Thursday, May 08, 2003

 

Day 15. Kendal. Friday 9 May 2003. Visit to Milnthorpe and Kidside

Today after another yummy English breakfast we had washing to do and we had to shift our B & B to another, our rooms were booked for our last night in the Kendal area. Olive Knowles, our B & B lady had fixed us up with her sister for the last night. So-ooooo, Anthony ran Gillian and the washing down to the laundrette... we would pick her up in an hour. On Anthony's return we loaded the car with our baggage and moved our stuff cross-country to Greyrigg Hall passing an odd sight on our way, a phone box standing in the middle of nowhere, not a house in sight. There we met Joan who showed us to our large rooms. Bags unloaded and deposited we headed into Kendal and picked up Gillian, we had timed it nicely, she was just finishing.

We then travelled down to Milnthorpe, the large village near where I used to live, it was Market Day. Parking was hard to find but we managed to squeeze the big car into a small site with the tail end hanging over. I wandered around gazing at people but I did not recognise any old faces and no one seemed to look at me in askance. Ah well, a guess a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since I last lived there.

I wondered how Anthony and Gillian viewed the market. Did they find it different or was it similar to NZ? I bought a couple of second-hand books; there was not a lot of variety of other goods, lots of clothes as at any market.

Going back to the car we then headed for Kidside stopping on the way to look at John and Edith's old house. Kidside was 1.5 miles up the road so we were there in a trice. We parked in Kidside Farm lane in the long grass and Pat looked in horror, what did the long grass hold but I flattened it for her and made a path for her. As we walked down the farm lane crossing the Stainton Beck I looked over but not a fish in sight. The beck used to be teeming with young trout. The Holly pool was still there, just the same.

A little further along we turned off the farm lane towards Kidside House then round the corner to Kidside Cottage. Everything was much the same as I remember it, the ironwork of the dog kennels was rusted out and the back-door of the cottage was now blocked and built up with a window inserted in the top half of where the door used to be. The place seemed to have an overall shabby look but that I suppose was to be expected, the cottage was now a rental place.

Gillian and Anthony took photos back and front as I told them about the place and our life there. The front garden, my mother's pride and joy lacked tender care. As an old-fashioned cottage garden, it used to look a picture with our vegetable garden at the other end looking like a bountiful picture on a Yates seed packet.

Kidside Farm and farm buildings next door to the Cottage were now converted into rental holiday units

Returning to Milnthorpe we locked for a place for lunch and settled on The Milnthorpe Cafe, it had not changed much at all. Downstairs was full so we climbed the steep stairs and found plenty of seating. Three tables were taken and the occupants tucking in to a full three course meals. I thought, people still eat their dinner at lunchtime here. Here the prices seemed to be fairly reasonable compared to the so-called cheap pub meals. I had a big plate of soup and roll for only for £1.50. I saw on return to NZ soup and roll in Hamilton advertised for $6.50.

The waitress was old and skinny, 70 if she was a day, but she ran up and down those steep stairs faster than a teenager taking and delivering orders.

Leaving the cafe we travelled 3 miles to nearby village of Arnside nestling on the shoes of upper Morecambe Bay, the tide was out and no sign of the sea, the bay is very flat and the tide goes out for 3 or 4 miles and comes in as a mini tidal wave. Fascinating to see. Very windy down here, we bought postcards and bits and pieces. There was a second-hand and small curios shop, Anthony enjoyed his browse around, so much to see in such a small place.

The wind was blowing a gale across the bare mud flats so we didn't stay long down here. Down here on the promenade front in earlier times my Mother and Father would drive down from Kidside on a warm summer's evening and park. Watching the activity around and maybe the white wall of the incoming tide charging up the flat estuary.

We had hoped to call in on our way back to Kendal at either Levens Hall or Sizerh Castle but both were closed on Friday's and Saturday's. We called again at Morrison's for a late meal and groceries then up to Greyrigg Hall. Everything was big here, the house was big, the rooms also, the bathroom was huge. The shower was not in the bath; it was square walk-in up 2 steps and through a door... marvellous. It reminded me of entering the Tardis spaceship in the TV cult program Dr. Who; to where would I be taken?

Ian was due to arrive at Oxenholme Station at 9.10p.m. Vicky took him across to Cheltenham to catch a fast direct train to Oxenholme. Anthony and Gillian elected to go and meet him off the train. The train was late arriving…10.30 p.m. I think. G & A were worried at Ian's non-appearance and no Station staff to consult. Someone offered their cell-phone and they contacted him on the late train. We too, Pat and I were worried. Joan went to bed and left us to lock up the large front door with a large old key and bigger bolts.

A long and busy day but the weather was good. The big push North comes tomorrow.

posted by OldEric 8:03 pm