Lodge Penrith 25.9.20 copyright J Whitbread

Lodge Penrith 25.9.20 copyright J Whitbread

Late 2020 and most of the year has been lost to covid.  At the moment the restrictions are limited and we have a week booked (Friday to Friday) at hot tub equipped caravan near Penrith with the intention of spending the week sampling some of the culinary and physical delights of the Lake District.  Penrith is a little further from the area we usually visit – but we have never really been to the Northern end of the Lakes so this will be a little different.

The lodge is not available until 4pm and with past experience of the M6 we set off in plenty of time – indeed for once the traffic is not as difficult as it might have been – although I rather think we used the M6 Toll road to avoid some of the worst of the traffic which can occur.

So it is hardly a surprise when we arrive at the check in point (in the pub) well over an hour ahead of the magic opening time.  Obviously in such circumstances we all hope for early access – but inevitably with the extra cleaning now mandated it is only a few minutes early that we are allowed to roll in.

View from Lodge 25.9.20 Copyright J Whitbread

View from Lodge 25.9.20 Copyright J Whitbread

This is a very nice upmarket establishment with peacocks wandering around between the lodges.

In the evening we dined at Allium at Askham Hall.  The food was excellent but the sommelier seemed to think that trying to get Jackie to drink a reisling wine was a good idea and thereafter it did not go so well.  There are things she does not like and that is one of them as she complains they all smell of petrol.  As I am driving I am not drinking very much!