Exploring northern England - 24 August 2008

 

We set off early to drive through the Yorkshire Dales.  We marvelled at the enormous number of dry stone walls and wondered how much longer they’d take to build than the traditional New Zealand fences.

 

 

Our first stop of the day was to visit Castle Bolton, situated between Leyburn and Aysgarth off the A684.   

 

 

Bolton Castle is a stunning mediaeval castle, owned by Lord Bolton and preserved in outstanding condition.  It was built in 1379 by the first Lord Scrope, Chancellor of England, and completed in 1399. 

 

 

It was used as a fortress from 1568-1569 when Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner here by Elizabeth I.  Its scars bear testament to over six hundred years of history including being besieged during the Civil War and Mary Queen of Scots imprisonment. 

 

There is a mediaeval garden, Including herbs, roses, a vineyard and maze. 

 

 

We were extremely fortunate to find that our visit coincided with that of a group of people whose hobby it is to tour from venue to venue to re-enact period events.  On this occasion they inhabited Bolton Castle for the weekend in the guise of Knights, Earls and Ladies in the time of Edward I.  Here the Earl of Warwick helps Suzi to try on his helmet

 

 

as he prepares to dress for a jousting tournament with some of his ‘enemies’.

 

 

Suzi and I climbed to the very top of the battlements where the views were lovely and peaceful

 

 

From Bolton, we travelled to the Aysgarth Falls just a short distance away on the A684. 

 

These had been enthusiastically written up in the guide book but we found the National Trust visitor centre disappointingly short of information. The entry fee to walk to the three levels of the Falls was £3 and we had to pay to park as well - as was the case at every National Trust site.  It’s possible to get a clear view of the point at which the previously placid River Ure suddenly begins to plunge in foaming torrents over wide limestone shelves.  The Falls are on three levels, and it was certainly a very pleasant walk to get to each level.  Turner painted the impressive lower falls in 1817.

 

 

Probably more spectacular was our next visit to Hardrow Falls, a fairly short drive away towards Kendal.  At the tiny village of Hardraw is England’s tallest single-drop waterfall, with no outcrops to interrupt its 29m fall. 

 

 

It became famous in Victorian times when the daredevil Blondin walked across it on a tightrope.  We’d been told that it was possible to walk right under the fine waterfall against the rock face and look through the stream without getting wet.  Unfortunately construction work was taking place when we visited and such a walk was considered too dangerous.

 

In order to access the Falls, you have to pass through the Green Dragon Inn.

 

 

We weren’t quite sure why, unless it was to encourage you to partake of their sumptious food and drink because no-one took your money inside the pub.  However, there was a man waiting at a gate just behind the pub who took a fee of £2 from each of us and directed us to take care!  We passed a camping ground on the way to the Falls and it was clear that many people stay here and cycle and walk in the surrounding countryside.

 

We left Hardrow and drove in the direction of Kendall on the A684 and from there moved onto the A591 to Windermere where we stopped for a moment to admire the lake.

 

 

and drove along the lakeside road, with Lake Grasmere keeping the scenery beautiful

 

 

We drove through Ambleside with its lovely church

 

 

And on to Keswick where we turned off briefly to visit the Castlerigg Stone Circle

 

 

Unfortunately a coach load of tourists had spilled out all over the circle just before we arrived, which made photo taking very difficult!  It’s believed that the stone circle at Castlerigg pre-dates Stonehenge.

 

From here we took the A66 towards Penrith and the M6 to Carlisle.  Our hotel for the night was meant to be on the outskirts of the City, but we didn’t know in which direction!!  We should have taken more trouble to get ourselves an internet map because we went round Carlisle a few times before we managed to follow the directions we were kindly given by many of the locals!  The hotel was called Wallfoot Hotel and Restaurant in Crosby on Eden, and is probably not one that we would recommend.  Dinner was superb but the choices for breakfast were only mediocre (no fruit at all!) and the service at reception was really quite bad.