From Paris to Carlisle, and on to Edinburgh

We're in Glasgow today (Easter Sunday), only a couple of hours up the road from Carlisle, but we've done a full loop of Scotland since my last post! So here's an effort to start catching up before we get back to Carlisle tomorrow.

From Paris, we made our way by train to spend four days at the beautiful Hawksdale Lodge at Dalston, with a welcoming cup of tea, syrup cake, new born lambs, and a very affectionate spaniel to greet us. 

Kit takes a selfie (with friend)

Over the next few days Bec, Colin and I explored Carlisle and the Lake District - walking a tiny section of Hadrian's Wall; lovely towns and villages such as Penrith and Pooley Bridge, Ambleside and Keswick; picnicking by the lakes; and Col and I on an icy and wet ferry ride on the Ullswater 'steamer' and a warming glass of red wine afterwards in the tiny Howtown public bar (a real visit to the past!). 

Even more special though was finally seeing where Bec lives and works, so it's not so hard to imagine when we're 16,000km away again.

Picnic morning tea

Col and Bec at Hadrian's Wall

Typical of the countryside: daffodils everywhere, stone walls, and green as green …

Carlisle Cathedral, where Bec will graduate in two year's time…

Then we're on the cold and windy road to Edinburgh. We travel via the 13th century church of St Mungos and the nearby tea rooms, where Dexter the Westy had his birthday last week, with over a dozen adults, nearly as many dogs and a birthday cake; and the beautiful and evocative Dryburgh Abbey. 

Dexter takes a selfie too

 That's Bec under there (at Dryburgh Abbey)

Then finally Edinburgh airport, where we met Dane - and the four of us (together for the first family holiday since the kids were in high school) went to explore Scotland.