Contributed by Trudy Baggett
On my recent trip to England, my daughter and I had a very short time in London (less than two full days) . We arrived at Heathrow 2:30 on a Thursday, we had that night in London with a nice walk and excellent dinner out at Dishoom. As we had both been there several times before we didn’t need to do the usual tourist stuff so we walked or used the tube to get around. Mostly it was about where to eat and what shops to see. We were fortunate to have ideal weather.
Our Hotel, The Tavistock was a great location. We took the Tube (Piccadilly Line) directly from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Russell Square. About an hour, then an 8 minute walk to the hotel.
At Covent Garden we had brunch at The Ivy. We loved these old places. The bathroom was something else as it was very much a unique loo.
We then went by train to Penrith in the North Lake District (a three hour journey). Euston Station was again an easy walk from The Tavistock. In Penrith we stayed at the North Lakes Hotel and Spa.
They are well suited to serve the many hikers that come to this area. The restaurant was excellent. Cumbria is all about lakes, rolling hills, farms, cottages, sheep and numerous dry-stone walls. It is also home to a UNESCO World Heritage site.
All day Saturday we were with our friends in the country and on the lake. More exploring Penrith on Sunday morning then back to our friend’s cottage for lunch.
The North Lakes Hotel and Spa.
The castle ruins in Penrith are very prominent, directly across the street from the train station as you arrive and was built on Roman ruins.
Traditional Sunday Roast Dinner at the Pub.
The countryside
Back to London and another scrumptious Pub meal. The next photo is taken across from the amazing Liberty Department store. This old Tutor building reminds us of what it was like living in the 1500s. They are hard to find as 2/3 of the city was destroyed in the great fire of 1666.
On our last half day in London, we were keen to find the Peggy Porschen Bakery I’ve been following on Facebook for years. So, we went bags in hand on the Tube to Belgravia, a beautiful area of London.
From there, another quick Tube ride to the V and A museum. The Museum of Natural History is also near by and there’s no entry fee for either. We only had an hour there, but you could spend days, then back on the Tube to Heathrow and home.
A truly amazing Mother/Daughter trip exploring London and the Lake District in 6 days!
“We do not remember days, we remember moments!”
Cesare Pavese
