Holiday in the Lakes and Borders

**cessna152towser** · 16th April 11, 03:33 PM

My week's holiday with Hayat started by meeting her when her train arrived in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh is a cosmopolitan city with international cuisine and I took her to lunch at a restaurant where she would feel at home.

We went to Keswick in the English Lake District where we walked along an old rail trail.

The old train station at Keswick now forms part of a hotel.

Dusk by the shore of Derwent Water, near Keswick.

Another day, another lake, walking on the sparsely populated west shore of Lake Windermere.

There are few amenities on the west shore so we took the ferry across to Bowness where we had lunch.

Back on the west shore, Claife Station was built as a tourist facility about 1780 but is now a ruin.

The view across Lake Windermere from the Claife Heights, looking east towards Bowness.

Ambling around Ambleside.

We drove over the Honister Pass, where we stopped and visited a slate mine.
More to follow shortly.

**cessna152towser** · 16th April 11, 03:41 PM

Later in the week we made our way north via Hadrian's Wall. Birdoswald was a Roman Fort, and later a fortified house near the England/Scotland Border. The present farmhouse was built in the 19th century.

Lambs shelter from the rain in a Roman cooking hearth.

We stopped in at the Horse and Hounds at Bonchester Bridge where we met a kilted Dutch lad.

Next day I took Hayat around Jedburgh. First we visited the Lord Compositor's House, the last survivor of four fortified houses in the town, now better known as Queen Mary's House as it contains an exhibition covering the life and times of Mary Queen of Scots' including her visit to the Borders in 1566 when she stayed here.

The Banqueting Hall, Mary Queen of Scots House.

We walked up the hill to Jedburgh Castle.

Its not a real castle. Actually it was a jail, built about two hundred years ago in the style of a castle, on the site of the much earlier Jedburgh Castle.

Round the back is the prisoners' exercise yard from where we see the barred windows of the cells.

One of the cell corridors.

Cell.
More to follow shortly.

**cessna152towser** · 16th April 11, 03:46 PM

Coming down the hill we passed Prince Charlie's House on the left, where Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed briefly. Below it on the left is a fine group of seventeenth century buildings. The main street in Jedburgh is very much like a smaller version of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, with its old buildings, and narrow closes leading off to other rows of old buildings.

Down at Jedburgh Abbey the staff were resplendent in the Historic Scotland tartan.

Jedburgh Abbey is an Augustine Abbey dating from the twelfth century.

From the balcony.

A final shot from inside Jedburgh Abbey.

**Downunder Kilt** · 16th April 11, 04:49 PM

Fantastic Alex, another great travelogue that gets us armchairs travellers out to places we would love to be able to go to. Looks like you and Hayat had a great week on holiday

**KiltedDixon** · 16th April 11, 05:38 PM

Great Pics!...as always. You have a good eye with the camera.

**JSFMACLJR** · 16th April 11, 06:59 PM

Excellent pics, Alex...as always!

**English Bloke** · 17th April 11, 03:21 AM

Superb shots Alex. Some of my favourite places there. Imagine having a Roman fort in your front garden.

**A Hay** · 17th April 11, 10:11 AM

Thanks for the Pictures Alex.

Vicki and I stayed at a farmhouse B&B on Lake Windermere more than 40 years ago. I think I remember that pass on the road north to Edinburgh!

Looks like you both had a good time.

Best Wishes,

Tom