Heading back to the blue.

So...we have begun our journey back 'Down Under'... and are currently crawling through the Cumbrian countryside near Tebay on a delayed train to Preston. No doubt we will miss our connection train to the airport from there but I am trying to remain calm as our flight is not for another 5 hours.We had a lovely day on Saturday at my sister's house where all the family gathered and a few special friends for a family get-together. I will post some pictures later from that.It has been a great month here up over but I cannot deny I am looking forward to more blue sky and back to life in shorts. As soon as I can I want to swim in the sea but we are now heading straight home on arrival in Brisbane as I am teaching on Friday...in the realm of Toerag and Fidget!I cannot see it being too long before I am back 'Up Over'.Goodbye Badgers. Get ready Possums!

Appleby or Busk!

So...today we had one last cheese adventure before we head back to 'Blue Skies' next week.We headed to Appleby along the picturesque, but winding, country lanes of the upper Eden Valley. We noticed that there had been snow in the night upon the tops of the Pennines and so decided to make a detour to stand in it at least once on this trip.We have been thwarted many times this trip on our intended routes and, on at least four occasions, have been greeted by 'Road Closed Ahead!' signs. I think it is the aftermath of the terrible floods last year and some roads are still in need of repair.When we encountered today's 'Road Ahead Closed' sign I was about to turn around when Will said "No, take a left we can get there up that road." He was consulting the Satnav on his phone. The road we took was signposted 'Busk'.It was a very narrow lane and as we progressed it became more and more unkempt. We came to a farmstead and drove between the farm buildings before finally arriving at a closed gate. It was a dead end.So much for the Satnav. We returned to the closed road and headed back the way we had come before finding another road up to the snow.It was freezing cold up on Hartside so we didn't hang around very long afraid we might get frostbite. We headed down to Appleby and found the Appleby Creamery and Will went in for a chat with the cheesemakers and a look around their workplace. He came out about 30 minutes later with a box filled with cheese! They had sent him away with a sample of every cheese that they made!We headed on to Penrith and had brunch at Booths before wandering around the town that we used to live in. We had a drive past the house but our 'renter' was out but the place looked like it was holding up well.

From the kitchen window.

A Walk in the Woods.

Good times.

So...Since our Solway trip last Wednesday this is the first time that I finally have a moment to catch you up with our adventures...Thursday saw Storm Doris pass over us and a visit to the hospital for Mum's eye appointment which all went well apart from the fact that a parking ticket was waiting for us on the windscreen when we got back. £40!How can anyone predict how long their hospital appointment is going to take? It would seem that they expect you to overestimate and pay more than perhaps is necessary, to be on the safe side, for your parking but either way THEY win. People will put in more pound coins than might be needed but underestimate and they sting you for £40.I am going to write a letter!Friday found us walking in the Lake District. We climbed Castle Crag in the Jaws of Borrowdale, starting off from Rosthwaite and walking via Seatoller to Castle Crag. After Storm Doris had caused trouble in the Midlands she merely left a welcome sprinkling of snow upon the fell tops in the Lake District which made the walk even more dramatic and picturesque as it would have otherwise been.