Bowness: The Town

Crag Brow. Looking up the hill toward the town of Windermere.

Lake Road looking toward Lake Windermere.

One of the entrances to the Beatrix Potter Exhibition.

Vinegar Jones fish and chip shop was totally gutted by fire, but has recently reopened after a rebuild, which has maintained the look of the building prior to the fire.

The hanging baskets add a splash of colour.  

If only I had known, for I could have brought my pet dragon with me. 

The Spellbound Herbals shop.

The Royalty Cinema. 

What's on at The Royalty.

A quiet, pedestrian only, shopping street. 

Peter Rabbit and Friends.

St Martin's Church, Bowness, dates back to the 15th Century.

Despite the less than favourable weather, the every 20-minutes open top bus service from Bowness to Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere, has been operating daily for the past month. I got on this bus at Bowness Pier.

Bowness: By The Lake

Swan, one of the boats that cruise along Lake Windermere. 

A cloudy day, overlooking Bowness Pier. 

Teal is just setting off from the pier, heading for Lakeside at the south end of Windermere. 

Looking north up Windermere. Note the duck sheltering from the wind under the boat. 

A few of the locals. 

Grasmere Shops

Reekie's of Grasmere and Goody Blake's Restaurant. 

Free pot of tea anyone?

The Cumbira Cafe and Restaurant, one of many such establishments in Grasmere.

Grasmere Courtyard.

A selection of crooks.

Now they look tasty!

More food. Queues form outside Sarah Nelson's shop during the tourist season.

Grasmere

The well known local story teller, Taffy Thomas.

The William Wordsworth connection with Grasmere attracts thousands of visitors every year.

It's a shame that this particualr plaque is in need of renovation. 

A colourful cottage. 

Reays of Wigton operate a handful of bus services through Grasmere. This one is heading to Keswick.

Now which way is it? 

Grasmere: Dove Cottage & The Wordsworth Trust

The white building is Dove Cottage, near Grasmere,where the poet and writer William Wordsworth lived with his wife and family. It was formerly a pub. The building is now owned by The William Wordsworth Trust and open to the public. The Wordsworth tail in this part of the Lake District 'draws' many tourists, notably from the U.S.A. and Japan.

What a shame this intrusive sign, giving details of where you can buy a ticket and visit the shop, has been placed in front of Dove Cottage. Smacks of commercialism. It could have been done a little more tactfully?

Attractive view from the front of Dove Cottage.

The William Wordsworth Trust shop.

The gate to Smithy Cottage.

A substantial but nice looking front door to one of the cottages. 

Wilf's Cafe where many a tourist (and local) has visited. A fairly recent addition to the area. 

Lancaster Priory

Lancaster Priory is situated alongside Lancaster Castle. ARoman structure existed on the site prior to others, possibly around the year 200. A Saxon church is thought to have stood on the site from the sixth century.In 1912 excavations revealed a wall beneath the present chancel area which may be from Roman times, and a small Saxon doorway has been exposed in the west wall of the present nave.

I found the Priory to be very welcoming (as the sign states) and a very peaceful 'space' to visit.

It is indeed an impressive structure, and one that I had to myself whilst I was there. 

There are several stained glass windows. 

A view that the choir would have.

Plaques such as this one always fascinate me, with great historical detail.

The organ pipes.

The Priory is situated high above the city of Lancaster.

A final view of the Priory with part of the nearby castle walls on the left.