Ravenglass

The weekend commenced on Friday evening 2 December with elder son Alun and partner Trudy "Strudles" and me meeting in Ambleside. I presented a slide show to the Cumbria Bird Club describing work conducted during my 27 expeditions monitoring wildlife near the North Sea Oil Terminal in Shetland.

After a few errands on Saturday morning we caught the 11.55 train from Askam, following the scenic coastal route bordering the estary of the River Duddon through Kirkby, Foxfield, Millom and Silecroft. The estuary looked especially attractive at the top of a very high tide and the sea covered all the saltmarshes. The 35 minute ride was eased with a thermos flask of hot Ribena, which myteriously turned out to be Tivoli-style glogg!

Dismounting at Ravenglass we made straight for the bar of the Holly House Hotel with suberb views out over the estuary where the rivers Esk and Irt converge. We ordered pints of the local Cumberland ale and a splendid lunch.

Jim, Alun and Trudy enjoy lunch at the Holly House Hotel, Ravenglas

After lunch a stroll through the quaint village of Ravenglass was in order, in calm windless winter's afternoon light to the sound of the piping calls of Curlews, Oystercatchers and Redshanks. There was time for another visit to the Holly House Hotel for additional refreshment before catching the 16.06 train back to Askam. Evening comprised a braised chump of pork washed down with cider.

On Sunday morning Alun competed in the annual Ulverston Christmas Pudding 10K Road Race. He finished in the commendable time of 45 min 04 sec, that is 2 min 04 seconds faster than in the same event last year.