Lake District - day 2; Holker Hall gardens

I was going to put my 'day 2' adventures together as I did 'day 1' but we spent so much of the day at Holker Hall that it deserves its own post.

I only heard of Holker Hall recently, through an article in the RHS magazine, and was so taken by the photos and description that I decided we HAD to include it in our Lakeland trip. I suppose it's not actually in the Lakes area as such, but out on one of the southern peninsulas near Grange Over Sands. It was close enough to easily visit from out base, though satnav tried to misdirect us.

The Hall itself looked fascinating but my interest was mainly in the garden, so we wandered round to the front of the house and the formal beds filled with simple yet stunning displays of tulips and late narcissi ...

... then onward to a wilder meadow area studded with bluebells and camassias, and with a labyrinth (which, yes, I had to walk) with views out over the parkland ...

... then to a tree-lined avenue with carpets of bluebells and wild garlic - and the odd tulip.

As we tend to start any day rather late, and I was finding far more to explore than I'd expected, we decided now was the time to head back to the cafe and re-fuel before further exercise. We both went for the venison burgers which were delicious.  

Then back to the gardens - through the formal areas again but heading out of them in a different direction, through rhododendrons to a cascade which fed a hidden fountain.

Then onward in a sweeping arc, through more rhododendrons, and old trees with bluebell-studded grass around their roots, up to the higher points of the grounds ... 

 ... before dropping down to a sunken garden with tulips, honesty, and a romantic summer house covered in magnolia blossom.. This was a really special place - the formal lay-out of the beds contrasting with the natural feel of the planting, and on a summer day I suspect a real sun-trap.

As closing time approached, we headed past Neptune sitting at the head of the cascade, back to the formal gardens, and on to the cafe.

 For once this was a cafe with the sensible notion of staying open for a while after the gardens had closed. Too many don't. Some even close earlier! It's a mistake in my opinion. When I've spent all day walking I'm in the mood for cake, and a cup of tea, but mainly cake, and I'm sure many other visitors feel the same. As with lunch, the cake was excellent - good-sized slices of blueberry sponge with cream and coconut topping. To be honest, if you're in the area Holker Hall is worth a visit for the food alone! I'll be going back sometime to see the gardens again in another season (and maybe just a little something from the cafe)

Last Trip Out?

Last weekend we were up in Manchester to visit our younger daughter, on what might turn out to be our last trip anywhere for quite a while. We'd originally intended visiting this coming weekend but with corona virus taking hold we decided to pre-empt any lockdown and go while we still could.














This weekend is, of course, Mother's Day (here in the UK) but in addition my daughter would be at a craft fair selling her synaesthesia art*, and we wanted to go along, support her and see the venue, which she's talked about many times - obviously we couldn't. But, while the 'Stall' craft event is only held once a month, every weekend the venue in Manchester's Green Quarter is home to a street food event, 'Grub'.

So we went along in search of food. I wanted to try something new (who knows when I'll next get a chance?), so while my husband tried Pie and Mash stall for (you guessed) pie and mash, I looked at the neighbouring Mediterranean/Turkish influenced food from The Otto-men. Looking down the menu board, I was overwhelmed with choice! Seeing my confusion the stall-holder talked me through the options and then, as I was still obviously undecided, gave me a sample of just about everything on offer - a wonderful tasting-menu style minifeast.


The food stalls were outside, but it was too cold to sit there, so we went inside to the bar where again I tried something new - a pink sour ale, Raspberry Tart from Fierce beer; great colour, great taste and perfect with my plate of hummus, falafels and 'sexy pie'.






It wasn't quite as empty as it seems from the photo - behind us a there was a fully occupied table, and more people were at the downstairs bar - but it was obvious that numbers were less than they would have been on a 'normal' weekend.

Then it was time to explore Manchester's streets again.

This area is further north than I've visited before, but still had that mix of old and new, that I've come to expect - even an olde worlde pub!

I'm glad we went because virus-related things have changed rapidly in this last week, and now we're in semi-isolation. I'm glad to have one last enjoyable day out.













* you can see examples here on her Instagram feed

Three Birthday Lunches

Birthdays have to be celebrated in style, don't they? Or, failing style, substance. I went for the 'substance' route, with three birthday lunches - not all on the same day though, that would be greedy!

On the actual date I didn't feel in the mood to celebrate. There's been so much grief these past few months that I couldn't work up enthusiasm for anything fun, so I just let the day drift past.



As weekend arrived though my family seemed determined to cheer me up - and I'm pleased, though surprised, that it worked.

My first lunch was a small affair, a mere 'warm-up' for the weekend, of sandwiches and cream scones from the local shop. I had presents to open though, including a bodacious Bill and Ted 'Wyld Stallyns' t-shirt, my grandson demonstrated his first few steps, and we went out to the garden centre in the afternoon. Yes, that does sound rather quiet for me, so that evening we went to a Skinny Lister gig (more about this here)

Lunch #2 on Saturday was an all-family jaunt to Annie's Burger Shack in Derby. It's a newish place, opened last year in a converted chapel, and serves huge burgers - all available as meaty, veggie or vegan. Mine was a chicken Caribbean, washed down with Fentiman's Rose Lemonade, and followed by apple pie and ice cream. The apple pie is SO good that I wonder if I just order that next time ...




















It was the sort of meal out that leaves me thinking I might not need to eat for days but lunch #3 was waiting ...





Despite no longer living here in Derby my younger daughter always seems to know far more interesting places to eat than I do, so I asked her to pick where to go for our mother/daughter lunch, and she introduced me to this rather fantastic place - Cosy Club, Derby.
With William Morris wallpaper, framed prints hung on every available space, deep sofas and comfy armchairs it feels like a 'gentleman's club'.

I could have just sat and soaked up the atmosphere but it was lunchtime and we HAD come out to eat. Sandwiches again, but a triple-decker of chicken and smoked bacon, served with fries.






No alcohol as I was driving, but with a drink as pretty as this pomegranate-lemonade mix, who needs alcohol?







It turned out to be a wonderful weekend.

Now, somewhat sadly, it's time to test another of my birthday presents - a book of diet recipes.

Manchester again!

Manchester is obviously going to be playing a large part in our lives now youngest daughter is living there, and we're just back from another day-trip 'up north'. I'm starting to get a feel for at least the Spinningfields 'business area' of the city, with it's modern glass high rise buildings and riverside bars and restaurants. There's nothing quite like this in either Derby or Nottingham (sorry guys), and I never thought I'd say this, but this really modern area is beginning to grow on me. I love the way one building reflects in its neighbour, and the river runs leisurely through all the hustle and bustle.

Almost everywhere, there are new buildings going up. It's mostly obvious what their purpose will be but this one is still a puzzle. It's being growing steadily over the few months we've been visiting, and my best guess is that it's a set of lift shafts - but where are all the flats or offices those lifts will serve?
















Daughter had found us somewhere interesting for a late lunch - Rudy's Neapolitan Pizzeria. The pizza's are almost as good as those she ate in Naples, she says, and certainly nicer than any I've tasted. You can see the dough being pounded at the work station on the right of the photo, and watch your pizza going in, and coming out of, the oven on a long-handled paddle. I felt tempted to go and watch from closer, but thought I'd better not!












I'm still trying to work out a way for our trips to be more dog-friendly. This time we left Dylan at home, but it's a long journey and he was alone for rather longer than I like to leave him. The alternative is to take him, but then we can't spend time at our daughter's flat, and we have to find dog-friendly places to eat out - so if anyone knows Manchester well, and has any suggestions, please shout out.