Lake District 2

 Continuing our time in the Lake District, people we met suggested we go visit Levens Hall.

The gardens are the reason for this visit - incredible amount of work to maintain them:


I could post maybe 20 pics of these gardens here - they were exceptional.


They say that these gardens have remained virtually unchanged since the 1690's.


I like gardens but these ones might be a touch busy for me.  


No golf putting greens here, but...


Croquet.  This guy kept missing to the left so I offered to help him correct his left leaning tendencies.

No... he wouldn't allow me to help him!  I find this to be a common problem with those who have left leaning tendencies.


I better button my lip (or my keyboard), but suffice to say he missed this tiddler bringing loud groans from the sidelines.  I've heard this can happen in other sports too.

But his self control was admirable. I can hear those who have watched me putt at close quarters say "something you could learn from, Jules".

Here's Ruth smelling the roses:

No... she was just checking out the bumble bee:


Yes, lot's of flowers were out in early June here.


Here's a red one:

I just wanted to prove to you that my colour blindness isn't total.


Yes... more coloured flowers hey?


But wait there's more!  Sorry... you'll have to visit Levens Hall to see them.

Here's the main guy responsible though, Chris Crowder.  Last week apparently the BBC was here interviewing him for one of their gardening programs (Gardener's World I think). 


Good to see the head gardener actualy does gardening.  At my place, the head gardener just issues instructions to her underlings.

Well so much for curated gardens... back out in the wild we went.  This time another climb just to get us in for training for the 8 day-walk in the Cotswolds.

Mind you, I'm not expecting to have to climb much there - but with all the mountain climbing training we're doing, we'll be ready in case we do.  We embarked on a walk called Wansfell Pike.  Here's Ruth making light work of it.  We started in the town at the bottom there:


Still climbing:

Made it!


Quite exhiliarating to experience the beautiful view, given the effort to get there:

We had quite curious company too:

The area had quite a few spots where slate was dug out of the mountain sides:

A pile of slate that someone left behind?

I have to say it was quite sad leaving our "humble" abode at Rothay Manor.  Time to fill up the car with petrol and get going to the next stop - Wales.  

In the next photo you can see the picturesque setting of Ambleside with the huge mountain behind the BP service station.  That is the mountain we climbed in the distance.


I think this town was made for us.  What do you think?

I hope the next place is as welcoming!

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