I was hoping for some better weather for my final day in the Lakes, and I got it. Mild, only a scattered shower around late morning (more on that later), and then SUNSHINE. It didn't last more than an hour or so, but I managed a photo of a lake that looked blue rather than steel grey so I was content.
I headed first to Keswick, stopping a few times for short walks and photos. At Keswick there is a small stone circle. It's beautifully situated, on a little mound, surrounded by mountains. There were a few tourists, including a little boy carefully counting the stones as he went around the circle. Inside the circle two women were standing playing flat hand drums and chanting. I unashamedly listened in and then took a video of the circle which I hope has picked up some of the chant. Perfect for Western Dreaming! So, having greeted the four wind spirits, then then did a Mother Earth chant and one for Grandfather Sky. As they thanked Grandfather Sky, he returned the compliment and it started raining. Just a light shower really, but the timing was exquisite.
I wandered along part of Lake Derwent and read about the original owner of one of the islands who was quite an eccentric. He built his own stone circle, a fort and a gothic style boathouse, and each year he would host a regatta where he invited the local Keswick residents to fire on him. One of the other islands is the setting for Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin.
As I headed back south I spotted what appeared to be a small castle on the edge of a lake, just off the road. Intrigued, I stopped in the layby leading to it, and wandered down the road. It was a folly size, definitely built like a castle, and around the other side was a friendly man from the local Water company. The building houses the outlet which feeds to water to Manchester. Built in the 1800s, they wanted it to look grand, and even imported slate and granite from other parts of the country to build it. Given that the whole area is covered in rock it did seem a bit excessive.
I headed to Hawkshead which is opposite Windermere. After several miles of winding road, following a large boat transporter which caused havoc for oncoming traffic in the narrow lanes, I arrived to find the only parking was a 'pay and display' at £1.80 for the first hour. This is 3 times what I paid at Keswick. On that topic, there seem to be no places where you can simply park a car. Even car parks leading to walks are all 'pay and display'. It's easy to run out of change, particularly when I'm not really spending time in shops. So at Hawkshead I didn't have enough change, and went to a nearby shop selling gifts, postcards etc and tried to buy a postcard with my smallest note £20. "Can't change that," she said, "don't you have anything smaller?" I gave up and gave up on Hawkshead altogether.
Blackwood, the John Ruskin house, is on the same section of land, so I headed off there. It had been closed when I went on Monday and I really wanted to see it. I thought I knew where I was going, but ended up travelling along a small lane which took me to the most wonderful lookout, where a car park was packed with walkers' cars. I nervously parked the car several times on the verge to take photos across the hills and into the valleys. Spectacular!!
I have to confess that I had never heard of John Ruskin, and yet he seems to be the sort of person you should learn about. Philosopher, artist, educationalist, scientist, saviour of the arts and crafts. The house is definitely a shrine to him, with his utterances posted on walls and attached to exhibits, and copies of his books in various display cases and bookcases. I found it a bit overwhelming, and wondered if he had been liked or admired. He seemed that type of person who would always be telling others what they should be doing and how they should be doing it. I certainly admire his passion about improving conditions for the ordinary person in Victorian Britain, and the concept of free education and health care for all was very radical.
In one of the other buildings there was an amazing musical instrument, an iRock. I kid you not! It looked like a xylophone but each plank was made from a different piece of rock - granite, slate etc. they had been cut and tuned. Playing them straight, the sound wasn't brilliant, but an electronic device was attached which could enhance the sound and also create other effects like harmonic notes. I played with it for ages. I think we need one at school :)
I headed first to Keswick, stopping a few times for short walks and photos. At Keswick there is a small stone circle. It's beautifully situated, on a little mound, surrounded by mountains. There were a few tourists, including a little boy carefully counting the stones as he went around the circle. Inside the circle two women were standing playing flat hand drums and chanting. I unashamedly listened in and then took a video of the circle which I hope has picked up some of the chant. Perfect for Western Dreaming! So, having greeted the four wind spirits, then then did a Mother Earth chant and one for Grandfather Sky. As they thanked Grandfather Sky, he returned the compliment and it started raining. Just a light shower really, but the timing was exquisite.
I wandered along part of Lake Derwent and read about the original owner of one of the islands who was quite an eccentric. He built his own stone circle, a fort and a gothic style boathouse, and each year he would host a regatta where he invited the local Keswick residents to fire on him. One of the other islands is the setting for Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin.
As I headed back south I spotted what appeared to be a small castle on the edge of a lake, just off the road. Intrigued, I stopped in the layby leading to it, and wandered down the road. It was a folly size, definitely built like a castle, and around the other side was a friendly man from the local Water company. The building houses the outlet which feeds to water to Manchester. Built in the 1800s, they wanted it to look grand, and even imported slate and granite from other parts of the country to build it. Given that the whole area is covered in rock it did seem a bit excessive.
I headed to Hawkshead which is opposite Windermere. After several miles of winding road, following a large boat transporter which caused havoc for oncoming traffic in the narrow lanes, I arrived to find the only parking was a 'pay and display' at £1.80 for the first hour. This is 3 times what I paid at Keswick. On that topic, there seem to be no places where you can simply park a car. Even car parks leading to walks are all 'pay and display'. It's easy to run out of change, particularly when I'm not really spending time in shops. So at Hawkshead I didn't have enough change, and went to a nearby shop selling gifts, postcards etc and tried to buy a postcard with my smallest note £20. "Can't change that," she said, "don't you have anything smaller?" I gave up and gave up on Hawkshead altogether.
Blackwood, the John Ruskin house, is on the same section of land, so I headed off there. It had been closed when I went on Monday and I really wanted to see it. I thought I knew where I was going, but ended up travelling along a small lane which took me to the most wonderful lookout, where a car park was packed with walkers' cars. I nervously parked the car several times on the verge to take photos across the hills and into the valleys. Spectacular!!
I have to confess that I had never heard of John Ruskin, and yet he seems to be the sort of person you should learn about. Philosopher, artist, educationalist, scientist, saviour of the arts and crafts. The house is definitely a shrine to him, with his utterances posted on walls and attached to exhibits, and copies of his books in various display cases and bookcases. I found it a bit overwhelming, and wondered if he had been liked or admired. He seemed that type of person who would always be telling others what they should be doing and how they should be doing it. I certainly admire his passion about improving conditions for the ordinary person in Victorian Britain, and the concept of free education and health care for all was very radical.
In one of the other buildings there was an amazing musical instrument, an iRock. I kid you not! It looked like a xylophone but each plank was made from a different piece of rock - granite, slate etc. they had been cut and tuned. Playing them straight, the sound wasn't brilliant, but an electronic device was attached which could enhance the sound and also create other effects like harmonic notes. I played with it for ages. I think we need one at school :)
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