Ayr Wednesday

Had a slow day today. We went for a drive along the coast to Troon, just north of Ayr. Found the Troon Cruising Club (at the marina) and had a coffee with a great view.

Then on to Kilmarnock for a look

then back to Alloway, just outside Ayr to see Robert Burns’ birthplace. He was born in 1759, died 1796. Didn’t know that he wrote Auld Lang Syne.

Back early to our accommodation, then Rick walked 2507 steps (2.3 km)(according to the app) to Tesco and back for minor provisions. Off to Falkirk tomorrow.

Ayr Tuesday

We woke this morning to a cool, rainy day. Gill’s back is still very uncomfortable, so we didn’t plan to do a lot today. We did visit the Old Bridge House, Dumfries' oldest house, built in 1660 into the sandstone of the fifteenth century Devorgilla Bridge. Still raining.

Too wet to walk around, so we headed south to Kirkcudbright and visited our first National Trust for Scotland property. Broughton House and Garden was the home of one of Scotland’s famous artists, Edward Atkinson Hornel. He bought the house in 1901 and made it into his studio as well as his home. He painted many scenes with children.

As it was still raining, we headed west to the coast and took our time getting to Ayr for the night. The GPS took us along some unexpected roads.

We have booked a nice B&B for 2 nights, hopefully to give Gill’s back a break. We can take our time here, walk a little and drive a little.

Dumfries, Scotland Monday

The bed last night was big, soft and luxurious. Being cooler in the Lakes District and with windows open, it was nice to snuggle under a nice fluffy doona for a good night's sleep. The morning was cool, sunny and with no wind. Perfect start. First stop this morning was a chemist in Ambleside, Gill's back is causing her some grief. Bought some pain relief stuff and were given the name of the hospital in Kendal to have Gill's back checked out. Pity about the back, it was a beautiful, fresh day for a walk. Before we left Ambleside, we had a quick look around and then had to drive up The Struggle to Kirkstone Pass.

Kirkstone Pass is at an altitude of 1,489 feet (454 m). This is the Lake District's highest pass that is open to motor traffic and it  connects Ambleside in the Rothay Valley to Patterdale in the Ullswater Valley — the A592 road. In places, the gradient is 1 in 4.

The Kirkstone Pass Inn is close to the summit of the pass. Formerly an important coaching inn, it now caters primarily for tourists. It is the third-highest public house in England. Great road to drive up and down, with all the curves. Mostly one way, so there were many stops to let cars past.

Hospital was slow, but it was worth checking out the back. The diagnosis is a likely torn muscle. Should be better in a week or so. In the mean time, pain killers. Not allowed to post photo of the patient in the hospital bed.

Different day to what we had envisaged and we got to Dumfries for the night, a very comfortable B&B, not quite as spacious as last night’s, but bigger than most..

Grassmere Sunday

After a pleasant night in a very small room, we went to the Blackpool Tower. We were disapointed to be told that the ballroom was closed as they were setting up for a function. Well, there was one door down a short passage that wasn’t locked and there was no one around to ask, so we went in. The ballroom was magnificent. This is where many international dancing competitions are held.

 

 

 

After the ballroom, we took the lift to near the top of the tower. The tower was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it is 518 feet (158 metres) tall and is the 120th tallest freestanding tower in the world. Impressive views from the top. There are 2 flights of spiral staircase from the top of the lift that were open today. It seems that they are not always open, so it was a good opportunity to climb higher. Another glass floor experience.

 

 

 

Gill’s not feeling 100%, so we headed towards Grassmere for the night, via Morrisons supermarket in Kendal to buy simple salads for tonight and a bottle of wine.

The Lancrigg Hotel we’re in tonight is the complete opposite to last night’s room and location. We’re out in the country (listening to cows mooing at the moment) in a beautiful hotel that we booked through Hotels.com a couple of days ago. We wre very surprised when we were shown to our “room”. It’s a suite, and apparently the best room in the hotel. Not bad at all for $130, (about 80GBP at the current exchange rate). To date, we’ve been paying mostly around 60-65 GBP for B&B. The Lakes District is very popular and expensive. This hotel states that they have rooms from 65GBP per person, so who knows what the suite usually is.

                         View from our front window

Blackpool Saturday

Had a slow breakfast and left the hotel around 10:30. We visited East Riddlesden Hall & by the time we got there, we were ready for coffee. East Riddlesden Hall is also a venue for weddings. (It’s a Beauford, a British kit car. Here’s the link.)

Wealthy cloth merchant, James Murgatroyd bought the manor and 2000 acre estate in 1638 for the equivalent of 6 million pounds. The building was extended 3 times. The third extension was build on very little foundation and the weight of the window glass was a major factor in the footings failing causing this part of the building to collapse. The building has a lot of character, is very attractive and small enough to feel comfortable.

 

 

Blackpool is a place many of us have heard about or seen on TV, so for no other reason than we could, we decided to spend a night here. (Sorry Laura). The number of small hotels and guest houses along with all the carnival rides and sideshows certainly shows that this a seaside holiday destination. Hopefully the weather is still fine tomorrow morning so it is worth going up the tower.

Cheadle (nr Manchester Airport)

Well the concert last night was unbelievable. 33 voices with amazing volume and range. There was also a fantastic baritone soloist. The concert was the best we’ve seen (we’ve seen 2 others over the last 4 years). Fell for the “we have CDs for sale at the back of the church”.

After visiting the local library to rip the CD so we can listen to it in the car, and after Gill’s nails appointment, we left in the direction of Manchester. We went to Quarry Bank (thanks Marilyn), a cotton mill built in 1784 with Europe’s most powerful working waterwheel. See this link.The mill is one of the best preserved mills of the industrial revolution, is now a museum of the cotton industry and considered one of the most important early textile manufacturing communities in England and, because of Britain’s pioneering role that it had in industrialisation, it is considered one of the most important mills in the world. There is so much to see there. One of the guides took us on a tour of the “Apprentice House”, where children, who worked in the mill, lived. Most of the child workers were taken from workhouses.

Llandudno Thursday

Woke up to a very light drizzle. No matter, we took the umbrella and set off. We walked around to the bottom station for the cable car that we hoped would take us up to the Great Orme (click here). Bad luck, it wasn’t running, too windy up top and we were told that we wouldn’t be able to see anything anyway. Some great views from here anyway.

We then went to see the “Home Front Experience”, in a private museum, a great display. We were distracted when we dropped into the Wetherspoon pub (was the old Palladium cinema, built in 1920) to have a look at the art deco inside.Still has the dress circles and private boxes. Very good, cheap coffee.

 

By now, the weather was improving, so we decided to take the cable tram to the top of the Great Orme. It was still too windy for the cable car to run. We’ve been up on the tram previously but it was good fun doing it again. Pretty good views.

 

There is a scenic toll road that hugs the cliffs of the Great Orme, so it seemed like a good idea to drive along it. It’s 4 miles of great views.

Saw a huge wind farm off shore  The second biggest offshore wind farm in the world cost £2bn, has 160 turbines, is eight miles (13km) off Llandudno and is so impressive with all of the elegant, slow turning turbines.

Back “home” now, to eat early so we see a Welsh Male Choir in the church just around the corner.