Ullswater Steamers

Had a trip on ‘Raven’, one of the Ullswater Steamers, a fantastic cruise from Glenridding to Howtown and return, sun shone all the way. I was made very welcome and was even invited into the wheel house to steer.

Levens Hall

Levens Hall opened today for the season and I was there. Levens has the finest collection of Topiary in the country and the interior of the house is well worth a visit. Levens are hosting The Lakes Chilli Fest – 16-17 August – HOT! HOT! HOT!

Egremont Crab Fair

14–15 September
Just got back from Egremont Crab Fair in west Cumbria. What a lot of ugly faces there were! That’s not surprising as they were staging the annual World Gurning Championships. The competitors took it in turns to put on a horse collar (don’t ask me why!) and the one who pulled the most grotesque face was the winner. I entered but didn’t win of course, far too good looking. The crabs, by the way, refer to crab apples not the type with pincers …

Britain’s Favourite View

Sunday 9 September 2007
Wastwater has just been voted Britain’s Favourite View in the ITV television programme of the same name. I walked over Wrynose and Hardknott Passes at the weekend to remind myself of the fantastic scenery. The view truly is majestic with the steep sided screes running down to Wastwater, England’s deepest lake and the classic view looking up to England’s highest mountain Scafell Pike…. Breathtaking.

Mintfest

31 August–2 September
It was mayhem and madness, laughter and lunacy on the streets of Kendal at the weekend. Outdoor entertainers, artist and comedians from as far away as Barcelona and Paris came to entertain the crowds at Mintfest, Kendal’s international street arts festival. There were some fantastic theatre, dance, circus and music performances to see. One of my favourites was the Hair Art, where brave members of the public volunteered to let the artists create some amazing makeovers. I decided to stick to my fleecy look. There was even a vegetable trainer from France – now that’s entertainment!

Solfest

24–26 August
The summer isn’t summer without a music festival so I checked out the vibe at Solfest. This three-day event held on the Solway coast of Cumbria was a sell-out again this year. There were loads of different bands to listen to and some great free added extras like tai chi sessions, didgeridoo workshops and drumming sessions. I made a beeline for the kids arena to try out the circus skills and hula hooping lessons. On Saturday night the whole festival became a huge fancy dress party. I went dressed as a sheep, but other folks had really let their imaginations run riot!

Travelling North

3-5 August
Travelled up to the north of the county and thought it would be a good idea to look at Hadrian’s Wall and the Children’s Roman Festival. No sooner had I arrived at Birdoswald Fort than I was press-ganged into joining the Children’s Army and put through my paces in drill practice! Managed to desert after a while and went to try my hand at weaving and pottery making. After all the marching and hard work was glad to sit down and listen to some fleece-curling tales of in Roman Times...