PENRITH

A lovely day out today with Hubby and G in Penrith.  

It's very appropriate us Hubby and I being here today because 48 years ago to the date we were married.  We had our honeymoon at Pooley Bridge in a caravan (gift from my Dad) and spent a lovely day in Penrith.  

We do tend to keep our anniversaries low key these days but, if the weather is OK, then we usually have a nice day out somewhere with someone close to us.

No problems with traffic at all today, thank heavens and the weather has been glorious.  We parked in Bluebell Lane Car Park as it's easy to find and so easy for the centre.  

By 10.30 we were parked an in a café, new to us called Dawn-Marie's.  It's a lovely little cafe and very welcoming.  It is owned by two South African's called Tony and André.  It is so lovely and ideal for us.  it is quite genteel I guess is the word, the welcome is fabulous.  G had a home-made scone and Hubby and I had a Almond and Raspberry slice which was delicious.  There is no music and it appears to be popular, which is always a good sign.  Apparently they have a garden out the back where most people head for, but personally I don't like eating outside, simply because whenever I've done it I've always ended up being surrounded by wasps or flies or both!!

The cafe is right outside St Andrew's Church (see main photo) which is where I wanted to be.  I've been through along that road before and taken photos of the outside the church but never gone inside.  Also in that particular lane is a great second-hand bookshop called Beckside Books.  It is on three floors and very well laid out.  So after coffee (and a small very delicious cake) we took G to the bookshop, whilst Hubby and I went into the Church.  

It is a pleasant church and has a wonderful arch which is painted as a mural.  Right outside the church is the supposed "Giant's Grave" (see extras).

Penrith and St Andrews also have links (somewhat tenuous I think) to Richard III.  In the church is a modern window called the Neville Window.  It was created to show off two fragments of medieval glass traditionally said to represent the heads of Richard Plantagenet and Cecily Neville - Richard III's parents.


When we were on honeymoon here we did visit Penrith Castle but didn't do so today as it would have been too much for G, so will go back there sometime.


We had a wander and visited the Penrith and Eden Valley Museum.  A small museum but informative and interesting.  


After all this we decided to go back to Dawn-Marie's for lunch.  I simply had a small jacket potato.  Hubby and G had a South African dish called BoBotie. 


Bobotie (pronounced Ba-Boor-Tea) is a South African dish consisting of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping and served with rice and vegetables in this case.  I didn't have it because they said it was curried.  Well it is very mildly spiced so I could have had it - it was delicious.  The boys certainly loved it. 


We just came home after this.  Again the traffic was light and good.  We were back home by 3.00 pm.  Plenty of time for Hubby to go to the Keg and Kitchen this evening with his friends and put the world to rights!!!!


Do take care everyone and stay safe.