere operating at reduced capacity. After a short walk on the banks of Derwent Water on Saturday, we manage to book into the Keswick Park Hotel through Opentable and it proves a good choice as we have an excellent meal.

On Sunday, our walk around Thirlmere is largely aborted by our lack of walking boots and no great idea of where we’re supposed to be going. We end up having an afternoon drink in the Kings Head Hotel, which is just down the road from the hotel, and book in there for a meal later.

We check out on Monday and after coffee in the café at our hotel, we have breakfast on the jetty at Ambleside. This comes on disposal plates and with disposal cutlery which is a bit naff. I’m not sure if it’s a Covid thing but there’s no such requirement to do this as far as I’m aware and it’s really bad for the environment.

A ‘one for the road’ at the Hawkshead Brewery would have been nice but it’s too full, so we head home. 

(Monday 14^th September)