I cannot come to this part of the world without seeing Lincoln Cathedral. When my parents returned to England in 1968, they lived in Thonock Close, just beyond the cathedral grounds, and I got my first glimpse of the church towering over the Lincolnshire countryside in September of that year when I flew over for a visit. I was suitably impressed and remain so every time I come back to Lincoln.
Started in 1072 under the reign of William the Conqueror, it was originally designed to be in the Norman style. But it was not completed until 1311, and by then the original design had undergone several modifications resulting in the Gothic masterpiece it is today. From its completion in 1311 until early in the last century, it held the title of the world’s tallest building, although its tallest spire has since collapsed.
Lincoln always reminds me of my parents who lived and died here, Dad passing away in April 1995 while we were serving at the Black Forest Academy in Germany, and Mom in November 2013 while we were living in Malaysia. I have fond memories of my many visits to see them over the years, with walks, pubs, and teas shops still warm in my mind. Every arch and alleyway resonates with their presence. It is my fervent hope to see them both in heaven when I arrive, perhaps with a half pint of bitter and a Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry in hand.
For reasons likely beyond our pay scale, Teach Beyond has two offices in the UK, one in Horsham and one in Lancaster. Having never been to the Lancaster office we decided to combine mission business with a trip to the Lake District, one of our favourite parts of England. We booked a room in Orten, just on the eastern edge of Lake Windermere and found ourselves in a charming little cottage with a chocolate shop and a lovely little coffee shop/bakery nearby.
After the obligatory visit to the office, we headed out to Lake Windermere and began our tour of the area. We started our little tour in Ambleside on the eastern side of Lake Windermere, and it was just as delightful a village as you see in the tourist brochures. Parking was an issue, as always in this country, but we are learning to grab the first site we see and just walk from there into town. It is a few more steps but avoids the hassle of endlessly looking through town.
Finding our way back to the car, we made our way around the southern end of the lake and back up the western shore to the Wray estate. This is a vast and sprawling property with gorgeous views of the rolling hills leading all the way down to the lake. The Wray estate was one of the first properties acquired by the National Trust, gifted by Sir Norton and Lady Barclay who along with Beatrix Potter had bought land around the lake to keep it out of the hands of developers.
The estate itself had been lovingly preserved, and we spent a most pleasant afternoon strolling through the property and around the grounds back down to the lake. Overhead we could hear the roar of UK Airforce jets screaming by on maneuvers, a remind of the flight training that this country had offered to Ukraine to prepare them to fly the French Mirage fighter jets.
Despite the cool breeze coming off the lake, the day was sunny and bright and the ground dry underfoot. The path down to the lake was well travelled by early tourists such as ourselves and was a gentle climb both down and back up that brought a smile to our faces and joy to our hearts. We count ourselves so very fortunate to continue to have good health so we can enjoy these little adventures well into our seventies.
Making our way to the south of the lake to Colton, we stopped for tea and scones at a café overlooking Windermere and the steamers that take tourists up and down the lake to see the countryside’s rolling hills and villages. The patio deck was glassed in and we were happy to sit in the sun and sip our tea. Then it was a short drive back to Kendal where we found a little pub with a table by the fire for an early supper before heading back to our little cottage. It had been just a glorious Spring day and a great encouragement to our spirits.
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