Travelling allsorts

In post-apocalyptic, post-Brexit Britain, we gave our passports a rest until we ventured out for a long weekend in Normandy during the record-breaking hot spell in England in 2022. As one of us has medication to suppress immunity, we made sure to keep our distance from, well, everyone - in the hotel, restaurants and on the ferry. This apprehension dampened our relaxation somewhat but all went well and we were (are) fine.  Trying to return to life as we knew it... We braved a whole week in the Lake District last month, renting a house in Braithwaite, near Keswick. As with most people now, we don't really think about catching covid on an everyday basis. Braithwaite is a small, sleepy village with an excellent pub, only 50 yards staggering distance to our temporary residence!  Keswick is a lively holiday hub with plenty to do for all ages, as long as the weather's good. If it's not, you can wander around the pencil museum :) It sounds boring but it's actually quite interes...

Not far from where we stayed a few years ago, we rented an apartment in a country manor house just outside Grange over Sands, across the bay from Morecambe.  The weather was changeable, of course - rain on some days, warm sunshine on others. However, it was a lovely few days' break, thoroughly recommended. In addition to coastal walks, "things to do" included: Cartmel horse-racing, Lakeland Motor Museum and a Safari-Zoo where we saw hippos and capybaras (see photographs).  Cartmel Horse Racing    Lakeland Motor Museum more of a transport museum as it has bicycles and 'flying machines' too! It's an amazing collection; the photographs below show a 60's Aquacar, exhibits from the Monte Carlo Rally, a Mini and various attempts to produce even smaller cars. There are also exhibits of life from 50+ years ago, including shop window displays, arcade games (mechanical rather than electronic) and a café/milk bar. These are just some of the photographs from the doz...

There is a distinct theme of 'funny men' on a trip to the North of England. Staying in Cumbria, you can visit Morecambe, home of Eric whose statue graces the promenade between the road and the beach, which borders the enormous Morecambe bay. There's a well-known anecdote about Morecambe and Wise sharing a bed in their comedy sketches, something like "if it's good enough for Laurel and Hardy then it's good enough for us". Just a few miles across the bay is Ulverston, the birthplace of Stan Laurel. Of course, there is a Laurel and Hardy statue in the town plus a museum, complete with free film shows - a must-see for young children as well as their great-grandparents. Not sure if Mr McGregor counts as a funny man but he can often be seen sitting on a bench outside a cottage close to the home of Peter Rabbit creator, Beatrix Potter. There is a visitor centre dedicated to the world of Beatrix Potter and you can visit her home and gardens at Hilltop, ...