Bird-Chirping Weather near the Lakes

I will start from the beginning and the beginning was 6 am on a Saturday morning, fun! Packing my clothes and getting ready for my first trip through National Holidays tour company with my friend Erica. The day was gray like most days but there was a hope for no rain, at least according to the weather channel, so I kept my fingers crossed. We got to the bus station and got onto the bus labeled Lancaster, and this is when Erica and I realized why we stood out.  In our bus we were the youngest by about 20 years, which just made us laugh we were going on this beautiful trip to the country with older people, at least this meant the bus would be quiet :) So off we went the drive took around 3 hours to Lancaster through the rain, fog and than on to gray skies.  Lancaster is a beautiful city we started off by looking at the Grand Theater (more like the little Grand) and we were given a tour very nice like, however we didn't ask for it so when we thought we were going to have to pay we got right out of there since we just wanted to take a look. We were very sneaky or more like we just walked really fast away. Than on to the city center, the city is old like most English cities the buildings are old and beautiful.

Having lunch at the street market, their Indian food was very good! (mmm mmm) And than on to the Castle... oh the Castle. This Castle is also used for its original purpose, a court, and prison! This is the oldest working prison in the world, very cool and kinda freaky. We paid for the tour (since you can take one of the part of the Castle and Court that is not used as the Prison) and off we went. There will be no pictures of this due to some rule or another so I can't show you but the tour was very interesting.  The Castle is owed by the Queen of England who is also the Duke of Lancaster, every Queen or King also is the Duke of Lancaster because of a take over of the Crown by the Duke of Lancaster many years ago. We first saw the court room, these rooms are still used today in court cases I got to stand where the witnesses would stand and the room was so beautiful.  We than went to see the prison (the not used more old historical side), it was here that we learned about the witches that were put on trial and prison and than executed; much like the US version in Salem. The story was horrible and the cell is still in the Castle with the chains still in the ground, however it is on the other side of the Castle and 30 feet under ground.  We did go into a cell that was about half the size of my room and once we were all standing in it he shut the door and turned off the light. The darkness was so dark your eyes would never adjust and this was the last place the prisoners would be before being executed.  So in all the Castle isn't one were the Prince fell in love and married a Princess and lived happily ever after, it is one were many people have been put to death.

We than headed back to the bus to head back to the hotel and spend the night. The hotel was amazing, mostly because my room was very nice with a view of the river and the beds... oh the beds I wish I could sleep on them another night!

Needless to say it was a good night and I was rested ready for the next day. The drive to Bowness on Lake Windermere was the most beautiful drive. Rolling hills with rock walls, sheep, and the run shinning through it all. It was here that I thought I had stepped out of my life and into the pages of a book. At one point we passed this bridge that looked like it was from Lord of the Rings I wish I had taken a picture, however I was to dumb struck by the amazing beauty. Once at the lake we decided on a plan of action. Beatrix Potter exhibit house and than off to a lake Cruse.  The Potter house was out the Disney's play book, the walk through the stories of Peter Rabbit and all his friends. It was so much fun to be able to learn about an author I had read as a little girl!

After this it was off to the Lake Cruse, the sun was shinning and the birds were chirping and I couldn't have been more happy. The 45 min jump around the lake was very fun and relaxing. There are so many little islands and houses that are the biggest most elegant things I had ever seen, there weren't very many people on the water so it was nice to quiet. Oh it was so nice to be still on not hear cars, buses, or stupid loud students walking by. All I could hear was the waves and the birds... mmm what a happy place.  

It was a much needed weekend away and to sum up everything:

My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather.  ~Terri Guillemets