Boog's Blog

7 October. Sunny, bright British autumn day

Off to the medieval market town of Kings Lynn. Chartered by King John II, giver of the Magna Carta, also known earlier as John Lackland, it is rich in old buildings.

The drive included several long stretches on especially narrow hedge roads. Fortunately the 16% percent grades were traversed without undue road squeezing.

We will do several walks in this area, one urban, one or two coastal, and maybe one inland. Bobby is coming tomorrow to join.

The hotel plan here too includes half-board. After the pretentious food of Favorsham in Helmsley thought we might get simpler fare here.

You may judge for yourselves; this was the best of a bad lot. Apparently there is one restaurant in town with ok reviews. Booked until 9 pm tomorrow. Bobby suggests, as an alternative, Nando’s.

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6 October. Wet, windy with patches of sunshine.

Mostly food pictures follow. Today was our first rest day – no walk – and a very nice nap. Helmsley is another medieval market town, excellent church of just post Norman period, as well a traditional square with spire.

While wandering Helmsley we stopped into a speciality grocery, old style. Asked the propriator what might be covering of a vegetarian haggis. Plastic. No, I said, in my nicest possible dissenting voice. Another patron suggested collagen. Time to move on.

Dinner starter looked better before I remembered to take a photo. Mullet, cockles, scallop, yellow courgettes.

Main was mallard with some veggies nicely hidden away from sight.

Dessert was a special – menu said lemon and verbena posset. Had to look it up. The one pictured is the 750 cal per serving kind, three cups of heavy whipping creme to 1 1/4 cups sugar. Some lemon too.

As to the person in the photo, someone who caught QB’s attention.

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5 October. Windy, very windy, dangerously windy at many times

In Middleham one finds Richard III castle, his boyhood and favorite one, or so the plaque says. We eschewed the large entrance fee and headed up the hills of North Yorkshire.

The walk is entitled My Kingdom for a Horse. This is certainly horse territory; local explained that thoroughbreds have been bred here for a hundred plus year. We saw some but not the tourist ball of string: them galloping by the galloping fences in the gallops. Yep, specialized vocabulary here.

Another top rated walk and it certainly was. The wind, however, was fierce. News reports said steady 20 mph with gusts twice that amount. Felt like the weather persons look during broadcasts of incoming hurricanes.

Literally had to use my trekking pole to keep the wind from knocking me down. Not once but many times especially across the moor.

The day started with Fawlty Towers service at breakfast. What are Scotch Pancakes I ask. Manuel says let me get Mr. Fawlty. Does not end there. Quite humorous when having a relaxing breakfast.

Walk had challenges such as instructions to go to the lych gate, or follow the galloping fences. Stiles were often gates. Footpaths changed. The walk was marked 145meter ascent. Gps said 585 meters. Doubt that AA ever took this walk.

Dinner last two nights included cockles, mullet, partridge ( saw a lot of them on the walk and in the road as too windy to fly ), cod and very weird deserts. Vegetarian dinner with shrooms was ok.

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4 Oct. Finally cooler with some wind

Well, as many of you know I have had my hips fixed and can now walk. Unfortunately QB, an excellent walker, is now in pain with some sort of sharp nerve like spasms in her hip/leg area. Definitely not good. Hard to see her suffering; naturally she soldiers on.

Walk today is in the footsteps of James Herriot. Some of you may have read his books. QB has but not my genre. A fictional vet. Of large animals he treat the livestock and dealt with the foibles of the locals.

Very nice walk especially as it paralleled a number of streams and small rivers. Also goes through a country town, Thirsk. Just a good feeling town. Some towns are just that way.

Before setting out Welsh Rarebit with sweet onion chutney in the pictured Crown and Arms.

Staying in a pretentious former coaching inn, Feversham Arms. Has a hot tub but wants an additional 25£ per use. Not going to happen. Dinner decent but over the top inefficient service. The French do food service with half or fewer steps and more grace. Must of used at least 10 pieces of silverware before tea in the lounge. Petit Fours were chocolate bars, mini. Nope.

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3 October. Warm again, sunny afternoon

Took a city wander day. Bus to Newcastle, about an hours ride. Local bus.

Turns out it is the local equivalent of the cracker barrel. Many of the fellow riders shared information with the driver, local gossip, tidings. As public transport is free at age 60 there are many regular riders. One claimed she used the pass to go to London.

The navigated to hedge road, read very narrow, thoroughfare quite impressively. Personally I find them no fun unless they are straight roman ones. Otherwise too many blind turns, none with mirrors.

Haggis, as we are near the once feared Scots, can be found in the local Marks and Spencers.

Organ is from the 12th century cathedral that later became a parish church. The organ is newer of course. The retableau, not pictured here, looks similar to the ones we saw in Spain except here it appeared to be marble and not painted wood.

Naturally we had to see the “new” castle. Started in the 11th century just after William of Orange came to stay and later modified by it’s many owners. Not as impressive as Conwy.

Dinner. One of my favorites. Picnic from Waitrose. Smoke Salmon from Scotland, King prawns, russet and spartan apples, Camembert cheese (perfect due to QB selection, white center), and Henny’s cider.

Wait rose has 15-20 choices. We inquired about a suggestion. Well, none are my favorite as I come from Cornwall and prefer those. We wanted a dry one. He went through the characteristics of several until we settled on Henny’s At six percent and dry. We both pronounced it good but could not finish the largish bottle.

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2 October. Cloudy and then the rain snuck up when it was too late for gear.

Have accustomed ourselves to warm dry weather we did not take rain gear on the walk. I had a poncho in the car; QB preferred her polar tech jacket. Very windy.

More dry stone wall today. A very old wall, named Hadrian’s.

One approaches the major remaining section of the wall from a very straight Roman, now metaled (Brits seem to call Tarmac roads metaled ) road. It was the military road of course. The wall run on the top of an escarpment with a very steep drop off on the side facing Scotland.

The section pictured has a clear view of Scotland on a clear day.

Walking the wall it is hard to understand why it was built. The sheer drop and steep sides facing North would have been an almost impossible barrier. The three foot high wall could hardly have mattered. Can just imagine the labor force saying “what the Hades is Hadrian thinking?” maybe stronger thoughts and language.

Returned to Hexam to see the abbey church. Built as a cathedral Henry VIII took possession for it’s wealth. Romanesque in design.

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1 October warm with some clouds.

Headed up lake area to Lake Buttermere. Hilly drive with a pass, Honiston Pass, which has grades of 25% and 20% on theoretically two lane roads but barely wide enough for one car. Much jockey work when a bus came through the pass. Fortunately I did not have to stop uphill on a very steep grade – manual transmission.

Got to the car park and one could pay with credit card ( sorry card reader busted sign), phone (no one had service) or cash, 5£ for a few hours. The car park was pretty busy as many come here for this walk and other walks over the Honiston pass.

Another fine walk, we like the lake ones; reminded us of the walk around Jordan Pond in Acadia. Well graded one side and rocky on the other, after one is sucked in. No popovers.

Off to Hadrian’s wall area which is where we now are.

Hexham has a fine abbey, we are in a hotel just across from the abbey and the medieval marketplace.

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30 Sept. Very warm and sunny. Wore shorts for the walk.

Today, poshness, duck, Windermere, and a babbling brook, and Martins church.

Wandered towards Windermere first visiting Martin’s church, built 1486. Inside it was explained that the stain glass came from a catholic church nearby that Henry VIII had dismantled. Wonderful old wooden beams. I thought these were of a wood that spiders do not like. He agreed no spiders but did not know the wood used.

Along a babbling brook on Sheriff’s way and through the town of Windermere. Bowness seems a bit more charming, though QB found a good bakery. For me, another visit to Vinegar Joe and their excellent chips.

While eating chips got into a discussion with a couple from Manchester area. “how do you pronounce scones I asked”. Skonnes or some variant. Neither QB nor I can duplicate the spelling. Scones I said. Posh pronunciation they said. Interesting to be posh.

Dinner was the chef’s choice. Confit of mallard. Excellent.

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28 Sept. Very warm and sunny.

Several parts to this post. A day with an outstanding walk, best of the trip to date, good food, a boat ride, and a fine lesson delivered to us on dry stone walls.

The walk was straight up, 250-300 meters, to a fantastic 360 degree view fro Brantfell. Signs indicated that trees were felled to improve the view. Not sensible but led to a great expanse. Path then connected to the 81 mile long Dalesway between Ilkley and Windermere; naturally we did just a bit of it.

After the loop some fine salted and vinegar English chips, and then a boat cruise on Lake Windermere. It stopped at Ambleside pier, about a mile walk. No food consumed there as we wanted to catch the return steam ferry so as not to be late for dinner.

Dinner is included in out bed, breakfast, and dinner accommodation. Our room is right across from the Beatrix Potter room. She owned this country home at some point.

Dinner is very formal, British formal. We sit in a lounge and order dinner. The first of three Amuse Bouches are served. Escorted tom dinner, drinks carried by staff, another A.Bouche. Starter, sorbet, Main, desert and then back to the lounge for tea and sweets.

A lesson in dry stone wall making.

During the walk we saw two men repairing a stone wall. Naturally I asked them the process. One of them was happy to expound at great length, we were mightily interested. His compatriot was happy for a break and a chance for a cigarette.

This break in the walls of Marsdon estate, a working farm with 80 miles, not a typo, of stone walls, is serviced by three local skilled workman firms.

Walls come down from ground shifting, trees falling, and cars, yes cars. He was quite emphatic that this did little good for the cars. In the lake district walls are 3 feet six inches to 12 feet, made of slate. They last about 200 years. In other ares where granite is available walls are good for 600 plus years with some 2000 years old, Roman.

Two walls are built side by side. A frame, slightly narrower at the top. Topped with tilted vertical stones placed to keep the rain from accumulating in the crevices. Two stones are placed, then topped with a slate that covers two stones. Ever 18 inches a stone is interleaved as support between the two closely built walls. Stability of course. Ry filler isnpushed between all the stones. Dry inside. Dry stone wall.

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28 Sept. Warm, very warm. Hit 28 today. Brought cloths for 15-16 degrees C

Started off as an ordinary day, ordinary in a nice way. Then the extraordinary occurred, Bob was wrong. First the ordinary, in a very good way. Kippers, smoked haddock, perfectly poached eggs for breakfast.

Stopped for ice coffee before departing. Here they make it by putting the contents of a double espresso into a blender, adding ice, and running the blender. Foamy and surprisingly good.

Toured Conwy town and then headed off to Bowness. Got there with some mis- directions. Turns out, contrary to Bob’s instructions, the post code does not work, at least not here. The proprietor of the hotel explained, yes, there is a problem.. Takes you to a vacant corner. Possibly explains why the Brits use the full address in addition to the not so unique post code.

Nice walk to Bowness proper, fine marina and good town.

Dinner quite good but horrendously slow service. We left without getting coffee as it was approaching 2 hours. Assume that they will just charge the room.

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