Tapp's Travels

We’ve seen some odd sights and signs while we’ve been trudling round the nether-regions of the North Lake District.

There’s a man after my own heart!

Some signs are distinctly worrying, like the indicator of the flood level in Cockermouth.

I’m really not quite certain why I’m smiling.  That’s the indicator of the flood level reached in November 2009.  A good six foot of water at this point, and it reached over eight feet deep in places.  The mouth of the River Cocker, where it flows into the River Derwent, is about 100 yards behind me.  This was the third, and by far the worst, flood in four consecutive years.  It was caused by a period of unprecedented rainfall in the region.

In the years following this episode, many millions of pounds have been spent on flood defence work in the town.  The Environment Agency has built walls, embankments and flood gates (some of which are self-closing) along the Cocker and Derwent rivers.  These help protect hundreds of vulnerable homes and businesses which were prone to flooding.

I hate to think what the insurance premiums must be in the town.  If, indeed, insurance can be bought!

Last year the town’s court house suffered a bit of a collapse – possibly as a result of flooding undermining the foundations.  The authorities here are clearly only dealing with open-ended cases.

Other notable ex-residents of Cockermouth include William Wordsworth of daffodil fame and Earl Mayo, one time MP for the Borough and,  later, Viceroy of India.

September 5th May have been quiet in town, but earlier that year Earl Mayo was assassinated in the Andaman Islands!

We had seen Caldbeck on the map.  I kept calling it Colgate – like the toothpaste.  Kathleen and Dave, proud owners of a static caravan on the edge of Cockermouth, had suggested it would be a good place to visit.  So we did.

As we approached the village, it became clear that we had been there several times before.  Isn’t it great when memory fails?  You can re-discover places without travelling too far!  One thing we did see was the school bus emptying it’s cargo of newly-returned-to-school students.  The total load was just one!  Later, in the Oddfellows Arms, we saw the reason for lack of children…

In the pub there was also a bit of science …

… and outside, some English literature …

By the local garage-cum-general-store there was a very “useful” road sign …

Actually, that afternoon we were set to visit two of the places mentioned!  But London wasn’t one of them!

In Hesket Newmarket we passed the Aptly named “Old Crown” pub.  Allegedly, one of Prince Charles’, now King Charles’, favourite watering holes.  But it was shut.  Maybe open at 5 pm – or maybe not – according to locals.

And in yet another pub, this sign was proudly displayed in the area where the old codgers hang!

As seen at a coffee stop…

Just jealous!

Before we left the Lake District we visited a few haunts from the past.  Specifically from our honeymoon.  The top of Langdale Fells is a bit out of reach these days!  But we hit Chesters at Skelwith Bridge (a shadow of its former self) for coffee and cakes.  Then we walked to Elterwater along the River Brathay, and into the Langdale Estate – an up-market time share place.  It was originally a gunpowder factory, then, much later, the Pillar Hotel where, for a grand total of £73, 14 shillings and 4 pence, we had full board and lodgings for five days during our honeymoon!

The first night of our marriage we had spent at the Pheasant Inn at Bassenthwaite.

During a conversation with the manageress, when she heard of our most recent (and only!) stay at the pub, she rushed off into the basement and returned with the visitor book from 1970.  Obviously, all hotels keep their records for at least 54 years!

There we are near the bottom of the page!. That’s the best “sign” ever!