Well for once the weather was on side for the August Bank Holiday! We were out and about and here’s how we fared ‘tourist-ing’ on our home turf…
Can’t recommend enough our lunch at Littletown Farm which we walked to over Catbells Hause. They were very welcoming, the food was delicious and the garden has lovely views and a lovely lawn which the grandchildren thoroughly enjoyed. The scones in particular were delicious. And they also sell beer for the grown ups. We returned around the end of Catbells and caught the Honister Rambler (77A) from the Fell End home to Manesty.
The trip to the La’al Ratty (Cumbrian for Little Route – aka the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway) on the West Coast was great fun. An early start meant we caught the first steam train of the day at 1020 (there is an earlier ‘walkers’ train pulled by a diesel locomotive). It is a beautiful ride out to Dalegarth. From Dalegarth there are extensive walking opportunities for those wishing to make a day of it. We made good used of the children’s playground and returned to Ravenglass on the return train. Picnic and ice cream in the station watching the little steam engines turn on the turntable (there are also cafes at Ravenglass and Dalegarth). Home in time for barbecue dinner.
We finished off with a day trip to Levens Hall in South Cumbria. It is famed, quite rightly, for its garden topiary which is very impressive and oddly exciting to walk in and around – you never know what you will find around the corner. The non topiary parts of the garden do not disappoint. The house started life as a traditional defensive Pele Tower in the mid 13th century and is full of interesting Cumbrian history.
We hope this gives you some inspiration for your next visit to Manesty and that you enjoyed your Bank Holiday wherever you were. Here’s to hoping for an extended summer and sunny autumn!
