Lovers & Lakes ~ Gretna Green & The Lake District

Up bright and early once again, we began the day with a quick bus tour of Glasgow.  Being so early, however, the city was like a ghost town. I’m not sure if it was the early morning desolation or the fact that the city isn’t really that attractive, but I was rather unimpressed. In all fairness though, since I wasn’t able to explore the city at all, I can’t really give it a fair judgement.  Might have to go on my “rerun list” so I can give it another go.

Driving off into the countryside, I was taken by Scotland’s beauty once more.  Because spring had come to the country so late, the hills were still covered in a carpet of bluebells.  The contrast was striking and made the grey cloud cover much more bearable.

Bluebells of Scotland

Our first stop of the day was the famous village of Gretna Green, renowned as the location for “runaway weddings”.  Back in the mid 18^th Century, a law was passed in England that stated anyone under the age of 21 needed parental consent to marry.  In neighbouring Scotland, however, the age of consent for boys was 14 and for girls it was as young as 12.  For this reason, many young lovers fled England to elope and upon reaching the first village in Scotland, they quickly married.  The first village encountered was Gretna Green where the local blacksmith shop and its “anvil priests”, as they became known, witnessed and conducted countless marriages.  The blacksmith shop now remains one of the major attractions of the village and many weddings still take place in this questionably romantic destination.

Old Blacksmith's Shop - Gretna Green

The village, being such a tourist draw, now is cursed with that tacky tourist look and feel.  Coach busses pull in here constantly, while visitors pose for photos and snap pictures at every turn.  To give it some credit though, there are some wonderful art pieces and very interesting sculptures in the courtyard area. A collection of old tools and machines also lines the pathway through the main shopping area and on to the courtyard, which I very much enjoyed admiring and photographing.  The shopping in the area is quite good for picking up some traditional and local souvenirs. There is a fabulous food market where you can pick up some yummy local treats and not just one, but two large Locharron of Scotland stores.  And while I was tempted to pick up yet another scarf and blanket, I resisted the urge and to my surprise bought absolutely nothing.  They did have some wonderful things in store though, including your typical Scottish souvenirs, gorgeous wool, tweed, and cashmere blankets and throws, a nice selection of cashmere sweaters scarves and gloves, tartan clothing and kilts, charming throw pillows, and the cutest tweed teddy bears and stuffed terriers.  They also created a special “Memorial Diana Tartan” and offer scarves, hats, purses and bags in two plaid colour combinations.  I found the shop a bit more pricey than others, but they did carry quality goods.

Gretna Green Lovers

Gretna Green Hands

Leaving Scotland behind, we crossed the border back into England and headed for the Lake District.  Our first stop in the area was the charming village of Grasmere, home to Dove Cottage and the final resting place of poet William Wordsworth, who described the area as “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found”.  And lovely it was indeed. Even though the cloud and rain were with us once again, the Lake District remained simply stunning.  I kept wondering how even more beautiful the area would have been with the sun shining over head casting a dreamy shimmer on the lakes below.  I’m sure it would have been quite magical.  I enjoyed strolling the town, admiring the old stone houses and buildings while munching away on my peppermint candy, a popular village treat.  I also approached the famous gingerbread shop, another local delicacy, but the line was much too long to wait in.

Grasmere

Wordsworth's Grave - Grasmere

Moving on to another town in the Lake District we arrived in Windermere, home to the largest lake in the Lake District and home to the famous Peter Rabbit.  Here, the town was buzzing with activity.  Quaint shops and boutiques lined the streets and the charming characters from Beatrix Potter’s stories were scattered everywhere – on signs, in shops, and even on the walls.  It was very cute, or particularly annoying depending on if you are a fan of Beatrix Potter stories or not.

Beatrix Potter Characters - Windermere

After strolling through the town, I made by way to the lake’s edge to watch this brave little old woman feeding the swans and geese.  Ducks swooped down over top of her while the swans were taking the bread right out of her hands.  She didn’t even flinch.  Nor did she lose any fingers.  They must have all known her very well.

Woman Feeding Swans near Lake WIndermere

Lined up along the dock were the most charming and attractive wooden rowboats I’ve ever seen, which you can rent for a romantic and relaxing trip on the lake.  From here, we boarded a larger boat for our own leisurely cruise on Lake Windermere.  Sailboats were drifting idly along as we passed grand hotels and some spectacular lake front homes.  Of course, the rain was now pouring down on us by this point, but tucked safely under an awning, I remained on deck to breathe in the sweet lake air and feel the fresh mist on my face.  If only the sun were out as well; the day would have been sublime.

Lake Windermere Rowboats

After our boat trip, we boarded an old steam train for a short ride to Haverthwaite. It wasn’t the most thrilling train ride, and there really wasn’t much to see along the way, but it’s a popular thing to experience when in the Lake District so I thought I’d partake and am not sorry I did either as it was a relaxing trip nonetheless.

Steam Train

Leaving the Lake District behind, we made our way to Runcorn for the evening so that we could visit Wales and nearby Chester the next day.  I still have no idea why we were put up in Runcorn, other than it was cheaper than Chester, as there isn’t much to do here.  The hotel we stayed at did, however, provide one of the best dinners I’d had all trip, so that was a plus. So, with nothing to do in the area, I ended the evening with a leisurely stroll around the hotel’s pond and then went for a steam and sauna before drifting off to dreamland.

Scotland, Aye!

Hadrian’s Wall

An early start to the day, we made our first stop in Heddon on the Wall in the north of England to view the World Heritage site of Hadrian’s Wall, which I might add, was a bit anti-climactic for me. I had envisioned this great wall, an impenetrable Roman fortress, but after almost 2000 years, it’s surprising that any section of the wall remains at all. I was honestly more amused and entertained by the horses in the neighbouring farm that were nuzzling and biting at each other’s necks than the wall itself, but I could at least appreciate this ancient legacy that has survived the ages.

Welcome to Scotland!

After our stop at the wall, we continued on to Scotland (Aye!) where my obsession for all things tweed and tartan immediately rekindled. Along the way we passed lush fields painted in an endless array of emerald shades, dotted with countless fluffy sheep, and the occasional golden sheet of wild mustard blooms. Crossing the border was like something out of a picture book. A large stone marked with England on one side and Scotland on the other, welcomed us into the country. Standing before it was your typical Scotsman, all decked out in his kilt and clan colours, and of course, playing the bagpipes. It was quite magical. Dark clouds loomed overhead while the strong wind tossed me about (definitely not a good hair day for me), and excitement filled the air. It was everything I thought Scotland would be – rugged, raw, strong, and spirited. It’s no wonder its people have been described similarly, having been moulded and influenced by this spectacular terrain.

Scottish Countryside

Our next stop was the little town of Jedburgh, where we got out to stretch our legs. I strolled down to the river to admire the wildflowers and watch the ducks idling in the water and then walked over the bridge and up to the abbey to peer through the iron gates.

Jedburgh

Finally, having reached Edinburgh, we checked into our hotel, Melville Castle, an old Gothic castellated mansion on the outskirts of the city. I was looking forward to staying at the Airth Castle Hotel as previously outlined in the brochure, but there was a last minute switch, of which we were only notified that morning, and so we were moved to this sister property. Although not as grand as Airth Castle, Melville was still quite delightful. My room was large, the beds were super comfortable, and the view of the grounds and fountain from my bedroom window was much more inspiring than the hideous brewery the night before. So, after enjoying a tranquil evening stroll about the property and a picnic dinner in my room, I was eager to fall asleep in my comfy bed and look forward to my day in Edinburgh the next day.

Melville Castle

Ode to the Fool

Shakespearean Fool - Stratford upon Avon

Ode to the Fool

A wise old man, I know not he
Whomever he that claims to be
A sage, or mystic, learnèd man
I cannot say that I’m a fan
For he that bellows out his words
Be they treasures or just turds
Would be more clever just to say
I make no claim here yay or nay
And be the wiser to play the fool
With merry mirth his greatest tool
So caution the man who swears to be
A wise old man whom know not we

 

~Daniela Masaro

Hathaway, Shakespeare, Ashley and Tetley

After three days pounding the pavement in London, I was ready to board the group coach bus to start my three-week tour of the UK and Ireland. While I’m not a fan of big coach tours, I thought it would be a convenient way to cover lots of ground in a comfortable and economic way and I also figured it would give me a good overview of the area. I also hoped it would get me more accustomed to driving on the “wrong” side of the road in preparation for my solo road trip at the end of the tour. As expected, the bus was full of mostly seniors, but I wasn’t too bothered by it. While most people tell me I still look like I’m in my 20s, my knees would beg to differ, thus, I felt right at home. I was lucky enough to have a great “bus buddy” who kind of reminded me of my mother. We got on extremely well, which fortunately made the long bus journeys much more tolerable.

Anne Hathaway's Cottage

Our first stop was in Shottery, Warwickshire to view Anne Hathaway’s lovely thatched-roof cottage. A charming house and village, I could almost imagine the simple country life of ages ago. After a quick group photo, we travelled east to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit Anne’s husband’s hometown.

Stratford upon Avon - Shakespeare's Birthplace

Stratford-upon-Avon is best known for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare and the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company, but in my opinion, it really is underrated, as there is quite a bit to see and do here. Friendly, quiet and picturesque, I thoroughly enjoyed walking along the high street, through the narrow alleyways, and down to the river Avon to catch a glimpse of the colourful houseboats. Once I spotted the Laura Ashley store, however, I cut right across the street and found myself in girly dress heaven. (Gentlemen, this is where you might want to just skip down to the next paragraph.) Ever since I was a little girl, I had always wanted a pretty Laura Ashley dress. There’s just something about the fabric and the prints that make a woman feel so feminine and vibrant. I thought I had missed out on my chance when, sadly, the Laura Ashley shops in Canada closed down years ago, so I was overjoyed to spot one in Stratford-upon-Avon as it just felt fitting to buy a beautiful English dress in the birthplace of England’s foremost literary figure. While I peered through the window, I fell instantly in love with a gorgeous dress and was more than happy to make it my first travel souvenir. To all women out there, if you’ve never tried on a Laura Ashley dress, I highly recommend it. The styles and cuts are so flattering and the fabrics and patterns make for a perfect summer dress. But I digress…

Houseboats on River Avon

After my love affair with Laura Ashley, I had worked up an appetite and so set out to find a good meal. Walking down a passageway just off the high street I happened upon the cutest little restaurant and tea room called Bensons where I feasted on the most delicious fishcakes and chips I have ever had; my mouth waters just thinking about them. And as for their tea options, hold on to your bonnets ladies because their selection is sure to astonish and delight any tea-time lover, so much so that they have been rated one of the Top 50 places in the UK to take afternoon tea. Other highlights of the town included the festive Nutcracker Christmas Shop (yes, I admit it, I’m a sucker for Christmas stuff) and The Creaky Cauldron – Museum of Wizardology, which I unfortunately did not have enough time to peruse. I wasn’t quite ready to leave Stratford, but sadly it was time to move on to our next stop of the day.

Stratford upon Avon High Street

Arriving in Coventry, we took a short stroll and made our way to the infamous statue of Lady Godiva. Other than that and Coventry Cathedral (aka St. Michael’s Cathedral) with its historic ruins, which I enjoyed exploring, there really wasn’t much more to see here so I was happy to move on for the day.

Coventry Cathedral

Lady Godiva

By late afternoon, we had finally made it to Leeds, which I recommend just passing through, and were greeted by Tetley, no not the tea, but the hideous brewery which was right behind our hotel and which I was oh so lucky to have a view of from my bedroom window. After a full day, I was more than happy to close the curtains on old Mr. Tetley and settle in for a good night’s rest.

Tetley's Brewery - Leeds

Sunny London?

The first stop on my extended vacation was London, England and it wasn’t at all what I had expected.  Flying into the city was beautiful.  Soaring over puffy white clouds, the skies began to clear as we descended.  England welcomed me with a blanket of green fields and spectacular views of sandy and rugged coasts, and the seemingly calm Atlantic waters.  I had been preparing myself for the cloudy and dreary days, the rain and overcast skies, and the insurmountable crowds, but my stay in this “great city of the world” proved to be a pleasant surprise to say the least.

Natural History Museum

I arrived on a warm and sunny morning and after a long wait in the queue at customs, I finally set out for my hotel in the west end of the city.  For those of you who would rather avoid the hefty taxi and/or transfer costs, I highly recommend the Easy Bus.  Not only was it cheap and comfortable, the stop was conveniently located across the street from my hotel.  Excited about the unexpectedly great weather, I ignored the jetlag, quickly freshened up, and headed out – in my pretty brand new Mary Jane flats.  That was mistake number one.  What had begun as a lovely stroll to the Natural History Museum, quickly became a lesson in torture as my shoes began to cut through my heels.  With each painful, bloody step I painstakingly tried to enjoy the museum and its wonderful dinosaur exhibit as much as I could.  My bandages refused to stay on and the effects of my jet lag began to overcome me, so rather than continue on to other museums as I had hoped, I cut my losses and trudged back to the hotel to sleep off my aches and pains and extreme fatigue. (Note to self:  New shoes and jet lag DO NOT make for an enjoyable day.)

Kensington Gardens

Fortunately, Day 2 was a much better day (with much more comfortable shoes).  An early start to the day, I made the most of the pathetic “continental breakfast” at the Ibis Earls Court Hotel, which offered no more than cornflakes, rice crispies, croissants, toast, jam, yoghurt, juice, and coffee and tea.  Where were the muffins or the bagels or the danishes or the fresh fruit?  To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.  But alas, I was determined to make the most of it, so after gobbling down a tiny bowl of cereal along with a croissant with jam and some tea and juice, I headed off to enjoy the once again warm and sunny morning and the tranquillity of Kensington Gardens.

Princess Diana Memorial Fountain

I strolled through the beautiful park for almost 2 hours, enjoying the peace and calm, the vibrant flowers, and the large shady trees.  I stopped to admire the elegant swans in the Round Pond and watched baby ducklings as they followed their mum along The Long Water, I petted a couple of playful dogs that approached me, and encountered a very friendly squirrel and pigeon along the way.  I visited the impressive Albert Monument, said hello to Peter Pan, and had a hell of a time finding the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, not only because the water was turned off, but because it really doesn’t look like a fountain at all.  Surely, they could have built something much more appropriate and suitable to honour Lady Di’s grace and beauty. I then checked out the lovely Italian Gardens and the charming fountains, and then made my way to Kensington Palace.  Sadly, the palace was surrounded by large construction fencing so I just peered through the gates to catch a glimpse of the building and then made my way out of the park.

Trafalgar Square

Heading out onto the main street, I boarded the hop on/hop off Big Bus for a city tour, a perfect way to visit many of the highlights of the city and become more familiar with the area.  My first stop was Trafalgar Square where I stepped away from the hustle and bustle to explore the spectacular National Gallery.  As I made my way through its maze of rooms, I was awed by the vast collection of Renaissance art.  Hopping back onto the bus, I crossed Westminster Bridge and quickly hopped off to snap a few photos of the bridge, the London Eye, Big Ben and the Parliament Buildings.  Once the next bus arrived, I hopped back on and rode up to Russell Square.  From here I walked to the amazing British Museum, which is one of the most impressive museums I have visited.  A gorgeous and massive building with a wonderful collection, a full day or more could have been spent at this one site alone.  As I had only just a couple of hours to spend here, I visited my most favourite sections.  This is one museum I would definitely want to return to once again.  As two busses whizzed by me without stopping after exiting the museum, I walked all the way to Aldwych where I boarded the bus once again for a ride to Westminster Abbey.  I arrived just in time to enjoy Evensong, the inspiring evening choral mass.  Sitting there in the serenity of the Abbey, listening to the uplifting soprano voices of the boys and the deep and meditative tenors of the Lay Vicars, was a dream come true as I had always dreamed of experiencing the Westminster Choir, renowned as one of the finest choirs.  It was a perfect way to end my day in the city.  After a 12 hour day of sightseeing (with full sun I might add), I rode the bus back to Gloucester Road and began my walk back to the hotel.

British Museum

(Observations for the day…  London traffic is atrocious.  I still can’t believe it took the entire day to manoeuvre around the city core.  In some areas, it was just faster for me to get off the bus and walk from point to point.  If you think you can stop and enjoy even ½ of the sites on the Big Bus route, think again.  It’s just impossible with the amount of time it takes to get from point A to point B, plus the time you’d need to thoroughly enjoy your visit at each site.)

Thames River Cruise

Day 3 in London was a bit bitter sweet.  After humming and hawing about how to get around the city on this day, I finally decided to take advantage of the convenience of the Big Bus tour once again since I hadn’t had time to take the included cruise along the Thames the day before.  Little did I know that if I had paid an extra £5 on the first day, I could have had a two-day pass. Since no one had mentioned this to me, I had to cough up the full amount the next day as they were unwilling to let me pay the discounted rate as it had to be purchased upfront on day one.  Live and learn!  Trying to shake off my irritation and the sting of the full price, I began another day of discovery. This morning, my priority was a cruise along the River Thames.  I rode the bus to the Tower Bridge stop, and there boarded the boat.  What had begun as another glorious sunny day began to quickly turn into a bit of chilly drizzle, but luckily I was prepared as I had brought my trench coat along.  After an enjoyable cruise with patches of rain and sun, I hopped back on the bus again and rode along to the Westminster stop and walked the rest of the way to the Tate Britain, glad that the sun had come out once again.  I had been looking forward to visiting the gallery as it houses a few of my favourite paintings from my favourite painter, John William Waterhouse.  Sadly, 1/3 of the gallery was closed for renovations so I was only able to admire one of Waterhouse’s painting, The Lady of Shalott, as well as another favourite, Millais’ Ophelia.  I was, however, introduced to some other wonderful romantics artists, such as J. M. W. Turner, whom I had not heard of before, so my visit to the gallery was overall quite delightful.  I then walked to another bus pick up stop for a ride to Buckingham Palace.  While I wasn’t fortunate enough to see Her Royal Highness, The Queen (who was in residence at the time), I did enjoy watching the stern faced guards.  To end off my day, I stopped in at Harrods, a must when visiting London as far as I’m concerned.  The food hall there is excellent so I picked up some delicious terrines, some organic biltong, and some yummy bread for an evening picnic in the hotel.

Buckingham Palace

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in London, and even though I’m not a fan of big cities, I actually wish I’d had more time there.  There was so much more I wanted to see and do.  The fact that most of its museums and galleries are free is a huge plus for an art and history buff like me, and the crowds weren’t bad at all. As I missed out on checking out the great shopping districts, I shall definitely have to return once more, and hopefully, I’ll be blessed with sunny and warm days once again.

The Royal Wedding – A Modern Fairy Tale

Ok, I’ll admit it.  I’m a fan of the British monarchy.  Perhaps it’s because I grew up spending time in our home library flipping through my mother’s book collection of the royals.  Let’s see, we had my all time favourite, The Royal Family Pop-Up-Book, An Invitation to the Royal Wedding, Diana Princess of Wales – The Book of Fashion, The Queen, Born to Be King – Prince William of Wales, The Royal Review (need I go on?), so I really can’t be blamed.  Or maybe it’s because, like most little girls, I grew up simply wanting to believe in the fairy tale.  I still do.

When I mentioned to my friends and family earlier this year that I would be finally visiting the UK this spring, the recurring question, was, “will you be there for the wedding?”  Sadly, no, I’ll have to miss it because my invitation never arrived.  (I’m sure it just got lost in the mail.) While I could have planned my trip to coincide perfectly with the wedding of the decade on April 29, I decided to pass and arrive a week later to avoid the crowds, which I’m really not a fan of.  Instead, I’ll be doing what every other loyal foreign fan of the royals will be doing on that joyous day, and just watch the whole thing on the telly.  However, I think I’ll tune out (or just mute) all the boring news commentary and try to let myself be captivated and enchanted by the whole scene and romance of it all.  Since I can’t seem to find my own Prince Charming, even though I do hear there is a slew of eligible royal bachelors available at the moment, I shall have to live vicariously through “Kate and Wills” for now.  Don’t get me wrong, I do realize the life of a princess, such as the one Kate will have, is not all glitz and glamour.  Life in the public eye is invasive, stressful, and not romantic at all, so I’m more than happy to avoid this type of lifestyle, but I think an occasion such as this helps us keep the fantasy alive.  Life is all too real so we could all use a little magic and make believe every now and then.  I know I’ll take it in whichever way it comes.

So, if a royal celebration can make the world stop for a moment and believe in love, romance, and fairy tales, even for just a moment, so be it.  I’m pleased as punch and chuffed to bits about the whole thing and ready to hop on board that double decker bus and ride the ride as far as it can take me.  I’ll get the kettle on and have myself a cuppa while I watch the whole thing in vivid colour.  And I for one, would be happy to welcome Kate’s pretty face on one of our coins.  We’re way over due for some “change”.

Thus, I send my blessings to the soon to be newlyweds.  May they have a life full of love, joy, peace, and prosperity.

Pip Pip and Cheerio!

If you want to follow the wedding buzz, get in on all the action, and be up to date on the current news, be sure to check out  The Royal Wedding Web Page.