October 2018 – Claire's Blog

28th October 20189th August 2021

Breakfast in Bed

Sunday 28th October

Bonus extra hour in bed and we had breakfast in bed – well delivered to our room which had a lounge area. A very spoilt way to start the day – juice, cereal, toast, fruit and hot chocolate.

I was feeling the effects of yesterday’s flu jab, lumpy achy arm and a cold 🙁 , so decided to head home after breakfast and re-packing.

It was lunch time when we got to Olney (different route home due to road work), so we had a look around before going to teapots. Gavin had some strawberry and raspberry fizz, soup and chocolate cake, I went for a ham sandwich (with salad, crisps) and the usual diet coke.

All that remained of our lunch in Teapots

Then it was back home to unpack and do some washing. An eager squirrel was on the table awaiting a walnut.

Early night tonight the F1 race is recorded and can wait until tomorrow.

27th October 20189th August 2021

Fly me to the moon

Saturday 27th October

We have been home two whole weeks since our Scotland/Lake District adventure so must be time for a weekend away right?

After a trip to the doctors for my flu jab and the garage for Gavin to collect his car now with its MOT certificate, we were on our way to Peterborough.

It was lunch time when we got to Peterborough so first stop some food, we found a Bills in the centre so chicken burgers all around.

After Bills we headed to the cathedral which is impressive by itself but currently has Tim Peak’s Soyuz capsule and space suit on display which is the main reason for our visit to Peterborough.

It is very well displayed with atmospheric lighting. It is very impressive and looks really solid, the capsule is also a lot smaller than the Apollo capsule we saw on display at Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

They also had a space suit (not real) that you could have your photo in, it was just front half you stood behind, being the big kid I am I had to give it a go.

After a small adventure we found our hotel for the night, the Pearl Hotel, and had an afternoon siesta.

We were both relatively full from lunch so instead of dinner we went to nearby Creations Dessert Lounge for the most amazing waffles and milkshake before heading back to the hotel to watch F1 qualifying.

Strawberry Waffle with hot chocolate sauce, cream, coconut ice cream

12th October 20189th August 2021

Full Steam Ahead

Friday 12th October

Weather back to the expected grey and wet we decided to spend our last day at the Havethwaite and Lakeside steam railway.

We got to Havethwaite near lunch time after lie in and there was a 40 minute wait for the next train so rather than wait in the cold we took advantage of the cafe and had lovely hot soup and bread.

The train arrived in a cloud of steam and we climbed aboard, the journey is about 20 minutes to Lakeside with a short stop at Nethy Bridge along the way.

Gavin on the Havethwaite & Lakeside train

Me on the Havethwaite and Lakeside train

There was an announcement just before we got to Lakeside to say that due to the weather conditions the boats were coming in from the lake and not going back out.

View of Windermere from Lakeside station

The train stops at Lakeside for about 15-20 minutes before heading back, as the boats were not running we decided to have a look around the station and view out over the lake before getting back on the train to head back.

On the train travelling back from Lakeside to Havethwaite

When we got back to Havethwaite, I went up on the bridge over the track to watch the engine coming around the train ready for it’s next trip to Lakeside.

Engine coming around the train to head back out

Before heading back to our cottage we had some drinks and scone (Gavin) and cake (me) in the cafe that we hadn’t had time for earlier.

In the evening we went out (getting soaked in the process) for dinner to a lovely Italian restaurant Gavin had spotted in Bowness. It was a lovely way to finish off our holiday, just the long drive home tomorrow now.

10th October 20189th August 2021

Blue Sky Boat

Wednesday 10th October

Blue skies and 21 degrees, what is happening?

Had to take advantage of this rare day, so headed back into Bowness and booked to go on a boat tour of Lake Windermere. It was 45 minute tour of the lake and had good commentary about the different islands and buildings along the shore.

After our boat tour we had some lunch from a bakery, sausage roll for me and pasty for Gavin, we also both picked up a pastry for desert later.

We wandered back down to the lakeside and had a local ice cream surrounded by swans and geese while watching the boats out on the lake.

Swan (who wanted to share the ice cream!)

For dinner tonight we used up potatoes as wedges with chicken and a pizza pocket for Gavin followed by our pastries brought from the bakery.

9th October 20189th August 2021

Afternoon Tea

Tuesday 9th October

Today we ventured into Bowness to find the supermarket to stock up the cottage for rest of the week. There was a small Tesco express but was able to get what we needed.

After taking the shopping back to the car with plenty of time left on the parking meter we had a look around some of the shops. I brought some Edinburgh rock for Christine and a chocolate pig for Charlotte.

We found a lovely traditional tea room for some lunch. Gavin tried the potatoe and chive soup followed by apple and cinnamon pie (they had run out of the pear) while I had ham sandwich and victoria sponge.

8th October 20189th August 2021

Wheel Horses

Monday 8th October – distance travelled 224 miles

We started the day with a great breakfast with a great view. It was such a lovely hotel and room we were sad to be leaving after just one night.

Gavin did the first leg of the drive which was to Falkirk to see the Falkirk Wheel, the weather was unsurprisingly wet and grey so decided we didn’t want to go on the wheel just watch it go round.

Afterwards I picked up a toy highland cow and a highland cow puzzle book for Charlotte as her gift for looking after the hedgehogs and squirrels while we were away. Then we headed to a lovely restaurant just up the road for dinner.

After dinner we visited the Kelpies which are very big and sparkly and well worth a visit.

I took over the driving and we started to head south as the weather started to get even worse and there were yellow alerts being issued around Glasgow and south for high winds. I stopped after about 40 miles to switch from contact lenses to glasses Gavin saw I was struggling and took back over the driving all the way to Windermere. He did a great job in very tricky, wet and windy conditions.

We found our cottage for the next few nights and unloaded the car once again, this time we both have a double room 🙂

7th October 20189th August 2021

Enchanting Hotel

Sunday 7th October

It was a very disturbed nights sleep, the music from downstairs was very loud until late and I ended up sleeping on the floor due to such a small bed.

We decided to find somewhere else for tonight and I booked a room at Dundorach hotel.

After breakfast (poor selection, no water, no butter and cracked plate), we went out to visit the salmon ladder at the hydro damn. We were able to see the damn and where the salmon go through but the viewing window was closed 🙁

Pitlochry Hydro Damn and Salmon Ladder

Next we went to visit the Highland Chocolatier in Grandtully, we both had a hot chocolate in the cafe and shared a slice of chocolate cake. In the shop I brought some chocolates for Mum, Jody & Natalie as a thank you for looking after hedgehogs and squirrels.

We went back to our room at McKay’s and watch the grand prix and had a snooze. When the GP finished we checked out and moved to the new hotel – WOW what a difference the bathroom was the size of the other room!

Tonight we had tickets for the Enchanted Forest after some fish and chips in Pitlochry. The Enchanted Forest was lovely though not as spectacular as last year but still glad we went and did enjoy it.

6th October 201810th August 2021

Moving On

Saturday 6th October – distance travelled 176 miles

Today started off drizzling, after a cooked breakfast got most of the luggage in the car before the rain became too heavy.

Fortunately it eased off as we headed back down the twisty single track road for 47 miles that we had travelled up on and encountered the Stags, this time I was behind the wheel.

We stopped at Granttown On Spey for lunch in the cafe we visited and liked last time and did some window shopping.

Gavin drove the rest of the way to Pitlochry where we had fun trying to park and then checked into a really small hotel room. Dinner was in the noisy hotel restaurant being too tired to go anywhere else.

5th October 201810th August 2021

Can That Be The Sun?

Friday 5th October – distance travelled 62 miles

We woke up to find for the first time this week it wasn’t raining!

The plan was to go to Helmsdale and Dunrobin castle, the SatNav started off sending us in the wrong direction so had to turn around.

Decided the drive to Helmsdale was a lone one and the coast was so pretty so carried on the coast road to Thurso.

For lunch in Thurso we went to Johnson’s where we both had potato soup and a bread roll with a cake to take away. After lunch we had a walk around the town before heading back to the car.

On the way back we went to the seafront in Thurso which was very windy. From here could see out to the Orkney’s and a rainbow kept coming and going. A man out walking his dog told us about a Banksy, not sure if it is a real one of not.

We passed the nuclear power station at Dounreay and took a detour through Castlehill which was really pretty before getting back to Bettyhill.

Tonight we had fajitas to use up some of the shopping we had left before starting to pack up the kitchen and our suitcase ready to leave tomorrow.

4th October 201810th August 2021

Home Bods

Thursday 4th October

Flipping cough every time I tried to sleep, put the blinds up to keep eye out for Aurora but only saw the moon. Got a few hours sleep and woke at almost 10am.

Gavin was exhausted from the tough drive yesterday and I still wasn’t great so decided to stay in.

We started watching a box set from BBC called Luther which was in the house. It is good but a bit violent.

I edited yesterday’s photo’s and helped out one of the SAM girls via what’s app before a soak in the bath.

For lunch we finished off the sausages and potato scones and for dinner peanut satay chicken and rice. I do really like cooking in this houses kitchen 🙂

The cough mixture seams to be helping and starting to feel a bit better, fingers crossed for a better nights sleep.

There was a beautiful red sky tonight, for the first time this week.