gllyn
June 2018
Yes, I would have said "Nearly met expectations", but there were some issues.. I've reported a problem with the front gates. You need a lot of strength (which I haven't got at 78) to lift one of them off the cobblestones. So we left them open all week and sheep from Rydal Hall wandered in at least three times; it also meant that the garden wasn't enclosed for our dog.
One of the first things my wife found was that the freezer was covered in frost on the outside and, as a result, the door couldn't be closed. She has fixed that for the time being. There were signs of a party having been held recently, with bits of glitter, etc on the floor of the dining room. Two dining chairs have been damaged, suggesting over-enthusiasm on the part of some guests.
The only cooking we do is my boiling an egg. It took me 20 minutes to do this and, naturally, it was hard-boiled. This happened three times so I gave up. At home I turn on the hob, put on the saucepan with egg included and count three minutes once it's boiling. These new-fangled hobs fluctuate so that you can't tell when the water is actually boiling. Presumably the EU's intention is that we use less electricity but it had the opposite effect.
The gardens are rather disappointing, partly because of their sloping nature. They're just coarse grass and weeds with some trees and shrubs. On the warm and sunny days I did find a couple of reasonably level areas for placing my picnic chair in the shade at the back. The front "lawn" is dominated by a tree with very low branches.
However, the cottage is in a fine location. If you have the energy, Nab Scar and the Fairfield Horseshoe start immediately, as does the Coffin Road, and from the main road below the Rydal Hall drive there are higher and lower walks along Rydal Water, plus Loughrigg Terrace and part of Grasmere.
The bus stop is just down the drive and provides excellent and frequent services, so you could spend the whole holiday without using the car.
By the way, we have a return visit booked for next month. Any hope of fixing the gate?