(Blipping a day late because I fell asleep!)

We awoke to a mixed weather forecast but a nice looking sky outside. Discussing over a late breakfast as to what we should do with the day, it was noted that despite being our second stay here, we hadn't yet strolled around the local village of Braithwaite and thus agreed to take things from there.

Heading down the Pass on foot, some close inspection of the edge of the road was carried out, trying to find a Milestone that still appeared on some modern mapping although we couldn't find it, reasoning that it had probably disappeared during the road being resurfaced at some point.

Braithwaite was well worth the explore and really pretty. A bench was found to briefly enjoy the view towards Keswick & of Skiddaw towering above in the near distance. Narrow lanes were then taken through countryside & upon reaching Derwent Water, having a quick nosey around a marina before rejoining the tarmac to continue through Portinscale.

Here we went Giant Redwood hunting in a hotel carpark, again without success, but never mind our luck would soon change! Exiting the village across a fab pedestrian suspension bridge, we stumbled across another milestone through a wire fence. This must have been the original main route before the nearby A66 was built.

A well trodden footpath was then taken between two fields that took us right into the centre of Keswick. Fantastic, and to celebrate a fab lunch was had in the very same cafe we ate at before leaving at the end of our previous visit. We both had pasties, a pudding & the lushest caffeine free latte either of us had tasted...it was really good ^_^

As the weather was now turning we looked for something indoors to do and Ms.Arell suggested the Cumberland Pencil Museum. I have to say this really surprised me. They gave us a quiz sheet to try to fill out that in a way gave us a guided tour of the museum, where we learned lots of fascinating stuff, including all about someone who in WW2 didn't officially exist(!) and who was the inspiration for the James Bond film character 'Q'. We also found a Redwood...a Pencil, not a Giant Sequoia, but a Redwood so will take it as a win all the same ;-D

As by now the weather had really turned we decided to grab some groceries for tea and get the Bus back to Biker Base. Despite the weather forecast it was a lovely day.