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Friday, 11th January 2019
A mild but grey morning, with a noticeable dampness in the air, as we leave Coniston Coppice Park CAMC Site and make our way to Keswick Camping and Caravan Club Site (N54 36'19" W3 8'47").
A short drive this morning, road not wide enough for Kathleen's taste.
A rather confusing destination this, two sites, right next door to each other, one called Keswick Club Site, one called Derwent Water Site, both run by the Camping and Caravan Club. At this time of year the Derwent Water Site is closed. The Keswick Site is the one next to the Rugby Club, and, on the Lake Shore.
We arrive at 12:40, admission is not until 13:00, already, there is a queue!
A short stroll around Keswick, Church times checked out for Kathleen, and coffee and cake. Easy day.
Saturday, 12th January 2019
We have had quite a reasonable run of weather, considering it is mid-winter, but, it appears to have ended. Very windy last night, grey and wet this morning, the surrounding hills are not even visible under blanket of low cloud.
Kathleen has started the hair washing routine, so, that should be her amused for half a day. Looks as if I will be reading my book, or, "playing" on the internet.
Kathleen completes the Church run, getting rather wet in the process. She really is going to be rather annoyed if I "get in" on her membership ;)
Sunday, 13th January 2019
High winds and rain, not exactly pleasant, but, by 10:30, there was a patch of blue sky and a hint of sunshine.
A very good Sunday Lunch at Pack Horse Inn, followed by the obligatory stroll to Friars Cragg.
Monday, 14th January 2019
Predictably, since we are leaving, a bright and sunny day!
Uneventful drive home.
Wednesday, 9th January 2019
Minus 1C overnight, so, a heavy frost and a clear crisp morning, only plus 1C by 10:00am, but, a beautiful winter morning.
A walk along the lakeshore, eight miles in total, with a picnic lunch, followed later by coffee and scones with strawberry jam.
A very quiet and calm day, although we are out walking for something like four hours, we encounter only four other walkers, and, a lone cyclist.
We have now "checked out" both routes to the village (including the pubs and, if we are here until Saturday/Sunday, the church). Both the lakeside and former railway path are unlit. Could be interesting walking along there in the pitch dark!
The temperate never rises above 4C, but, it is a beautiful winters day nevertheless.
Thursday, 10th January 2019
A balmy 3C this morning, with a bit of cloud cover.
A less active day today, only 4 miles walked, and that was to the pub for lunch.
The Ship Inn is extensively advertised, and, looked promising, but, when we got there it was closed today! Of the other three pubs in Coniston, only the Black Bull was serving food, or, indeed open, so, the Black Bull it was. Enjoyable lunch.
Monday 7th January 2019
Coniston, Park Coppice CAMC Site (N54 21'14" W3 5'4").
Typically, Sunday (yesterday) is a pleasant winters day, bright, calm and not too cold.
Today, is grey, raining and windy, so, not the most pleasant day for a 130 mile journey across the Pennines.
The weather woes are made worse by an accident on the M6, which has closed the motorway.
Much to my surprise, my £35 Ebay sourced Sat-Nav, detects the congestion ahead, and plans an alternative route to avoid it. I say much to my surprise because I did not know it had that feature, nor do I understand how it detected the congestion ahead? But, just like my much more expensive in-car unit, it gave a message saying there was a hold up ahead, displayed an alternative route suggestion and gave the option to continue on, or, follow the alternative route. One small problem of course, we were not the only vehicle to take the alternative route, and, going was slow, but, not as slow as standing stationary on a wet windswept M6!
At this time of year, only part of the Coniston site is open, but, we are not alone, there are quite a number of hardy souls parked up, among the trees.
Coniston does not appear to be a "typical" CAMC Site. True the facilities block and EHU points are typical CAMC, but the site layout is with trees (as it's name suggests I suppose), and is not the usual regular CAMC layout, but rather pitches arranged in small clearings, within the trees.
No problem with this, except in the gale force wind, we did get showered with falling twigs.
There are more "open" areas, not open at present, reserved for tent campers, I believe.
Tuesday, 8th January 2019.
A clear morning, gale force wind has gone completely, watery winter sunshine shining through the trees. A day outdoors, hopefully.
A walk to Coniston Village. Only a mile away, with a footpath which is largely off road, and, level (it appears to have been a former railway line). There is also a lakeshore path, which we explore a little, for some future outing.
It would appear the former railway ran from Coniston to Broughton-in-Furness. Construction began in 1858, and the line was opened a year later in 1859. Quite remarkable, today it would take that long to do the risk assessment!
Almost eight miles walked today, and a stop for a picnic lunch, by the lake.
