All posts tagged: England

The Tale of Jasmine in the Lake District

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A little girl, with little curls, came to see the hills. She read about a naughty rabbit, and went in search of thrills. She walked up Orrest Head, and looked down at the lake. But now that she was seven, it was just a piece of cake. She hiked up Wandsfell Pike, and the view was just the best. Mum took another photo, while Dad had a little rest. The Red Arrows roared above, a mountain victory! Then holding hands, they wandered home, for buttered scones and tea.

The Lake District, England

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Another highlight from 2024 was a couple of days in the Lake District. As a kid, I spent many weeks on family trips and school camps in Grasmere and Borrowdale. Back then I’d be scrambling along Helvellyn’s Striding Edge or climbing a pitch on Shepherds Crag, but this time it was gentle strolls with the extended family. I saw a red squirrel for the first time in decades, and had a lovely birthday lunch at the fabulous Zeffirellis in Ambleside, Even mid-August, it was cool and a little drizzly, but that is almost to be expected in this green and pleasant land.

Buxton, High Peak, England

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One of the highlights of 2024 was visiting the UK with the family. We were based in Manchester, but spent several days exploring the beautiful nearby countryside including the Peak District, Lake District, and Cheshire plains. Buxton is a market town in the High Peak an hour from Manchester. It is famous for its mineral water spa baths which, similar to Bath in the south of England, attracted visitors from across the country. Although we didn’t stay there, it was impressive to see the completely restored Buxton Crescent Hotel a stunning Georgian building. From the centre of town it was a short walk up to Solomon’s Temple,  a Victorian folly on the summit of Grin Low hill. Lovely area to spend a couple of days relaxing with the family.

London

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“Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” — Samuel Johnson Following in the paw prints of a notable Peruvian, we arrived in London at Paddington Station. We took the subway  metro  underground across the city to Trafalgar Square. At the top of his column, Horatio Nelson looks out over the city he saved from the Franco-Spanish fleet. On the banks of the Thames is the memorial to the Battle of Britain with the words of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” There’s a fascinating blend of old and new. The Morgan Motor Company still embraces traditional styling. But London’s double decker buses have evolved with time. The city’s skyline has transformed with the arrival of the Shard,  the “Walkie Talkie,” the “Gherkin,” and the London Eye. The money …