John & Anne Wiley

After another delicious Rosegarth breakfast I went to the kitchen and thanked our gracious, tireless hosts Ian and Sarah.

093729 Rosegarth Hosts

In gathering winds and darkening skies we departed toward London.

9339 Ratty?

The “Ratty Arms” sign at the left had given us pause upon Ravenglass arrival, but now departing we knew it’s about the cool R&ER we’d ridden. In minutes a fine mist began to fall on the unfolding countryside as livestock found shelter or hunkered down.

9354 Blown Mist

Soon it became a stinging mist as the wind picked up, and people on the train started talking about cat.2 hurricane Storm Ali coming ashore.

112536 Storm Ali Lands

Conversation turned reports of damage and even two deaths as we learned it was much worse in Ireland and Scotland. The mood and sky continued to darken as we learned that UK trains were being stopped.

9364 Darkening

But after Arnside the rain stopped and wind eased as we were passing a moody castle ruin.

9383 Ruin Near Arnside

By the time we were rolling into Grange Over Sands, locals accustomed to storms were taking a day in the park.

122754 UK Park Outing

Arriving in Preston to change trains we learned that everything to the North was now cancelled. My impression is that trains behind us from Ravenglass had also been stopped due to power outages and track blockages. The platform crowd patiently milled about deciding what to do as the intricate UK rail system quickly adapted by sending most arriving trains back South.

135856 Packed Preston

Arriving in London only slightly delayed, we checked into our hotel and went to a cafe awaiting news of our friends who’d also departed Ravenglass about the same time. We quietly enjoyed many cups of herbal tea peoplewatching at a window seat.

182833 Cafe Window

They’d booked a train North to catch the fast central main line South to London, and we learned later it was cancelled. By the time we met up it was dark with a few stars, so three of us walked the Westminster area in an unusually quiet London.

194153 Quiet Night

Tomorrow we planned to check out views from the Shard and other attractions for our last London day of the trip.

Our second day in Ravenglass we walked about a mile up the gentle grade to Muncaster Castle where we met up again with our Santa Barbara friends. They’re distantly related to the heirs (exciting for their grandkids), and were doing genealogy research. It was a fun day, and quite different from the rest of the trip.

8274 Regal Roost

More about the Birds we saw in a moment, but first we had to find a way in.

8258 Muncaster Gate

Because we’d gotten an early start, the main gate was still locked but with no cell service we couldn’t find the other gate. After walking further up the road, back down, and back up past where we’d turned back we found our friends. Inside those walls is a wonderland.

153027 Fairytale

Walking around to the front door the misty day opened enough to get a glimpse of the valley domain.

8791 Domain Glimpse

Inside the castle is a rich art gallery and museum, where we wandered the rooms imagining (and reading about) days gone by.

8820 Castle Entrance

Back outside the sky had cleared more, providing another angle on the valley.

121724 Valley Vista

Far in another direction a stout guardhouse perched on a hillock in the lingering mist.

8800 Lonely Outpost

Walking around the other side of the castle we looked back toward the entrance gallery.

143752 Looking Back

Our little group was headed to the castle’s famous bird show, our second of the day. It’s very well done, intimate (wingtips gently brushed several of our friends), and thrilling.

8342 Fly By

8983 Takeoff

The show is narrated by experts who love to introduce these beautiful animals.

8700 Free as a Bird

All of this is in the open air, but the birds choose to stay with their caring keepers. Adding to various silent owls are several other species of magnificent raptors.

8883 Expert Aviator

The second show ended with an amazing show of aerial maneuvers, chasing a lure and catching bits of meat tossed into the air in mid-flight. Quite a memory for this pilot. 🙂

9287 Fast Precision

Much as we loved the smaller venue of the first show, many of us were quite moved by this second one. Part of it was accompanied by epic music that fit perfectly with the grace of these raptors stretching their wings. All too soon we headed back to town for our last night, beginning to pack for our morning train back to London.

From our night in Carlisle we enjoyed another short train ride, taking in the Fall countryside.

8082 Country Life

Now heading West we soon met the coast, turning South along stretches of dry stone wall.

8092 Return to the Sea

Along the way we passed, and on this slower local train – more often stopped at, small towns and villages like Workington.

8094 Approaching Workington

Nearing the village of Seascale we saw a woman strolling the deserted beach, with … could that be her pet Nero dei Nebrodi at the bottom-left?

Soon we stepped off the large comfortable electric train and back in time, greeted by the whistle of this magnificently restored narrow gauge R&ER steam train pulling small open cars into its parallel station.

153255 Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway

Thus began our two nights relaxing in Ravenglass. After walking a block to our cozy B&B and dropping off our luggage we went back and bought a ride on the last round trip train out. Alas, it had a newer diesel engine so being only a few cars back we’d occasionally get a waft of exhaust. With ominous rain clouds gathering we chose one of the hard bench seats (bring a cushion) that has a roof and front window with open sides. Others enjoyed an unencumbered vista from the refreshing open bench seats, perhaps knowing the rain on our window would remain a collection of occasional droplets.

155901 Happy Family

That’s the conductor standing in the next car forward to monitor our passage over switches. It was fun passing the last steam train (engine nameplate Whillan Beck) making its way back to the station.

161337 Whillan Beck

We saw many ruins and stoneworks left over from the Industrial era, when it all presumably looked very different. This water wheel is one of the spiffier examples.

8140 Water Wheel

My love of rock formations and lush multicolored vegetation was also well nourished by the big variety on this small ride. Plant life gnawing at the wizened stone seemed unchanged since long before human eyes first beheld it.

8146 Timeless Shapes & Colors

Dalegarth Station ends the line, allowing me to unfold from the cramped car and savor the look of a stout home beneath carved mountains.

8190 Rugged Beauty

Riding back we chose the last car, spared any whiff of diesel on our gently wobbling roll through a moist verdant paradise, imagining a virgin forest here.

8224 Where Giants Stood

Too soon we arrived back in Ravenglass. Strolling down Main Street past our lovely Rosegarth B&B we stopped in at the quiet and friendly Pennington Hotel dining room for an excellent light dinner and a toast of delicious Strongbow Cloudy Apple on tap.

8252 Relaxing Day’s End