One of the many locations to claim a connection to King Arthur and the round table is Eamont Bridge. The site is just to the left of the A6 before it crosses the A66 and not far from junction 40 on the M6.

A fabulous new garden centre is opening on the site of the old Windermere Garden Centre which closed years ago. Lakeland Gardens have filled the site with stunning architectural trees and shrubs.

Lakeland Gardens have been helping clients to realise the full potential of their outdoor space with professional garden design, landscaping, and maintenance services since 2004. The garden centre will be opening soon but if you ask nicely they’ll let you have a sneak preview!

Inglefield Nurseries in Staveley is a small family run business. It’s a beautiful little garden centre specialising in architectural plants, containers and garden statuary. You’ll find Staveley just off the main road between Windermere and Kendal.

This is St Gregory’s church in the Vale of Lune. The church is tiny and tucked into a sharp corner on the road. Blink and you’ll miss it. I thought it was time to re-do this post using my own photos of the stained glass. The last three pictures a thought to be from the Morris studio.

Larch Cottage Nurseries in the village of Melkinthorpe near Penrith is as good as it gets. With Itallianate ruins, rare and unusual plants, stunning statues and a gorgeous wooden balcony you can eat your lunch on. CA10 2DR

The Ravenglass and Eskdale railway, or La’al Ratty as it’s known in the local parlance, has been around for over 100 years. La’al Ratty (or Little Ratty to you and me) makes for beautiful day trip and a fun ride for all the family. While waiting for the train I had a sausage roll the size of a sleeper and the Sicilian lemonade was an offer that I could not refuse.

The video shows “Northern Rock” pulling into Dalegarth. The train is faring better than it’s namesake the Northern Rock bank which derailed in 2012.

A few words of advice from my dad…

High Dam. A lovely little tarn which makes a great background for portrait photos in the late afternoon sun. The dam at the southern end was built to power Stott Park Bobbin Mill a short distance away. The Bobbin Mill is now a museum with Victorian machinery which still works. At just under two miles this is a nice short walk with a steep start (there is also a gentler route) and your dog will love it. There is a pay and display car park which can be found between Finsthwaite and Stott Park Bobbin Mill. Alternatively, you can walk from Lakeside which is accessible by Windermere Lake Cruises from Ambleside or Bowness or even by steam train from Haverthwaite.

Just outside the National Park but well worth the effort, Saint Gregory’s Church in the Vale of Lune was built in the 1860’s and designated a World Heritage site in 1983. The beautiful stained glass windows were designed by Frederick George Simon and installed in the early 1900’s. They feature natural scenes rather than religious themes. It can be found on the A684 to the west of Sedburgh. The church has not been in use for some time and, if not open, the keys can be obtained from the house next door.

This one is a well kept secret known only to some local dog walkers, kids and a very occasional tourist. I only found out about it last year and I’ve lived here for 20 years. It’s a part of Sheriff’s Walk and you will find it just off the main road from Windermere to Bowness. If you are walking up hill you go past the Police Station, cross over to the other side of the road, go past Goodly Dale School, go past the green bus stop and turn left onto the path. If you are walking down Lake Road from Windermere when you get to Queens Road cross over to the green bus stop. It will take about one minute to get to the other end of the path. Through the gate is Moss Wood and a footpath winding through a beautiful wooded area big enough for your kids and dogs to run wild. There is a stream (beck) running through it which you can paddle in but bear in mind that although it’s shallow it can be quite fast flowing after heavy rain. Our dog has been caught out a couple of times jumping in and finding it hard going. There is even a waterfall towards the bottom of the path. Was tempted to keep this one to myself as we take our dog Sonny there most days and I love the fact that’s it’s empty. However this place is exactly what this blog is about so I had to do it!