Last year we spent the September Holiday Weekend in Tallin, the capital of Estonia. Whilst at 2 months old, I mostly slept, interpersed with nursing and greetin', my parents stayed in a lovely spa hotel just off the main square, and spent the days wandering through the impressive medieval city, drinking coffee and eating cake. Total cost, circa £1200. This September, now that my mummy has given up work to stay at home with me, we were looking for something a little more modest. Here I am, off to a poor start - my first packet of chocolate buttons (80p in Gretna Green Service Station or 33p in Iceland). This post is all about our bargain basement break in the English Lakes - can we half our budget, but still have as much fun?
At least there is no faff with packing bags and rushing to the airport. Two and a half hours hurtling down the motorway watching the Teletubbies on the DVD and you're there - or rather you're here, at The Pheasant Inn in the North Lakes - a typical English pub, with cosy fires, and a traditional snug bar for supping your pint, or not. Sunday lunch lived up to every expectation, together with sticky English puds for afters (£34).
Then a short jaunt down the road to Grasmere to Allan Bank House (£8.75 family entrance or free entrance to National Trust Members). The home of the Wordswoths between their time at Dove Cottage and Rydall Mount, it is open for the first time to the public this year, with a tag line of relax, play and be inspired. Stunning views across the lawn, a chance to write your own poetic thoughts in Wordsworth's study or binocoluars to bird spot in the Drawing Room were all a little lost on me. However, the house is full of things to delight a tiny mind - games and toys in every room, along with arts and crafts.. of course I made this little bird... ok, I might have had the teeniest weeniest bit of extra help from Mummy!
And if you're wondering why I look so enthralled here... well they had stampers with real ink! Mummy didn't realise.. and I am never so interested as when I get the chance to play with something I really shouldn't have!
No spa hotel and gourmet dinner for us though. A night in the Premier Inn (£39), followed by another in the Travelodge (£35). I didn't mind either, but Mummy recommends the Premier Inn. It is in central Kendal, the Travelodge is on the dual carriageway 5 miles outside. Premier does a tasty breakfast for £5.25/£8.25, the Travelodge doesn't have a kitchen - I mean it really does have no food at all! Mummy says that the Travelodge is a bit like the hotel from The Shining, minus the twins. No idea what she means.
Dinner was pizza. Never take a small child to a busy Pizza Express just before bedtime. We had some discount vouchers, but after an hour waiting for our pizza, Mummy complained robustly to the Manageress, and she reduced the bill accordingly. Eventually the pizza turned up, and we ate happiily ever after (£11.25).
Did I mention it rained? Gosh - every day, all the time... that's why there's no outside pictures so far... Then the following morning, it slowed to showers interspersed with clouds, and we high tailed it down to the South Lakes Wild Animal Park (Adults £13.50, under 3s free, but we paid with Tesco Vouchers, so free to us!). Did I mention before how much I like animals! The best thing about this park is that you can get really close to the animals... Daddy might say *too* close! You can feed the emus, but we hadn't bought any food, so here's my video of Daddy getting pecked by an impressed and hungry emu before Mummy got nervous enough to stop laughing and came to rescue me!
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| Wray Castle |
The other thing we liked about the park was how many animals you can get to feed yourself. We fed the giraffes. I had seen giraffes before at Blair Drummond, but feeding them made to you realise how huge they are, how soft their coats are and how very elegant they are. I was quite happy until Mummy gave me to Daddy so she could take this video. That's why I'm complaining!
In the afternoon, we went to Wray Castle (Family ticket £16.50 or free to National Trust members). Although it does look like a castle, it was in fact built at the end of the nineteenth century. You can arrive in style by boat, public launches leave from Ambleside Pier. It may not be a real castle, but I enjoyed sitting on the throne never-the-less. Again, there is lots to interest little minds, however, it has to be said that Mummy was having considerably more fun dressing up as a Princess than me! Oh well, maybe next year!
The following day. beyond all expectations, the sun came out. There was even blue sky. Breakfast at Ambleside Pier was something of a treat. I had my first panni at the improbably twee Waterhead Coffee Shop. In these hard times of world economic gloom, depressingly they will sell a wee girl like myself a bag of duck food (crumbs) for 40 pence a bag. Never mind, it was worth every cent. Have I mentioned how much I love ducks! Just as an aside, they also - bemusingly - sell empty jam jars for 30 pence each. We didn't understand it either.
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| Peter Rabbit's Postbox |
Then we were away to Hill Top (£20 family ticket, free to National Trust members), the home of Beatrix Potter, where she wrote all the Peter Rabbit books, and took inspiration for the illustrations. Mummy and Daddy brought Catherine here when she was 3 weeks old, and if I am honest, I wasn't really in a position to feel terribly excited about Mr McGregor's vegetable patch either - but it kept the olds happy, so what can I say? The shop was teeming with cute cuddly toys. No doubt I would have had at least one if Mummy was working.. but I didn't get any.. however I have survived the experience in tact.
Mr McGregor's Vegetable Patch - look closely to spot Peter!
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| A friendly sheep? |
Next we headed to Grizedale Forest for a constitutional walk. Managed by the Forestry Commission, it is hugely family friendly, with a tarmaced path from the Visitor Centre taking in a respectable mile long circuit through the wood. I would possibly have been entranched, had I not slept through the entire experience, but other children may enjoy the sculpture dotted along the way. Mummy was especially impressed by the clockwork trees, which you wind up to fill the woods with enchanting music. Back at the Visitor Centre, the food was exceptionally good, and we blew the budget on tasty soup and too many cakes (£28). There is also a fabulous adventure playground. I enjoyed the swing, but will get more from it next year!
No time left to do nothing much except head home in time for bedtime... just time for a little pit stop at Keswick... we met some friendly ducks here too...
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| Keswick Lakeside |
So what is the verdict... and what did it cost? Well, Mummy calculates that the total cost, including petrol, car parking, food, entertainment, hotel rooms and chocolate buttons was just under £300. Woo hoo! That's only a quarter of what we spent in Tallinn last year.
The acid test though - was it as much fun? Well, Daddy says he really enjoyed the Lake District, but felt it was less architecturally significant than Tallin. Mummy had a brilliant time on both weekends, and enjoyed the splurging (especially the cake) and the saving (especially feeding the giraffes and breakfast on Ambleside Pier). My verdict - well, in all honesty, my recollections of Tallinn are hazy at best. I would have enjoyed the Maple Syrup pancakes there, but I was too young to eat at the time, and besides Mummy makes a pretty mean pancake anyway. I have to say, I think feeding giraffes beats interesting architecture hands down, so my vote is for four weekends in the Lakes. I had a brilliant time!
