A Detour To Keswick

The next step on my journey was to go to Gateshead, the other place that my grandfather wrote from. I decided on a little detour and stopped in Keswick.  I thought I would stop and see the Castlerigg stone circle but as with many of my plans they don't quite work out as I envision.  I took the train from Wigan to Pemrith.

This is what you see when you get off the train, the remains of a castle, sorry it's so dark, I don't have the ability to edit photos on the iPad so what you see isn't always the best.  

Then I headed out to Keswick on a bus. This is the Lake District and the countryside was just beautiful going there.  Rolling hills, fields of sheep, beautiful pastoral settings. 

This was the view right outside the hostel I was staying in.

These bed and breakfast cottages were really gorgeous, but I am sure the cost quite a bit more to stay in than the hostel did.

The town was full of wonderful shops and even a sheep or two.  I stopped at a lovely shop for a Brie and cranberry panini and a cup if tea. Then spent awhile walking around.  There was a path to the stone circle along and old railroad bed.  The map I had seemed clear enough but the reality was something different. There were so many forks in the road that I had a real fear if becoming totally lost so I gave up that idea.

I headed back to e hostel and met one of my roomies. A lovely lady named Chizko Sakuragi from Fukuoka Japan.  We ended up having dinner together and sharing our stories which was great. She has a daughter who lives in Minnesota and was heading there for a visit next.  There was also 2 young girls from Nepal who shared our space.  It was really a nice hostel.  It gave me the opportunity to do some laundry which was sorely needed.  All in all I enjoyed Keswick it's a beautiful area tht I would not mind seeing again.

There was a huge park across the river where lawn bowlers were doing there thing.  Lots of people had there dogs out which was a delight as I have been missing my Belle.  

Another view from the hostel.

These guys acted just like my raven buddies but I they had these grey heads so I don't know what kind of bird they were.  Probably in the Corvid family.  I had fin watching them.  

One thing I love about being here is all the fun things you can see on a walk, beautiful rock walls.  

I like how the first one had a pointy top but then this one is all round.

Or there are just a bunch of flowers growing out of nothing.

Or the cutest mailboxes.  

Isn't the entrance to this park magnificent.  

Now I am in Newcastle,  with all the trappings of a city. I am sure tomorrow's post will be about architecture and cool looking buildings.

Oh one more picture, Miss Marple has been enjoying spinning in England, she feels at home.  For those of you who don't know, Miss Marple is the name of the spindle. Can you tell that she is shaped like a tea cup.