Cartmel and Levens Hall

Following on from yesterday’s post I’m now catching up with Saturday and Sunday 1st and 2nd June.

Saturday we planned to go to Holker Hall.  But after a never ending detour through Cumbria’s country lanes only to find that Holker Hall was really busy with a Garden Festival we cut that visit short and made for Cartmel instead.  I’m sure we’ll visit Holker Hall again in the not too distant future though.

Cartmel is a picture postcard pretty Cumbrian village and visiting on a sunny summer’s day, William and I saw it at its best.

It was lunchtime when we got there and looking for somewhere to eat I popped my head in this ancient pub and snapped a quick pic of the inside.  Talk about Ye Olde England and quaintness - this pub was it!  We didn’t eat in here though and moved on to find somewhere else.

In a little tea shop with soup and a sandwich our appetites were satisfied and we then wandered through the village.  I took a million photos and here are just a few.

12th Century Cartmel Priory.  Full of history, lovingly kept and in every day use.  I loved it. 

A huge copper birch magnificent in the sunshine.  Cumbria seems to have more than its fair share of these attractive trees.

Wandering round the back of the priory the country village quaintness continues.

I’m liking the trend to nurturing wild flower gardens everywhere.  Like in the centre of the mowed field above a patch is left uncut to encourage wild flowers and also the wildlife that comes with it.

Of the photos I took in Cartmel this is one of my favourites.  Sleepy sheep in the shade.

Walking back now toward the village centre.

And on the outskirts we came across these very neat and very tidy allotments. 

On the way home from Cartmel we took a little unplanned detour to the home of a friend who now lives in Cumbria not far from Bay View.  Although it was an unexpected visit, Sandra and Dave, made us more than welcome.  Their little cottage and its situation in the village of Holme is to die for!  I know I say it a lot but I really could live, and happily too, in that little house!

So, onto Sunday. 

After a leisurely breakfast I made a picnic for us to eat at lunchtime sitting, (in my imagination), on the banks of a babbling brook on a blanket in the sunshine.  First up though was a visit to Levens Hall.

This stately home isn't far from Bay View and we will definitely be regular visitors to it in the months to come.

We didn’t have time to do the full tour of the house and gardens but these photos give a taste of the treat in store for us when we do take that tour.

This topiary garden is in front of the part of the Hall that houses the coffee shop and gift shop.  Very impressive don’t you think?  The food looked ever so good in the cafe too and if I hadn’t made the picnic I would’ve happily tucked into the cheese and onion pie, new potatoes and salad I’d spotted  on the menu.  I would’ve enjoyed it in the fresh air too just like the people in the picture above with that topiary in front of me to gaze at.

In this photo William’s stood in front of the Hall and just behind him is…

..this river and age old bridge.  Picturesque to say the least.

Now for that picnic by a babbling brook.  It didn’t happen.  The picnic did but could we find a suitable babbling brook?  Incredibly no!  There are plenty of them we just didn’t find one in the right place for us.  However, we did find this bench on a village green and our picnic tasted good anyway.  The babbling brook will have to wait for next time.

We are so lucky to have our holiday home on wheels and I constantly thank my lucky stars for it.  We’ve had a lovely few sunny weekends up at Bay View already and the whole summer is still stretching ahead of us.  Yes, we’re all very happy campers!