Colne Valley Beagles and other things of interest.: A LAKE DISTRICT TRIP

OLD HALL FARM, BOUTH.

On our wanderings around the Lake District we came across two places of real interest we had never seen before. The first was Old Hall Farm at Bouth. I should have known about it as it is advertised on the main route of the A590 on the way to the part of the Lakes to which we were coming. I had seen the sign but ignored it as some sort of children’s touchy feely animal thing. So while travelling along back roads we dropped on it by accident rather late in the day. I saw a sign about a farmhouse café first and fancied a coffee. As it turned out my interest was taken and I forgot the coffee until it was after closing time. What a wonderful interesting spot, even if you have had no contact with farming. It's the sort of place I would happily volunteer at if it were near home. It is a farm where people can get involved. Old Hall Farm -

Old Hall Farm - website link

Tack room

No not a magnet but a hydraulic riveter. Interestingly the Countryfile TV programme on the BBC on the day we got back, 24 July, featured Old Hall Farm and showed this kit in use along with the crane.

This traction engine is being built from scratch and is a Fowler B6 Big Lion Road Locomotive. Link to article

A fascinating shed full of stuff.

These aren’t just static displays. The board in front of this was offering driving experience.

The stove in the Living Van has seen some use.

Well, not everything is in running order.

Blacksmith’s shop

Saw mill.

There must be a reason threshing machines always seemed to be that pink colour.

View down the yard

There were some beautiful stalls and harness. I always think the collars are a work of art.

The donkey is called Erni

The miniature Shetlands require a midget farrier to shoe them I think.

One of the wonderful gentle Shire horses.

The big boy, Troy, is the one on the right nearest the camera.

Being turned out for the night. All super fit working horses in fabulous condition.

THE ROYAL, DOCKRAY.

Dockray is near Ullswater and we happened to pass The Royal on the way to Dowthwaite Head when we saw these sculptures in wire on the pub wall.

Just so you can orient yourself here is the signpost near the gate.

So we came back for coffee and took a closer look and enjoyed this wonderful pub. But here is the creator. Link to sculptor

It appears Michelle Castles is located at The Royal. What a fantastic talent.

While I was there the barman seemed occupied with guests and I found no one around who I could talk to about these wonderful sculptures.

But I’ll be back.

Classic cars too. A friend who eventually emigrated to Canada to make his fortune started off with one of these Isettas in the days when anything motorized on wheels was a dream for us. Don’t suppose this was his. He can always say he started off with a BMW although he is definitely not a BMW type of bloke. (Edit - He tells me that he is definitely not a BMW type of bloke and that it was a Heinkel Kabine that he had which, with its curved glasshouse top and slightly more elongated streamlined rear, is more stylish than the Isetta. My favourite for style is the Messerschmitt KR200 though).

The windscreen washer is just small squeezy bottle dangling on the end of a thin plastic pipe from a nipple below the screen near the wiper. Copyright image by David Swanbury