Legless in the Lakes (Day 6)

Peel Island from Roa Island.

Finally - a day of full and glorious sunshine and no rain or ice - yay!  Things were looking so good on the garden centre avoidance front that  I did a little dance.  Not sure what I put in the food last night but everyone had developed a deep and lasting attachment to their beds so it was gone 11am before we were on the move and, to start with, we didn't move far at all.  Time to visit downtown Grange which, for a retirement town, is pretty tricky for those unsteady on their feet.  We stayed just long enough to enjoy a coffee at the wonderful At Home Bistro and to book a table there for dinner tonight.  I've waxed lyrical about them before and they really are a must visit next time you're in the area.

The closest I got to the snowy fells...

Having spent a few days in the fells mum opted for a drive out to Barrow along the coast road.  I wasn't at all sure about the shopping part but I was certainly up for the drive.  We stopped at a couple of spots along the way to admire the view and even took a spin down to the end of Roa Island to peer at Peel Island and Castle while I tried to explain to mum about the King.  Thoroughly confused we headed for Barrow.

I've never been to central Barrow before so followed the signs to the town centre parking.  Driving around the first car park I couldn't see any disabled bays but I could see a traffic warden - not always a welcome sight but on this occasion he was.  When I asked about the disabled parking I was very impressed to discover that blue badge holders get to park for 3 hours free of charge in Barrow.  YA HEAR THAT SLDC?  So we popped the badge in the window and leapt out of the car.  Well, I leapt, mum sort of slid out cursing, groaning and complaining about her knees - as Bette Davies so accurately put it "Old age ain't for sissies".  I can only imagine how frustrating it must be when your mind is fit as a fiddle but your body refuses to play ball.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to be a very grumpy old woman; unless I spend most of my twilight years embalmed in gin, which is also an option.

Lovely council building & lovely to
have free parking for the disabled.

We made our way around Barrow and, as towns go, it wasn't too bad.  Nice wide walkways with well laid pavements and lovely chrissy decs.  I asked a couple of different people directions to get us about the place and everyone I spoke to was only to happy to help, especially the nice people in Debenhams who let me remove a decoration from their tree because they'd sold out in the rest of the store.  We didn't go far but it was a pleasure to be somewhere where it was easy to get around and where cafes and public loos were within easy reach at all time.  I never normally stop for coffee when I'm out and, even though I only ever drink de-caff, I fear I shall be going cold turkey next week...

As the sun began to set we made our way to the car and, rather than take the quick route home, we pootled back along the coast road to Ulverston and managed to catch one last lovely sunset before Mum heads home tomorrow.  It's been a really interesting week for me;  I'm known for zooming around most places at high speed and I'll be honest, at times this week my soul has ached to climb the fells - which sounds dramatic, but there are many of you reading this who will understand what it's like to look at the snowy fells on a beautiful day and know you can't go up them.  It's made me more determined than ever to run (or maybe stagger) up every fell I can while I can and to enjoy every single second of being able bodied.  I am sure that one day, when I'm old and knackered (well, older and more knackered than I am now) I will be only too happy to spend my days pottering sedately around a garden centre.  Just so long as they sell gin.

Sunset looking from the Barrow to Ulverston coast road.

Cumbrian Nightlife

I'm taking a break from the outdoors today (well, mainly) and continuing my campaign to prove that there's much more to Cumbria than Wainwright and the fells.  As you'll know if you've been following this blog for any length of time our first 18 months or so up here were very frugal indeed, nothing desperate, but there was certainly no budget for eating out.  In fact during that time we ate "out" only twice, both times were at the fabulous local chippy and on both occasions other people paid.  Last week I ate "out" for 3 nights out of 4, and the variety of experiences show just what Cumbria has to offer.

Windermere

Wednesday night I was in Bowness to meet up with fellow blogger and soon to be published author Heelwalker1 (otherwise known as Tanya Oliver).  Being rather better acquainted with the local hostelries than I am, Tanya selected the venue; the rather lovely Village Inn opposite the church in Bowness.  I was running late and couldn't find the place so after a few laps of the church I finally asked someone where it was.  "Turn around" she said, and there it was, directly opposite with the words Village Inn helpfully written in large letters above the door.  And the windows.  And on the sign at the edge of the road.  Hard to believe I can make it up and down the fells in one piece isn't it?

The dinner and the company were lovely, though I confess to being a little like a fish out of water in such places - I'm always worried I'm wearing the wrong clothes and convinced that I'll drop and break something expensive. (Sorry Tanya - that might explain why I fidgeted and fled so early, it wasn't your company I promise!).  But if you're looking for a wide choice of "gastro pub" style dining options, plus a variety of other restaurants, it would appear that Bowness is your place to go.

The prom, Grange-over-Sands

Friday night saw us visiting an altogether different place; the At Home Bistro in Grange-over-Sands.  This is tucked away underneath the cafe on the corner next to Higginson's and is only open on Friday and Saturday evenings.  The dining area is cosy  but everyone is so friendly that you really do feel as if you're being welcomed into someone's home.  The food was fabulous and all served on non-scary crockery.  The night we went it was really quiet and I worry that small independently run places like this will vanish in the face of corporate chains.  If you're ever in the area do try and take time to visit, I promise you won't be dissapointed.  (And don't just take my word for it - check out the reviews it gets on TripAdvisor.  It really is a hidden away gem of a place.)

A view to dine out on.

And so to Saturday night.  Well now, that was eating out on a whole different level.  What if I could offer you somewhere to eat which had ample parking, was so peaceful & quiet you could actually feel yourself unwinding as you ate and with views like the one to the right from each dining position?  I'm sure restaurateurs across the land would kill for stuff like that.  Well, this time dinning experience came courtesy of the RSPB nature reserve at Leighton Moss .  We had to bring our own food and the "dining room" was the newly rebuilt "Allen Hide" just next to the railway tracks.

Rudimentary but effective.

As we ate dinner we watched Little Egrets, Curlews and Herons fishing for their dinners, we saw Oyster Catchers and Lapwings settling down for the night and we craned our necks to see flocks of geese in wonderful V formations heading south for warmer climates.  Admittedly the food was a rather more basic affair (2 flasks of tea, a box of Ritz crackers, a tube of Primula cheese and 1/2 an Eccles cake each), but the setting really couldn't be beaten.  Plus there was no crockery to be broken, but you'd be well advised to wrap up warm, especially if you want to keep the hide windows open for the best views.

On our way back to the car we both took shots of the moon - I managed a happy accident by wobbling and turning the moon into a heart whereas Steve took a rather more "moon like" shot, but we were both very happy to have our path back to the car well lit enough for me to treat the remaining local wildlife to a rousing rendition of Moon Shadow.

So there you go, next time you visit Cumbria there should be no complaining that you can't find somewhere to eat; just watch out for the singing locals.

My wobbly heart shaped moon.

Steve's rather more lovely shot.