September 10, 2018 — Coniston and the Ruskin Museum

We put the laundry in last night and went to bed. Around 3:30 AM I was hearing the washer so got up and checked to discover the very dry laundry hadn’t even started. I messed with the machine and waited until water started, and returned to bed. When we got up at 7:00 AM, the water had gone in the bottom of the tub but the top was still dry. We both messed with the machine and I finally got the manual from the Hotpoint web site. We were doing it right but the machine wasn’t agitating.

Next stop was to look up local laundromats. We ate breakfast and started for the laundromat. Ed noticed our landlord’s car had returned so rang the bell and explained their machine was broken. Jim (I assume as he’s never introduced himself) offered to do our laundry on his machine so we’re awaiting our hopefully clean clothes. We do have a drying rack!

Received our clean clothes partially dry and put them in our living room on the drying rack since it’s raining again. Gathered our things and set off for Coniston. A lovely drive partially along the lake brought us into Coniston village where we found parking and tourist information. The tourist gentleman suggested Herdwick’s (12 Yewdale Road) beside the Ruskin Museum for lunch so we upped umbrellas and set off for lunch.

Herdwick’s turned out to be a great recommendation. It’s a new building, not quaint, but the food is excellent and very inexpensive. We both got a pot of nice hot tea and the daily special of beef casserole in a giant Yorkshire pudding. It was delicious and the huge pudding great fun. We were too full to even think of dessert but their cakes were beautiful. [Herdwick's Café and BIstro, Yewdale Rd, Coniston LA21 8DU, UK; Phone: +44 15394 41141]

After lunch we walked next door to the Ruskin Museum. Part is dedicated to the artist, author and critic, John Ruskin and part features Donald Campbell who once broke both world land speed and water speed records. He died on the Coniston Water in an attempt to break his own record. After the Ruskin Museum, we walked back to tourist info to get directions to the lake and walked up over the bridge and down to the lake. There were lots of ducks to greet us. I got photos of Brantwood, John Ruskin’s beautiful home overlooking the Coniston Water and also harbor photos.

Walked back to save our car from the parking enforcer, peeled off my very wet raincoat and set our GPS for home. We got behind a huge tour bus so it took longer than it should have. Enjoyed our seeded brown bread from the Coniston Bakery along with a Somerset brie and an extra aged Wookey Cheddar, grapes and a glass of Lindisfarne Mead for supper. It is now pouring rain again . . . So very glad I bought that new raincoat.