Lake Bassenthwaite, where we
stayed, is reputedly the resting place of King Arthur’s sword, Excalibur. The
legend may have inspired Lord Tennyson who wrote Morte d’Arthur and Idylls of
the King, whilst staying at Mirehouse, overlooking the lake.
The place that really took our
breath away was Castlerigg – literally for it is a two-mile walk from Keswick,
the latter part up a long and very steep hill. Overlooking the stone circle is
Bencathra, reputedly where King Arthur and his knights sleep. Something very
easy to believe for those that way inclined. Coleridge was one so inclined,
describing Castlerigg as a ‘Druidical circle (where) the mountains stand one
behind the other, in orderly array as if evoked by and attentive to the
assembly of white-vested wizards.’
Mrs Radcliffe
According to one
of her biographers she was ‘exquisitely proportioned…. especially her eyes,
eyebrows and mouth.' It was rumoured she died insane because of her writing
though it was more likely she died of a brain haemorrhage.
Tosh of course since Castlerigg
predated the Druids by a thousand years or more.
Built approx 3,200 years ago in the
Neolithic/early Bronze Age, the largest of the 38 stones is 16 tons. I hope for
the sake of those Neolithic builders the stones were close to hand. The thought
of them dragging it up that bloody big hill brings me out in a sweat.
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Some argue its purpose was
essentially astronomical, others that it was a thriving market place for an
early axe industry. Now it's a place of peace and knocks Stonehenge into a cocked hat.
4 comments:
That's my kind of trip. Poor Greg might have to have knew surgery durst. He's really struggling now. He's finally decided it's time to get a diagnosis.
My commiserations to Greg, to you both. I hope it's done, Greg gets a new lease of legs - and that it's not too expensive. Are you insured? I'm very confused over your new set up ref Obamacare - a curse or a blessing?
Sorry for all the typos. I was on my phone and auto correct was having its way with me. That and I was on a tour bus constantly bouncing up and down.
We went to San Antonio. Because of Greg's knees, we opted for as little walking as possible. It's a shame too because San Antonio is really a walking city.
We did do one bit of strenuous activity and I scheduled it for our first day since I knew his leg had been well rested. I can finally take visiting a cavern off my bucket list. :)
If you have pictures, that would bring back memories. What cavern did you go to? I went to Carlsbad caverns, but to my shame I can't remember exactly where they are situated now. That reads ambiguous. I'm sure they're situated in the same place - which is more than can be said of my memory
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