Custom Day Tour of Northern England

 

Tour Group at Castlerigg Stone Circle

This evening I am reprising a one day tour of northern England.

This morning we departed our lodgings at Henshaw in Northumberland and drove towards our first destination of Alston. This entailed narrow, single-track roads offering superb views of the local landscape. En-route we encountered:

  • Grey squirrel.
  • Pheasants ( many).
  • Partridge.
  • Many sheep, including on road.
  • Cattle (on road)
  • A well-preserved prehistoric stone circle dating back about 5000 years.

Stone Circle near Alston. The provenance of this structure is open to question.

Photo stop

Sheep obstructing road.They are probably absorbing heat from the tarmac.

Bovine Road Hazard

Long and Winding Road, Northumbria.

Next, we drove west towards our destination of the English Lake District through more stunning scenery, including a photo stop at Hartside Summit (1903 feet). We also passed a small shooting party ( guns and dogs) out for game birds.

Shooting Party, Cumbria.

View from Hartside Summit, Cumbria

Our first stop in the Lake District was Castlerigg Stone Circle, which dates from around 3000 BC and is of the oldest such monuments in Britain.

Video clip of Castlerigg Stone Circle, Keswick


Next, we drove through Ambleside to our destination of Coniston Water (lake) where we joined the 2.30 pm cruise on the historic Steam Yacht ‘Gondola’ which dates from 1859. This proved an enjoyable trip lasting 1 hour 45 mins in brilliant sunshine and afforded excellent views of Lakeland scenery.

Steam Yacht ready for boarding at Coniston Water

Marine Steam Engine powering S.Y. ‘Gondola’.,

View from Steam Yacht

View from Coniston Water

Steam Yacht ‘Gondola’

At conclusion of the boat tour we returned to Ambleside, via characteristic narrow, winding roads and reached our lodgings about 5.00pm.

Ambleside, Lake District

Tomorrow we plan to ride on the Ravenglass Stean Railway. 

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