Caldbeck and Carlisle Day 1

 May 24th. Wet and chilly

Yet another delicious breakfast at Dorchester House - I’d heartily recommend their hospitality.   It was a wonderful stay.   The landlady is a keen collector of Hedgehogs and Beatrix Potter books.

I wasn’t brought up on these books and so unpopular as it may be, I have spent three days in The Lakes District and not visited any Beatrix Potter sites.  A token gesture in the Peter Rabbit shop in Keswick was as close as I got.

Little Sister had thought long and hard about a purchase.  Only two days ago she talked herself out of it but today she talked herself back in!   We had a car park on the street straight outside Dorchester House so loaded cases and backpacks in, locked it up and strolled up town for Little Sister to go shopping.   First the fleece lined hooded jacket - it is winter back home in NZ and one must be prepared.  Then, you know what’s coming next!   She wanted to go back to Needles and Pins which “must be open today”.  So off we went.

The door sign read open so Little Sister was Very Happy.   

But alas when she turned the door handle it was still well and truly locked.  

Neither she nor I could believe it.  The lights were on, the sign said open but definitely no one at home.   A random gent passing on the street, told us in a broad Yorkshire accent, “ ta lady be oop in t’ cafe by t’trook” or something to that effect.  He did repeat himself twice but we had given up and when we strolled past ’t’ cafe’ there was only one man visible, certainly no lady.  That settled it we left.

Programming Lady Satnav we drove out of Keswick, thoroughly satisfied with our visit.  Today we started on A roads with 3 digits, moved on to A roads with 4 digits and then, a first for us, a B road.  We think we quite like B roads especially when they are scenic and drive high up into the hills.   

Even on this small road there was a traffic control light!   All along the way there was minor damage, evidence of much heavier rain up in these hills during the last few days.  

Through several small villages, some of which contained a church looking most unloved and long abandoned but in front of which said a sign, “worship will be held here this Sunday”.   At one point we crossed a cattle stop and drove on a road which by our guess, was neither A nor B nor C but a private farm track.  Well maintained we nevertheless shared it with long horned cattle, some calves, very docile sheep and their frolicking lambs.   Back over another cattle stop and on to the road proper we twisted and turned slowly, thankful that there was little traffic except for a couple of Royal Mail vans making deliveries.

We didn’t believe Lady Satnav when we finally arrived at the village of Caldbeck (population around 700) but there down a muddy lane was an old mill renovated into The Wool Clip.  A collective of 12 women who either grow it, spin it, felt it, knit it, weave it, dye it or do anything else associated with wool, have a store with a gift shop and a cafe attached.   Right beside the brook which in ages past must have turned the mill wheel, this delightful little shop tempted us both so much that we left a few £ behind in exchange for souvenirs to take home.   The wool of the Herdwick sheep is very coarse but hard wearing.   The shop lady described it as being like a Brillo pad which I take to mean the same as what we call Scotchbrite in New Zealand.   She showed us one product made from this renowned grey wool, a pair of insoles for Wellies, which she assured me would continue to felt down each time they got wet.   

At one point Herdwick sheep were a dying breed but apparently when Beatrix Potter died she left nearly 4000 acres, 16 working farms to the National Trust.  She had been a passionate breeder of the Herdwick and this legacy was on the condition that the farms continued to be working farms that bred the sheep.  And so through her foresight the breed survives today and the local folk are immensely proud of the adorable white faced grey sheep.

We had a cheese scone with chutney and a pot of tea in the cafe and there discovered that the grave yard of the church, St Kentigern, next door containers the gravestone of John Peel.  He of the famous, “Do ye ken John Peel, with his coat of grey”.  Legend has it that the coat of grey was fabric from my now favourite sheep - the Herdwick.   Yes, they have replaced the black faced Swaledales in my affections.

At one point on our journey down from Caldbeck we saw a sign saying “not suitable for motor vehicles” and yet Lady Satnav considered it a road!   Not far out of the village there were lots of lambs and ewes in a field and I noticed that the frolicking lambs were tagged in red paint 34, 35, 36 and I saw a 38.   I asked the lady in the shop why and she told me “there are so many lambs that in order to keep the lamb with the mother they tag the mother and lamb with the same number”.  Having the ewes deliver their lambs in a barn must make this method so much easier than it would be back home where they roam free in the paddocks and farmers rely on motherly instinct for the bond.

We asked Lady Satnav to take us on the scenic route to Carlisle and she did but it was far closer than we imagined and soon we arrived in the city centre.   Parking is right next door to The Halston, the hotel we are staying at for three nights.   A short walk to the station where a helpful attendant booked our tickets for a train ride on the Carlisle Settle railway.   Then to the Information Centre to find out about Hadrian’s Will and to add another unique name to my growing list -  Birdoswald.  

A cup of tea and another tea cake for comparison, during which time Little Sister found there was a yarn store nearby.   This one promised embroidery supplies too so I agreed we could go.   The ladies in the shop were really chatty and we spent quite a few minutes talking with them.   I was surprised that neither of them had been far from Carlisle and had never been to Kendal even.   

Nothing tempted either of us which was just as well or we may need a new bag something like this.

At the hotel checking in to our “town house apartment” - doesn’t that sound posh, two of the male staff effortlessly carried our suitcases up the stairs and we are now relaxing in a two bed room apartment which is big enough to house a Japanese family of four if it were in Tokyo.  Such luxury!