Back to Reality

Well I hate disappoint anyone but the holiday had to come to an end.  Most of today was spent on a train but not until we took in another lake.  BTW, there may not be anything quite so spectacular for a while.

With my Aunt Gene and Uncle Ernest

With my cousin Brenda

The Irish Sea Coast as seen from above St. Bee's. (3 images stitched together)

I like the mist in the air here.  I don't like the spot on my lens.......

You can't see it very well but there is a rainbow above the boat.  The day was rainy, in fact the South of England had a terrible storm this morning.

Hike up the "Hill"

I spent the day hiking with my cousin Brenda today.  The route was not overly challenging, perhaps about 12 kilometres but the ground was very muddy and slippery in places.  She lent me her rain coat and wellies.
We then had a delightful lunch and did some shopping in a small town much like Elora followed with a tea.  To all my miniature friends reading this, I found some Rueters Porcelain and it was on sale, I paid only 10 pound or $15 for 3 boxes of dinnerware.
Even though it was raining off and on, I do not think my day could have been better.

A small steam train called the Ratti that runs up and down the river.

I'm certain that my knees and hips will hurt a lot more tomorrow but unlike the climb to the top of the Lincoln Cathedral, I would do this one all over again.

Mountains Mountains Everywhere

This week has been relaxing and yet I have taken in so many new sites that I feel exhausted.  The scenery is exceptional.  There are mountains everywhere, which the residents call hills but in Ontario they would be mountains.  And from all these "hills" there are waterfalls filling the lakes, I could be here for years and not be able to capture all the beauty.
On Friday my Uncle and I visited a couple museums and we enjoyed lunch at a Hotel/Restaurant located on a farm where my 5x grandfather either owned or worked.  (I am loving history all of a sudden.)  The first museum was about the local people-industry and a look into the 60's where I could relate to so many artifacts that I felt old.  Then we went to a museum that had artifacts dating back to the Romans and I suddenly felt young again.
Yesterday My Aunt, Uncle, Cousin and I went sightseeing by car through the mountains and lakes.  What a great day!  The sights were only outdone by the company.

This is a panorama I stitched together from about 6 images, don't look to close at the quality (Jim and Kevin).  This was a tough one due to the straight line of the pier.  Taken at the Whitehaven Marina.

Apparently the squirrels around these parts have lead feet.

A view from on top, looking down to the lake/other mountain.  This was so picturesque, that you could spend an entire day just enjoying the view.  While the colours are not like Ontario I think they are still magnificent.

Looking up the same stream.

Another panorama, stitched from about 5 images and not nearly as difficult to piece together as the Marina.

Today if the weather improves my cousin and I are going for a hike around one of the lakes, but last night I heard rain like never before and right now the wind sounds quite strong.

Love and miss you all!

The Lakes

I spent this glorious day driving around the lakes.  Prepare to have your socks blown off. The water was perfectly still and gave us some beautiful mirror images.

Wastwater Lake

That is water in the middle ground.

Mirror reflection of the rock.

Something on my lens.

Perfection.

This is looking into the water with the reflection of the clouds and the mountain.

The horizon line is 1/3 from the top.

The road is about one and 3/4 of a car wide, no one accounted for the cattle.

A viking cross from approx. 700 ad.

This is Cork Oak bark.

Honey fungus at the base of a green beech.

Ennerdale Lake

Mixed Bag

A mixed bag of emotions these past two days.
I am really enjoying my visit with my Aunt and Uncle and the opportunity to meet and get to know my cousins.  I am loving the chance to share memories of John and my dad but at the same time I am missing them immensely.

The view from outside my bedroom window in Egremont.

Sheep in pasture on the road between Ernest and Gene's and John's.

View from the road, overlooking the river.

Bridge at the bottom of the road.  It had been raining.

A Snail, self evident I suppose.

This is Amber, She was truely a rescue and they have been caring for her and saved her from an unfortunate start in life.  She is only a pound or two at the most and just a sweet hear.

This is a hotel/restaurant now but it was the school my father and his siblings attended until he turned 11 and then went to an engineering school

This is St. Bee's Beach.  It was extremely windy and perhaps not the best day to go to the beach but this is why we went.

My Aunt recognized the photo of me when I was only 4'ish and I did not know where it was taken.  She was so right, It was St. Bee's. : )

This is Paddington, one of their donkeys.

Here they both are, Rupert was quite jealous of Paddington getting his picture taken and came right over to share the fame.