Another year, another first trip away. The problem about going away this time of year (March) is you can’t guarantee the weather, but we were very lucky,It only rained on the morning we were packing up ready to leave. Which to be fare we could have done without.
Meathop Fell Club Site in the Southern Lake District and about 3 miles from the nearest town. As normal with a C&M Club Site its well set out with plenty of room between each unit, very clean facilities with plenty of warm showers.
Arriving on a Tuesday and after setting up we had a short walk to Meathop. Which is a very picturesque wee village although mostly gentrified there does appear to still be a working farm there.
The following day the temperature got up to 16 degrees, a miracle at this time of year. From the campsite the nearest town is Grange-over-Sands a very pleasant 3 mile walk.
The town developed in the Victorian era from a small fishing village and the arrival of the railway in 1857 made it a popular seaside resort on the north side of Morecambe Bay, across the sands from Morecambe. The "over-Sands" suffix was added in the late 19th or early 20th century by the local vicar, who was fed up with his post going to Grange in Borrowdale near Keswick.
In 1932 Grange Lido was built on the seafront, and remained in use until 1993, in 2011 it was listed Grade II. There is a campaign to restore and re-open it (as 2019). The River Kent used to flow past the town's mile-long promenade but its course migrated south, away from Grange. The sands or mudflats with dangerous quicksands became a grass meadow now grazed by small flocks of sheep. Following sustained easterly winds in the early part of 2007, the river began to switch its course back across the bay.
(Wikipedia)
There are some really nice shops and eating places in town including a great second hand book shop called Daisyroots, obviously we did not come away empty handed. The promenade offered plenty of seating to enjoy our piece while sitting in the warm sunshine.
The town has a Railway Station that runs between Barrow-in- Furness and Lancaster. The station, which runs adjacent to the Grange-over-Sands Promenade, was opened on the 1st September 1857. The building itself was designed by E G Paley for the Furness Railway Company and is a very picturesque building.
We again visited the town a couple of days later with the express intent of partaking of a fish supper at the highly recommended Fish over Chips. Excellent and a good price so i would pass on that recommendation. We followed this with a return visit to the Tides Restaurant for cake and hot chocolate.
A walk recommended by the camp site took us back through the village of Meathop along roads and across fields down to the coastal path along side the estuary by which we sat, had our piece and watched the tide come in. A very nice walk which was around 6 mile return.
From the camp site a one mile walk took us to a bus stop where we were able to catch a bus directly into the market town of Kendal. The centre of the town has formed around a high street with some interesting alleyways, known locally as yards ,off either side. Its shopping centre, has as normal these days, lots of charity shops.
We decided to have a walk up Castle Hill to Kendal Castle. Built around 1200, the stone castle was built to replace the wooden motte and bailey. Built on a drumlin (a glacial hill) it was the sat of power and administration for the Barons of Kendal for over 200 years.
On the death of the last Baron in 1571, the castle gradually fell into a ruinous state and today only parts of the castle wall and one tower remain.
One of the advantages of being up so high is the chance to enjoy wonderful views across the town and its surrounds.
Another enjoyable holiday completed. As i said before, weather exceptional and camp site first class.
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