Good afternoon, I'm a little late to the party this week as we only arrived back from our holiday a couple of hours ago. But without further ado this is
So first up was having our own private hot tub whilst we were away, it was lovely to sit and chill in during the early evening.
Next grateful was for the spectacular scenery. We were in the south part of the lake district, staying in a cottage on the coastal road to Barrow-in-Furness
We discovered 7 minutes down the road this Buddhist Temple that you were free to access and they did guided meditations on the day we were there and we attended both. It was just the type of relaxation I needed at the very beginning of our holiday.
The Temple is on the site of a former priory. The priory building is still in tact and is used for learning and housing visitors and residents.
Inside the temple were models of Buddhist temples
The octagonal centre piece in the ceiling.
As you can see we were blessed with beautiful weather.
This is the original priory building, well not original as Henry VIII stuck his oar in and took down the original, but the building that was built on the same site using a lot of the original stone is still there. It changed hands quite a few times before it was taken over by Buddhists.
The towers either side of the main entrance are causing issues a the moment (if you look closely you will see they have been braced at the top with metal), which means they can't start work on the entrance hall inside for fear of further damage when the towers are being repaired.
Inside the main building were other Buddha statues which were made on site at their art studio that provide statues and pieces for other Buddhist centres around the world.
That night we were treated to the most amazing red moon, it was spectacular and virtually impossible to photograph, but hubby managed quite well.
The following day we headed to Holker Hall to see the house and the gardens.
The gardens were spectacular and featured on Countryfile apparently recently for being one of the best spring gardens to visit. We were not disappointed. Interestingly Holker Hall's family are called Cavendish, distant relations to the family at Chatsworth apparently and it was owned by Chatsworth way back in the past.
However, it was mighty warm, so we made the most of the benches
There was also a stone circle (new not old) and a labyrinth maze to walk around the standing stones. Said 18 year old did a bit of meditating waiting for me and hubby as we'd got held up taking photos.
The rhodendrons were in full bloom.
The water fountain and overhanging trees were beautiful
We even saw a rainbow on the water
We found this amazingly colour duck which out of sunlight looked black.
And we found Alice's tea party next to the cafe as they were doing Easter activities for the children.
The following day we met up with an old neighbour who now lives in this area. He took us on a jaunt around, we got to see Piel Island with its ruined Castle. Apparently every four years they run a competition for people who can bid half a million pounds to become the King of Piel and run the pub for four years on the island and apparently there is a lot of competition for it!
We went to Walney to see if we could see the seals and despite them sticking to the waters (they were apparently on the beach the day before), we did see them on our travels!
This is the cottage where we stayed - not all of it, it is actually four properties, we were second from the right and if you look very closely you will see me reading.
As the boys had been for a walk up a public footpath to the beach
Tuesday was my day as a must in this trip I wanted to visit Hill Top the home of Beatrix Potter, one of my favourite authors from childhood.
She used Hill Top as the back ground for lots of her illustrations in her book. Jemima Puddleduck hid her eggs under this rhubarb patch for instance.
The house is beautiful and the white wisteria is just coming into flower.
We stopped for a coffee after we'd seen the house.
And then went in seach of other landmarks like Benjamin Bunnies gate
And Peter Rabbits postbox from the Almanac
The Tower Bank Arms appears in Jemima Puddleduck
We then ventured to the Beatrix Pottery gallery in nearby Hawkshead, unfortunately you weren't allowed to take photos which was a shame, it was absolutely amazing full of her beautiful water colour paintings!
Then we drove on to Wray Castle, a very strange Victorian Gothic Castle which was technically empty. However, it did provide us with the most amazing scenery of the lake district
As well as a few quirky interior shots.
I loved the heavily patterned heavily painted ceiling.
Back outside we could see to the far side of the lake.
Another link with Beatrix Potter as she visited here with family for a 3 month summer break.
Wednesday arrived and we headed to Stott Park Bobbin Mill which used to create wooden bobbins for the textile industry as well as for the bobbins in people's sewing baskets at home. It started in the 1800's and finally closed its doors in 1971, due to a lack of overall investment the mill retained all of its original machinery which still works. It was a guided tour around the mill and it was fascinating.
I loved this drying room where the reels were put to dry out after having their initial shape created. Once dry the wood was far easier to manage.
On the way back we popped to Ulverston the birthplace of Stan Laurel of Laurel and Hardy fame.
Thursday appeared and with it cooler wetter weather, thankfully we had already noted the Lake Motor Museum on our jaunts as a potential. Showing cars from the beginning of car manufacturing all the way up to modern machines. Said 18 year old loved this one.
I however thought this would be far easier to park
Or this one
We giggled at the amphicar that drives on both roads and goes in water.
We also loved these
There was an exhibition building around the Campbell family and their trials for gaining world speed records, it was really interesting but also really sad.
And our final trip we headed back to Ulverston for a wander around the Laurel and Hardy museum, put together by a fanatic, it lacked some of the finesse you see in modern museums but it was interesting and informative nonetheless and to add to it they were playing the films!
And that my lovely people was my very long list of happy grateful moments this week. If you add in great weather overall, great company, leisurely lie in, comfortable beds, long lazy evenings it has been absolutely brilliant.
If you fancy joining in pop a post together, pop back and link up so we can come and visit.
