Monday, August 6, 1928
Sunday was a fine day and we didn’t start till after 10 AM. The road led over hilly but beautiful country and we arrived at Windemere and Bowness on Lake Windemere shortly after two. As Monday was a national holiday, the place was crowded. The lake is surrounded by large wooded hills and is very beautiful. It is bent in shape and very long and narrow. We spent the night on a hill under a tree. Today we rode through Ambleside and on to Grasmere Lake where we saw Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage and his grave in the little country church-yard. This quaint little village is completely surrounded by high and rough Cumberland Mountains. Grasmere Lake is not so large in size, but is perfectly beautiful and acts as a perfect mirror.
Leaving here we went through and over the mountains to Keswick. The road followed a most beautiful lake between two mountains. It was prettier than either Grasmere or Windemere. This lake was several miles in length and about a half [-mile] wide. Keswick is surrounded by these mountains and is a popular summer resort. This lake, Derwent Water, had its northern tip at the edge of town. The town was plenty busy and not much of interest was to be seen. From here we rode to Penrith. We crossed out of the mountains, but it took us almost five hours to do 20 miles as we had to walk so much. Have a good room here for 2 shillings.
To keep expense down I had 2 apples and ½- lb. crackers for dinner. Then we climbed a high hill to a beacon used years ago to warn people of Scotch raids. From this point mountains can be seen on every side but north. A green valley cut up by rows of trees and stone fences stretches away as far as one can see. An old castle lies in ruins just out of sight behind a jutting point of the hills. In town across from the station is another castle in ruins. There is very little left of this Penrith Castle belonging to some former Earl. The moat, a few walls, the ground plan and a cell are about all that remains.