35 years married!

On Saturday February 28th,we finished off some packing, tidied the house, loaded the car, and set off for a week in the Lake District. It was to be our 35th wedding anniversary the next day. We went there for our 25th, and our 30th. I did wonder whether we could afford it this year. I prayed very hard before booking, I checked the hotel website, and they had a room, so we decided we would book.
Most of our holidays and family visits are self catering, so it's nice to have a break from the cooking once in a while.
We didn't leave too early, had a fairly decent run, despite road works on the M1, and stopped for lunch at Watford Gap. We drove through quite a lot of rain, stopped at Charnock Richard, then somewhere further North for a coffee. We arrived at the hotel just before 6, and were booked in quickly, and shown to our first floor room. There was obviously building work going on at the hotel, some improvements to the entrance, the steps down from the extended car park, and an area where there had been an aviary, turned into a third ground floor bedroom.
 I contacted family to let them know we had arrived safely, then we unpacked, made ourselves a drink, and freshened up and changed for dinner. The dress code is smart casual, no trainers and no denim.
We made our way to the lounge area, and were presented with nibbles, menus, and asked for a drinks order. Soon we were on our way into the dining room, which is always pretty full on a Saturday evening. The standard of food hadn't slipped at all in the intervening 5 years, although the sorbet seems to have been dropped form the main menu.
We were presented with bread, which was brown one end, white the other, hot and freshly made. I don't usually take bread, but it was so lovely. Then we were served with a little cup full of soup, and a teaspoon. The soup was chef's compliments, leek and saffron. The pianist was at the baby grand,and we guessed most of what he was playing, although he obviously had his own arrangements, and twiddly bits. We had both chosen the same meals, ham hock and guinea fowl terrine, pickles, parsley emulsion and quail egg for starters, panfried sea bream,with saffron turned potatoes, green beans, and seaweed buerre blanc.
We had intended to try the chef's recommendation for dessert, but the Spanish waiter misheard us,and thought we said chocolate delice, so that's what we agreed to. It was so mmmmm! and chocolatey, by the time we had had our coffee, decaff for me,and petit fours in the lounge we were pretty full up.
Back in our room, which by the way was huge, we relaxed, watched tv news, and then got a reasonably good night.The bed was about 6ft, seemed to be two single mattresses on one big base,and had a thick pillow top.

Our room

Next morning after breakfast we debated what to do. It was a bit late for driving 9 mile or more to Kendal to find the evangelical church, and we wouldn't have enjoyed the services in Bowness, So we decided we would walk into Bowness, have a look around, get me some tights, as the 5 pack I'd bought and was sure I'd packed were nowhere to be found. I wouldn't normally shop on Sunday, but I couldn't go to dinner in a skirt and bare legs, or ankle socks.
Tights bought we went and had a cup of hot chocolate and a Kitkat, then set off for the ferry, and a walk, to Hilltop, Beatrix Potter's old home. The road to the ferry is on the way back to the hotel, but we walked a different way. We knew the ferry had been closed on the Saturday, there was a threat of high winds, but hadn't noticed the board as we passed on the way into Bowness. As we approached the ferry, the driver  waved his hands at us, so we took it that we wouldn't be able to cross. It began to rain and was quite unpleasant, so we walked back to the hotel, thinking that we would pick up the car, and drive round. We took our boots off, left them in the car ,and went to our room. We got a bit too cozy, and left it a bit late. I consulted the leaflet ,and said 'We need to go now last visitors admitted at 3.' As we drove to Ambleside, it seemed to take forever,and when we were nearing Hawkshead, I said we wouldn't make it, so husband decided to drive around the lake. We turned off, driving past Esthwaite. As we drove along, rain turned to sleet,and suddenly we were in a blizzard, huge snowflakes, hitting the windscreen. I was pleased to see Lakeside, and at Newby Bridge,we soon found the road back along the lake. It was much nicer being able to see the lake, through the snowfall. Husband asked, 'What shall we do now?' I said, 'Back to the hotel, and down to the lounge for a cuppa'. So that was what we did. I took the Telegraph with me, and we sat in comfort, near a log fire. A lot of guests had taken refuge in the lounge, with tea, some were having afternoon tea, as some hotel packages include it. Biscuits sufficed for us, then we went back up to our room for a snooze before dinner.
That evening,as it was our anniversary, I allowed myself a glass of white wine. It was palatable, husband chose a red. It was at this hotel, 10 years ago, that he developed a taste for red wine, and takes a glass about once a week at home. The mini soup was cream of carrot, we both had the still warm bread, I chose confit of duck leg for my starter, sea bass on a sort of risotto, for mains, husband had rump of lamb, can't remember his starter, and sticky toffee pudding, and I had whiskey parfait, with shortbread biscuits. After  coffee and petit fours, we retired to our room. Being Sunday the hotel was less full.
Monday, we drove over to Kendal, had a walk round the shops, with frequent hailstorms. I bought more tights, we still haven't located the evangelical church, but I did find a strict Baptist chapel. We met up at the chocolate house, I had rose flavoured chocolate,and one of their smallish cakes, husband had a bitter chocolate, which nicely offset the rich chocolate gateau which he chose. We found a department store and had a browse and he bought some small pudding basins for his next project in cooking. I fear he is taking over my kitchen! We walked down the road,and saw signs for the K outlet, so decided to walk there. It was quite a long walk along the river bank,and I think someone had switched the signs as we crossed the river, then back. There were not an awful lot of shops, but husband managed to find a pair of Clark's shoes reduced.

Old wash and bath house

Old Town Hall

Snow capped fell

River Kent

Blue skies

We found a quicker way back into town, did some more exploring, then found a cafe for a drink before leaving for the car park. On the way we found a toy/ puppet shop.It was quite expensive, but husband found a cheaper Grommit puppet, to help keep the Grandchildren amused. It's good to have an excuse to visit toyshops. Driving back I was oohing and aahing, at the snow covered fells. For once they had been fairly bare when we arrived. That evening, at dinner we were given a small cup of leek and potato soup. For starters I had grilled Anglesey mackerel, husband had chicken terrine, for mains I had rump of lamb, he had pressed shoulder of local lamb, then desserts were panna cotta with berries for me, chocolate delice for him. I think it was that night I didn't sleep too well, possibly having eaten too much.
On Tuesday, the weather didn't promise much, so we decided to visit Lakeland, the kitchen store. it is right at the top of Windermere village, near the station. We had a jolly good browse, bought some odds and ends, and two lovely children's caps and aprons for when Nat and Lydia help with the baking. Husband bought some more stuff for his cooking projects,and having spent far too much,we made our way up in the lift to the cafe, we had hot chocolate, I had cake, which I later regretted, then we moved the car to the pay and display by the station put on our boots, crossed over the road,and found the path which leads to Orrest head. We met many people coming down, who warned us it was blowy, but well worth the walk. We were quite wrapped up with several layers, so didn't feel the cold too much. Of course as we climbed, we got warmer, but I began to wish I'd picked up my stick out of the car, especially when we reached the summit, and the last few rocks were fairly steep. I couldn't quite make it up there. It was quite blowy, we stood for a while, enjoying the view.

Part of the view

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 Windermere is 10.5 miles long,and we could see all of it. Up towards Ambleside,we could see some sort of precipitation, and wondered if it was heading our way, so we picked our way down, and walked round the streets of the village, popping into various shops. The antiques place with all the ticking, chiming clocks is still there, but they are trying to retire. We found a little cafe under the Tourist information place,and had a drink, before heading back to the car, removing our boots and going back to the hotel. Dinner that evening was sweet potato and coconut soup, goats cheese mousse, corn fed chicken and black garlic mash, followed by chocolate terrine for me, husband's starter was smoked haddock and egg, then he had pork belly and black pudding mousse, with roasted pork cheek, then chocolate terrine.
We didn't spend a lot of time watching TV,as there seemed to be so little on when we got back from dinner. We did watch the news though