Travels: Scotland and Grasmere

I haven’t added anything for a while due to a general lack of time and organisation plus I’ve been travelling a bit.

Also, I’ve realised that I need some protected time in my life, just to be able to sit down and write. So, hopefully, will be keeping to adding things more regularly.

So, I returned from Scotland yesterday, which was amazing. I stayed in a place called Auchencairn near Dumfries with Karen and David, who are lovely people that moved there last December from North Yorkshire. The village is so quiet, beautiful and the people are friendly.

I haven’t seen Karen or David for about 7 years nor spent any real time with them for a long time… I really didn’t think it had been years but somehow we just never managed to see each other regularly and other things got in the way.

I pondered about this…I’ve spent so much time in my life with people who for whatever reason I don’t see anymore…the effort I made and disappointment in those relationships has taught me not to expect kindness to be reciprocated. I sometimes felt that everybody was like that and it made me feel quite isolated…

I sort of see where people are coming from now, I’ve not been the best friend sometimes but I’m still learning…and make mistakes.

Where I and people I get on with seem to differ is being honest about it and maintaining contact (again I haven’t always been like this and have myself purposefully cut contact in previous years when I felt the relationship wasn’t going anywhere or felt used/ abused).

But the worst times I’ve had have been when I’ve lost contact with people who are genuine and sincere. Thankfully, my family and close friends still talk to me!

Anyways, back to describing my recent travels…

We went to an actual proper pub in the next bay for dinner, it wasn’t a chain pub, the fixtures were all original plus the food and drink were local and excellent. Friendly all the way.

It was a refreshing change from generic chains and fake niceness.

I did stay in Airdrie near Glasgow, before that for a few days but to be totally honest, I didn’t really like it. It just seemed like most cities, choc full of rude people rushing about at lightspeed as if their lives depended on getting to wherever is so important yesteryear… not my thing.

I also travelled to the Lake District previous to Scotland and stayed in Grasmere.

Well! What can I say, just sublime. The place is so lovely and the people so welcoming, I loved it and going to Dove Cottage where William Wordsworth lived and wrote most of his poetry was an excellent bonus to good walking, lovely food and excellent company.

Just a word of advice, I stayed at the Wordsworth Hotel and Spa. Check out the room first, don’t stay in a room near fans/ vents or the fire escape, those rooms are small and uncomfortable. We booked with Secret Escapes and it seems this is a standard strategy to fill unwanted rooms.

When we looked at the direct booking price the “save 35%” marketing blurb on Secret Escapes became meaningless, as the room plus included meal equalled the separate prices as seen on the hotel’s own site…

Anyways, here are some photos (I tend not to use filters, see what you think).

Heading out of Grasmere village

Walking around the lake near Grasmere

More of the lake at Grasmere

Ducks!

Beweir!

A portrait of Wordsworth’s dog hanging in Dove Cottage

A stream runs under this room, Dove Cottage

A proper fireplace, Dove Cottage

Karen, Dave, Jack and Holly, Auchencairn

The view of the Solway from Auchencairn beach