the mountaineer and the goth shop

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

At the beginning of May, Dawn and I headed south for a bit of a scenery change and to visit the rellies darn saath. Our goal was the Cotswolds, that most lovely of English counties, where I could happily retire if I could rob enough banks to finance a life of idleness in a suitably grand pile. Alas, it cannot be. The most we could afford down there would be a squat in someone’s wood shed I fear. But there are compensations for heading furth of “The Wall”, to the land of quaint rootlessness and parochial sensibilities. They being different hills, Real Ale with Ancient Pubs in which to imbibe and Tea ’n Bun Shops! Welcome to my rose tinted view of England! I won’t mention the current infestation of sports celebrities/presenters on the telly, crooning appallingly bad renditions of well known songs, due to the World Cup. No I won’t mention that at all, at all.

Our first port of call was Coldbeck House in Ravenstonedale. A wonderfully snug and friendly B&B on the northern edge of the Howgills, sitting in a wonderful little village which plays host to Elm Lodge, one of those magnificently English, Hammer House of Horror castellated mansions one only glimpses through towering trees and a carpet of brown leaves, on the way to the local alehouse. Flaming torches and pitchforks you expect to see as the monster is chased up the grand drive. One of those neatly maintained gravel driveways that lead tantalisingly round the corner, out of sight. So neat, yet so apparently unused, except at dusk I’ll wager, when the Master emerges to drink his fill of maidens’ blood. Now I’m getting carried away.

Cautley Spout on eBothy Blog

the mountaineer and the goth shop