"Most people don't do the walk to Keswick in one day," says the guide book, "this is due mostly to a lack of accommodation in Great Langdale," (or maybe some place else). I think the reason is that the quoted mileage is 15.5, but it is really over 18, and that is too many miles, especially if it is raining—it was—and if you want to stay awake for the production at Theatre on the Lake, which I most assuredly did. That Theatre on the Lake is nothing short of a national treasure. Not only is it right on the shore of Lake Derwent, and not only are there sheep grazing in the meadow on the non lake side, but the theatre is elegant in every respect. The men taking tickets and those showing you to your seat wear tuxes. It is that elegant. The production, Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, was hilarious and brilliantly acted. What a joy!
Even though I was in a hurry to reach Keswick, the scenery was so compelling that not stopping to take just a few photos would have been close to sinful:
Tell me that these magnificent walls do not outdo that built by Roman soldiers, AND they are for a more sproductive purpose:
Enough stones left over to make a bridge:
Famous sculpture en route to Keswick:
In Keswick (rest day) is the Derwent Pencil Museum. The process for making a pencil is, as you can see, quite involved:
There was much to be learned at the museum, but the most signifiant little exhibit was of this man, whose name I do not recall, who, apparently, influenced the character of James Bond. Inter alia, he figured out a way to make a map on non rustling tissue paper, fit it into a hollowed out pencil, then got someone to design a mini mini compass that would fit under the ferrule holding the eraser, and get said map-and-compass-pencils to prisoners of war and other people to help effect escapes and such. Of course, his work was very hush hush.
Lake Derwent:
Between my very nice B and B and the theatre was a beautiful park. This sculpture is reminiscent of the boar of the other day, only this one has no mud and it is not of a boar:
Our friend, the red squirrel, again:
Today's walk, from Keswick to Caldbeck, has two versions. The fifteen mile version goes over the highest peak in the area, and the eighteen mile version, which is 19.36, is the low route. In bad weather, one is discouraged from taking the high route. The weather was bad. The low level route was nothing to sneeze at in terms of challenges and length. What was not shrouded in cloud and mist was gorgeous, but weather too bad and distance too long for picture taking.
Oh, on this route, there is a small section of a field one has to cross that used to have, and maybe still does, a buzzard that periodically attacked walkers, so I was prepared to do battle with this creature by waving my poles. But the guide book was published in 2011, so maybe Mr. Buzzard is dead or he was hiding out to escape the rain. In any case, he did not show up.
Tonight I am in the most luxurious Bed and Breakfast ever. After a long, wet, windy day, oh, how good that feels!
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