Copyright: Michael Coatesworth.

Last revised: January 07, 2007

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Time for a Cuppa!

The Magazine

For all the Family

My Trip to the Lakes
By
Mike Coatesworth

It was a fine sunny spring day with just a hint of a breeze, in fact it was so beautiful that Neil and Lesley took me to "Kendal and Windermere" in the Lake District.

The roads were fairly quiet as we took the A65 and headed towards Ilkley. For that time of the morning there weren't many folk around, which surprised me, as usually on a Saturday morning the area is packed with shoppers. It was a straight road to Ilkley and as I looked out of the car window across the wide-open countryside to the base of the hills just beyond, I couldn't resist taking a picture of it, as it was so scenic. "One day I will live in a place like that," I thought to myself.

Soon the 15-mile journey to Ilkley was over and we had decided to drive through the town centre rather than around it, just in case there was anything interesting going on. Sometimes there is a carnival and because I live out in the sticks, I sometimes don't get to hear of it. As we drove slowly through the town, this was the complete opposite to my village of Guiseley, the whole of Ilkley was vibrant with shoppers and traders selling their wares, and buskers on the street corners playing guitars trying to earn enough money to buy a Cuppa!

As we left Ilkley, we were still on the A65 and heading for Skipton, but rather than take a detour into Skipton itself, it was decided that we stay on the main road as we would make better time, we were after all heading for the lakes and if we kept making detours, we would never get there!

Keeping my camera handy, I was ready in case I came across anything interesting to take pictures of. I didn't have long to wait, and with the sun now bearing down on us, the heat inside the car was almost unbearable and we had all the windows open. On my left I saw the beautiful lush green grass of the open fields that spread for as far as the eyes could see, and right in the middle of this scene stood a lone farmhouse built out of Yorkshire stone. It looked so clean, not the usual soot stained stone that you see in the towns, but this farm building looked almost new, even though I was aware that because of the style of the building, it had probably been standing since the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century, and being in the open it was exposed to the elements of nature.

"Well if the outside walls are clean," I thought to myself, " then this must be a healthy place to live".

Neil was driving at a steady 50 miles an hour and I positioned myself the best I could and aimed my camera and took two pictures, Neil had kindly slowed down a little to ensure that I got a clear shot.

Further on there were other scenes that I got some great pictures of, Sheep with the young lambs suckling for the milk, other isolated and interesting houses, but nothing prepared me for the next scene that I came across. We had just passed the Skipton turn off and were now heading towards the town of Settle. I had just finished loading my second reel of film, and I looked up and to my left. In the near distance were rolling hills of various colours, green, brown, reddish brown, and yellow. I knew what immediately what was making these hills stand out, it was the heather that was beginning to blossom out in the warm spring weather. Even near the roadside there was plenty of this wild heather that grew in parts at least three feet high and the colours at such close distance were striking, and this was only a small portion compared to the amount that filled the hills beyond, it is a sight that I will not forget for a very long time.

We were now only a few miles from Kendal; and almost at the lakes. The only part of the Lake District that I ever visited before was Keswick. So all this was a new experience to me. As we entered Kendal, we found it was a one-way system and the roads were packed, so it took quite a while to find a place to park, but eventually we did. Neil pushed my chair around first and after I transferred into it, we decided that the first thing that we needed was a Cuppa! But although Kendal is a wonderful place, we were to find that most of the town was not Wheelchair friendly. We passed 6 café's before we found one that didn't have steps and we were able to enter the establishment only to find that not only was it full, but the proprietor had placed so many tables around that it was virtually impossible to get past the front door. So we searched for other places, but in the end we decided that as it was such good weather that we would have a take away.

We had fresh fish and chips and a Cuppa, (but as Neil was being served, all the customers witnessed one of the assistants being scolded by her boss for making a mistake, he left her in tears, I think he should have taken the girl to one side and done this, not in front of his customers), we then went to a local bench where Neil and Lesley sat and we had our early lunch outside. At least most of the streets were wheelchair friendly and it wasn't too difficult to get around, but as for entering shops, that was another matter, as most of them had steps. I did manage to get some great pictures of Lesley and Neil, and Lesley took some of me. And although Kendal is a great tourist attraction with plenty to see, I'm afraid it is not on the top of my list for wheelchair visitors, and although they do have one or two wheelchair toilets, they were not very clean! The town was now becoming packed with tourists and getting around was more difficult, so we decided to head on to Lake Windermere.

Windermere is only 8 miles from Kendal and I was excited as I saw the marina filled with boats of all different shapes and sizes, and although there were tourists filling up most of the whole area, it was easy to find a parking space. As soon as we alighted from the car, there were disabled toilets nearby and they were very clean!

As we left the car park, we headed for the Marina, as this was where most of the tourists were heading, and manoeuvring my chair along the footpaths was not too difficult for Neil.

This was a completely different atmosphere from Kendal and a lot more wheelchair friendly, and I knew instantly that I could easily spend two enjoyable weeks here, and even the local pub had a lift to the bar. As we arrived at the marina, I was in awe at the scenery.

There were not only the small craft in the marina, but three passenger diesel powered Yachts, and they were named after birds that at the present time that I was there, occupied the waters in abundance.

There was the M.V. Swan, (aptly named after the swans that swim in the lakes, and of which I enjoyed feeding) this is 142 ft long (43.3m) and 25 ft wide (7.6m) and carries 533 passengers and has a range of facilities on board such as, Refreshment bar, Licensed Bar, Promenade Deck, View Stations Centrally Heated Saloons, and has a speed of 11 knots.

Then there is the M.V. Teal, (named after the duck that can be seen swimming alongside the swans) which is the sister ship to the swan and virtually identical in length, speed and facilities.

The third passenger Yacht is the M.V. Tern (named after the seagulls that can be seen flying around and landing anywhere there is food, I even saw a couple land on the backs of the swans!) This yacht is 145 ft long (44.2m) and 18 ft (5.5m) wide. It was built in 1891 as a steam powered yacht, and then converted to diesel power in 1956. It has a speed of 11 knots and carries 350 passengers.

But what makes this yacht really interesting is the fact that it was requisitioned during the Second World War and used as a patrol boat on the lake and as a base for testing mine laying techniques, as H.M.S Undine.

The whole trips around the lakes range from around "one and a half hours to two almost two hours", so you can imagine the size of the lake. After we had another Cuppa, we looked around other areas of Windermere and I was delighted with the friendly atmosphere of all the locals.

Lesley and I had two games of "air hockey" and she beat me both games, and I have yet to be able to beat her at this game, but to hear her laughter was a joy to behold! We went across the road to a craft marquee where the locals were showing off their wares that they have personally worked hard at creating and now displayed for the tourists in the hope that the highly crafted items would bought by the visitors.

This was my first ever visit to Windermere and I was delighted with the small village as soon as I had alighted from the car.

It was a clear blue sky with the sun beating down as I sat underneath the sweet smelling pine trees, with just a hint of a breeze that gently moved the dark green pines, which acted like a fan and prevented me becoming overheated. As I looked across the lake at Windermere, past the white diesel powered yacht sailing along, full to the brim with tourists, to the rolling hills at the other side of the lake, surrounded at the base by a huge forest, which looked ever so inviting. "Not in a long time have I ever seen such a peaceful and wondrous place," I thought.

To my left was the low hum of the abundance of visitor's mouths as the words that were emitted from them showed how excited they were to be part of this enchanting place.

To my immediate right and just below me, a smile appeared on my features as I watched the gracious white swans preening themselves as they swam gently around; one of them was asleep and completely unperturbed by the intrusion of the teal that joined the swans in search for food, as well as these beautiful birds, there were the sudden arrival of the tern in their hundreds. I think this was due to the fact that I was feeding the swans and the teal with food that I had purchased previously specifically for this purpose, and the tern were trying to get their share.

After a while the tern moved away towards the tourists further down the lake, and once again it was peaceful, with just swans, the teal and Lesley, as well as myself and Neil lying out on the car blanket satisfied to do nothing but soak in the tranquil atmosphere.

Further up the lake to my right was the marina, filled with craft of all shapes, sizes and colours. Occasionally one of these boats would emerge and begin its tour of the lake that is so big that one of the 145 ft long white yacht's travelling at a speed of 11 knots can take almost two hours to do a round trip.

As I looked at the calm waters below me, a long brown rowing boat past by and the couple in the boat waved to me as they passed. They looked so happy, and contented with their arms around each other whilst the oarsman took them across the water. This brought some of my memories flooding back to when I was a youngster.

"I want a trip in a rowing boat," I suddenly blurted out, which startled Lesley so much that she fell the short distance from the stump of the tree that she was sitting, and landed on poor Neil causing him to sit up suddenly and makes his eyes water as the wind was knocked out of him.

For a moment I thought there was going to be a row, but Lesley began to laugh, and what a delicious laugh it was, so much that it brought tears of joy and happiness to my eyes just to hear it. I'm so glad that she is my daughter. Just being around her makes me smile, she never has a cross word and always puts others before herself. Her laugh was so contagious that both Neil and I couldn't help but join in.

"Daddy, you don't have to shout," she stated calmly, " look at poor Neil!"

Neil was now doubled over and the tears that emitted from his eyes were tears of joy, well at least I think they were, although he did appear to be gasping for breath a little in between his laughter, he probably had the wind knocked out of him when Lesley fell on him. After a few moments he recovered enough to get up, and soon he was okay again.

We headed towards the marina where the rowing boats were moored, and this time it was Lesley who was pushing my chair, as Neil, who was walking ahead of us appeared to be still in a little discomfort as he walked along like John Wayne used to do after being on a horse too long.

At last we were at the rowing boats and we found a friendly local villager willing to take us across the lake, and with a lot of help, I was finally in the boat waiting for the others to get in for our trip across this wondrous lake of paradise.

For me, this was a trip that I was really looking forward to, and one adventure that I hadn't had in a long time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I relaxed back in my seat as the oarsman began to row us towards the middle of the lake. The regal swans parted as we approached, they appeared completely at ease with our boat and after we passed them, they returned to preening their white feathers.

A slight noise to my left made me look in that direction and we were greeted by the waving of hands from the trippers on board the long white yacht that was quickly overtaking us without hardly a ripple in the water, which surprised me as being so close to it, I had expected a huge deluge of water in its wake. We smiled and waved back.

Our oarsman was experienced and was completely calm, and on seeing this I relaxed to enjoy my trip. On our left we could see the tourists walking up and down the bank of the lake laughing and appearing to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. On my right the huge forest stood high to attention, like soldiers awaiting inspection. Oh how I would have liked to get out and walk through the undergrowth and feel the leaves beneath my feet as I had done so many years before.

We were now passing and island in the middle of the lake where there was a flurry of activity. Birds must have been nesting there as there was plenty of young around supervised by the older birds, it was possible they were teaching them to fly? I smiled to myself as I watched a young teal duckling trying to get out of the water onto the island, although it took several attempts, it finally made it and the other ducklings gathered around as if praising it.

We soon left the island behind and by now the oarsman didn't even look tired, it was as if rowing across the lake was an every day occurrence to him and he made it appear so easy.

Lesley and Neil were sat back with their arms around each other, and Lesley appeared to be in a dreamy state as she looked around this idyllic paradise. She reached out and took hold of my hand and asked if I was okay.

I smiled and informed her that I was having my best day out in a long time.

After a while the oarsman stopped rowing and placed the oars in to the boat, "I'm just having a rest me hearties," he laughed, as he settled back into his seat.

We knew that he had done this deliberately so that we could fully enjoy the peace and tranquillity that had now enveloped us as we were well into the middle of the lake and the only sound was the gentle lapping of water against the side of the craft as it bobbed gently up and down. This oarsman certainly knew how to give his customers their money's worth. At that particular moment, I just closed my eyes and the sweet smell of pine wafted past my nostrils as it was carried across the lake by the gentle breeze that delicately stroked my face, I was completely in a different world from that of the Yorkshire moors.

I really do look forward to my next visit to Windermere, but next time I am going to stay longer. And although I was a little sad to leave, hopefully I will be back again later in the summer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note: No part of this story can be reproduced in any way without the author's written permission. All rights remain with the author.

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