C2C Day 5 Patterdale to Shap November 2010

2 months have passed since 4 of us tackled Day 3 & 4 of The Coast to Coast walk, in what could be described as perfect conditions for walking.
Finding accommodation for this walk was a little easier than the last stage, due to the time of the year, perhaps.
Staying in Patterdale on the friday night, we drove north from Elslack for about 2 hours til we finally made it to The White Lion in Patterdale, our overnight accommodation.
Having enjoyed a hearty meal and a brisk walk with the dogs, to settle them down for the night, we all retired to our rooms quite early. We had a long day ahead of us and a relatively early start.
On waking the next morning, we were in for a big surprise, though we shouldn't have been, as it had been forecast all week....yes, you've guessed it...It had snowed heavily overnight!!
Memories came flooding back from Day 1 & 2 of the walk, back in April, but we couldn't help but laugh!!
Setting off later than planned 9-30 am we left Patterdale in beautiful sunshine..and found ourselves several hours later in a complete 'white out'. The fog had come down and visibility was practically nil! Fortunately, we were with 2 experienced fell walkers/runners who came equipped with compasses.

The photos don't show the tough conditions at the top, as it was just too cold to get the camera out and the views were non existent, due to fog.
The last photo shows Haweswater at about 4pm when we still had another 4 miles to walk! Hence, we walked the last 3 miles in pitch black..with the help of a couple of head lamps.

November Snow

Winter arrived early in Elslack and the rest of Yorkshire at the end of November. We reached very low temperatures, though not as low as January of this year.

The best thing about the snow, in my opinion, is the opportunity to take some great photos of the house and garden.

C2C Day 4 Grasmere to Patterdale

We woke to another promising day, weather wise, with a definite 'nip' in the air. A car was taken to the end of the walk (Patterdale) before breakfast and by 10am we were making our way up the 1st mountain!
The 1st hour up to Grisedale Tarn was tough going but well worth it for the views. Absolutely stunning. I took over a hundred photos in the 2 days of walking!

Helvellyn and Striding edge were discussed, as this is part of the walk, but not recommended with dogs.However, we didn't completely get away without another climb. Margaret pointed out 'Sunday Crag' which was just as impressive. So, after 'not much discussion' we headed up the mountain once more.As we climbed, we noticed the mist was coming down very slowly over the top of the mountain. We'd just sat down to eat our lunch when we thought we better move on. And thank goodness we did, because 1 minute later we were surrounded by mist and the temperature had dropped. 5 minutes later and Ulswater was in full view! By 2.30pm we were sat outside the Patterdale hotel with beers in hand. Another 9 1/2 miles had been ticked off the 190 miles of the C2C walk

Coast 2 Coast. Day 3 Rosthwaite to Grasmere

5 months ago, 2 friends, Webster & Tyskie and i set off to St Bees to start the C2C walk.

On Saturday we finally returned to Rostwaite to continue our walk. The weather could not have been any different from that day back in late March. The sun was shining and the sky was blue, though a little chilly.
For this leg we had a new member in Peter.
We drove from Yorkshire early Saturday morning but by the time we put all the cars in position, beginning and end of the walk, it was already 12 '0'clock.The walk was only a short 9 miles today, but as usual Margaret managed to talk us into another 3 miles without us evening noticing. It well well worth the detour, as we witnessed some pretty spectacular views. The day was finished, for Peter and i in a pub in Grasmere, whilst Penny and Margaret went back to Rostwaite to pick up the car. A very satisfying days walk and our limbs were aching nicely!

Chica, our new resident!

Sunday night saw the arrival of Kevin or, as i kept calling him 'Keith' and his dog Chica, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Now, when the booking was made i must admit i wasn't so keen on the idea of a Bull Terrier. However, to cut a long story short we have ended up keeping him until Kevin returns from his trip back home to Amsterdam!!
Chica, has turned out to be an absolute pleasure to look after and is a relatively 'trouble-free dog to look after. Most peoples initial reaction to Chica is of trepidation, but after only a couple minutes in her company, find her a bit of a softie, though she does tend to 'nip' when she is being affectionate!
The challenge was always going to be 'will she get on with Webster & Tyskie' when they come to stay?
Well... as i write, all 3 dogs are fast asleep in the lounge!!
The 'challenge' was when Harvey the Bulldog came to stay on Thursday. Chica discovered her 'voice' and wouldn't stop barking at Harvey. Fortunately, Harvey was only a day boarder so we coped.

So, to Kevin..... his story...the short version... He had been away from Holland for 2 weeks whilst his wife packed up their house, ready to leave the country and re-settle in Yorkshire.
Elslack Grange was his last stop before catching the boat to Hull, but not before leaving Chica at the kennels nearby.
It wasn't long after meeting Kevin that i offered to let Chica stay here until he returned in 10 - 14days time.
He was 'over the moon' and phoned his wife immediately.
On reflection, one might wonder 'whether he will be back for Chica' or 'he doesn't know me from Adam' yet here we are, all strangers and putting our trust in eachother.
Ours wonderful guests from Newcastle whom i told the story to, have 'other thoughts' and are going to check my facebook and twitter for up-dates!!

So far, all our guests this week have been surprised by Chica and her personality...long may this continue.

Regular visitors to Elslack Grange

My guests this morning left very happy andd there were hugs all round. Not only were they complimentary about the house and gardens, but they said that Webster and Tyskie, the 2 regular dog guests, really made their day!!
They also said they liked my Banana cake and breakfast too, but they loved the dogs more!

How could you not love Webster, the working beardie collie??!!

Tyskie needs a husband!

Tyskie, my ''part time'  2 year old Labradoodle is in search for a Mate. She is a 1st generation Labradoodle and is looking for someone similar with which to have fun with!

She is a typical labrador in the fact she eats 'anything' if she were allowed & has the 'bonkers' personality of a Poodle! This makes her a lot of fun but can be a handful, especially in her early years.

If anyone reading this knows of a male Labradoodle looking for a 'girlfriend' please let me know.  She needs to mate early next year.

As you can see by her photo, she can be very well behaved...but there was probably food involved to keep her so still!

New website going live this evening...fingers crossed!

Having had the new photos of The Grange taken a few weeks ago, i haven't had the time to meet with my developer, Lee, from 'Kohd' in Embsay, Skipton, to arrange to have them uploaded...until now.
However, after uploading the photos and making them into headers, i realised they made the current website look 'tired'!
Therefore,we have spent a couple of hours this evening 'tweaking' it!!
It looks like a whole new website and it makes me want to stay there!!! as a guest of course!!
Incidently i have made a subtle name change to the B&B! Changed us from 'The Grange' to 'Elslack Grange', which it was known as 50 years ago. It also prevents any 'confusion' with other 'Granges', which they are many and are B&B's!
Will still need to make some minor changes on the site once live but nothing major.

Beautiful cars!

This Bank Holiday saw a small group of MG owners converge on Elslack Grange for the annual Dales Run.
2 of our guests travelled from as far away as Lanzarote for the 'meet' and the other 2 from Suffolk.
My favourite MG, not pictured on this page, but hopefully later, was a White Classic 1961 MGA. The other, pictured alongside my dad's Etype Jag, was a more modern MG, V8 but equally as stunning.
Tonights guests are coming up to Colne, Lancashire, to perform in Colne's Annual blues festival!
Life is never dull here!!

More new photos

Just a few of the new photos for the website

Elslack Grange Oak Staircase

Tony Speight of Carte-Blanche Photography, Embsay, Skipton, took a few photos for me for the website. Thought it was about time i had them done professionally.
Am very happy with the results.

New website photos

Today i paid an ex-boyfriend to take photos of our b&b rooms! 'One' does anything to keep the costs down!!
Really looking forward to the results. Just hope they don't make the rooms look far better than they are!!

Plenty of off - road parking!!

To cut a long story short..... my father came to visit yesterday and he accidently 'hit' the accelerator instead of the brake!!! Luckily not too much damage, but his pride was severely hurt!

The end result!

The hot tub move!

Shortly after James finished sealing the pond and filling it, we gave him his next challenge....to move the hot tub into a more secluded position.
All he had to do was dig a very BIG hole, put some cement in, build a wall and build a limestone rockery around the back!! Oh and put some fencing around it to make it more private. Simple!! Oh and do it all in soaring hot temperatures!
The photos shows the result so far.

Acres Room, new ensuite!

After some late nights and early mornings Karl finished, (as much as he could) the new ensuite, just in time for the guests to check-in on the Saturday 19th June. We did end up sending the guests out for a walk whilst i put the finishing touches together and serving wine on the patio!!
I should mention that these weren't my 1st guests in the new room...!
The night before, we had a slightly worryingly moment, when a couple arrived to check in to the Taylor Suite and they weren't the guests i was expecting!!
To cut a long story short i checked them in and then hoped and prayed the next guests weren't going to turn up soon. Karl then proceded to start painting the bathroom and i hurridly moved beds into the room, made them, cleaned and put all the 'bits n pieces' together eg. chocolate, kettle, cups etc.
However, the shower was out of action due to the sealant not being dry enough.
Happily, the guests were ok about everything as their mate (the groom) was in the Garden Room and they were ok to share his bathroom.
So, after much panicing and rushing about, it all ended well.

New Ensuite work re-starts

June 7th is finally here. The day Karl promised to come back and finish what he started 7 weeks ago.
Have been keeping my fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong. Don't know why i'm so paranoid!
Yesterday, Tuesday, we came across our 1st problem. The built- in toilet unit, with shelf, won't fit as intended. We have come up with a compromise but now i'm going to need a separate shelf. If that's all that goes wrong, then i'm a happy girl!
The photo shows the room before Karl starts 'messing about' with it!

Fireplace installation

After 5 years of struggling to get the lounge warm, we have finally found a logburner that fits perfectly and actually generates heat!
Just 2 weeks ago, Terry and i started talking again about getting the fireplace 'sorted'. We were sick of having a cold lounge, yet the fire 'looked great'. The problem was it never gave off any heat with the glass doors shut.
So, by chance, we received a leaflet through the post from a new company in Skipton.
I went to se the fire and actually saw it in action and i was impressed. It was also one of the warmest days of the year that i visited!!
One week later and they came to install the first one. I say 1'st' cos we decided to also change the dining room fireplace which was an open traditional fire. Weve never lit it since 1st moving in, as we were led to believe the chimney flue was damaged and would cost several thousand pounds to repair and make good with a flue liner.
So, within 2 weeks of 'talking about it', we now have 2 installed fires and i can't wait til the winter!!

Pond work!

It's been a while since our pond looked like this... 5 years in fact, when we first moved into The Grange.
Over the years we have clearly had a leak, which naturally has caused the level of the water to go down, to just below the pond lights. We've put up with it for some time, but after a cold harsh winter, the rendering has cracked and is looking a bit of a mess.
So, we've hired our friend James who has a wealth of talents to repair the damage and find the leak! No mean feat!!
We have a few wedding guests including brides and grooms staying over the summer so ideally it wants to be finished by then!

Rooms upgrade

After much moving of furniture and as a consequence only having to buy a new dressing table for the new en-suite, we are now putting the final touches to all the rooms.
The new 19" LCD TV with built in DVD arrived this morning for 'Acres Suite'. The old TV from here has moved into the Garden Room and the 'huge' portable TV from there will be finding a good home.
Terry will putting his DIY skills to the test this week when he attempts to put a TV bracket on the wall to fix the new TV. He has until Friday when the next guests arrive! No pressure then!!

Not a good w/e

So, after my cancellation on Friday, due to Volcanic ash, i decided to ring my next guests that were due on Friday morning for 2 nights.
Good job i did. They were settling themselves in nicely at The Grange at Hellifield and they weren't budging!
So, that's 3 nights lost bookings.
Just had a phone call this morning.... another cancellation due to the guest's friends being stuck in France!! Looks like it's going to be a quiet week.

What an interesting day!

I thought i'd heard every excuse for having to cancel a booking until i heard this one, this morning!!
Due to volcanic ash coming from an eruption in Iceland, all filights into and out of the UK have been cancelled!!
My guests, due tomorrow lunch time, for a wedding at The Tempest Arms have therefore had to cancel, as they didn't anticipate leaving Spain in the next 12 hrs!!
My husband is also stranded, but in Paris. He was on his way back from a business trip in Atlanta!!
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47650000/jpg/_47650708_c466_260_volcano_ap.jpg

Tuesday - Golf day!

So, it's been sunny and warm for the past 4 days but not today!! Always the case on a golf day!!
Having dug out my short sleeved golf shirt i ended up putting on a rain jacket. It was bitterly cold.
A pretty good round of golf, then off to the supermarket as guests are due sometime today.
Dogs also back in residence - Tyskie the 19 month Labradoodle and Webster the 5 yr old Bearded Collie.
These 2 dogs spend nearly half their life at The Grange and have their own guest room - the laundry!!
I recently spent 2 days with them on the Coast2Coast Walk which they really enjoyed. It was Tyskie's 1st Big walk.

Booking mix up!

I was expecting 2 ladies to check in on friday around 4pm. They were late..... 24 hrs to be precise! they turned up at 4 pm on Saturday!!
Unfortunately, i had already managed to sell one of their rooms (they needed 2 singles) at 9 pm Friday night, after having spent 2 hrs at the pub complaining about my absent guests!!
What are the chances of this happening?.... very slim. I don't think i've ever been able to re-let a room out so quickly.
I managed to find the 'late' guests alternative accommodation, which was quite lucky, otherwise they were going to have to sleep in our loft!!
They were very good about the whole situation and in the end admitted blame. They did say in their email 9th and 10th but what they meant was the saturday and sunday which was the 10th and 11th.
They said they would tell everybody about us and i gave them a leaflet to leave at Tarn House, Stirton, where i'd sent them!
So, all in all a poor w/e in monetary terms!!
My single lady who is currently staying with us, has extended her stay by 1 night.... every little helps!!

New reference books for myself and the b&b too!!

I bought these useful reference books for myself this week.
Since i've just started the Coast2Coast walk last week and intend finishing it by the end of the year, i thought i'd get some inspiration!!
I bought the Pennine Way book because i feel i don't know enough about the walk and it goes right past my doorstep!!
The next big walk perhaps!!

April 7th 2010 in Elslack!

Why would you want to live anywhere else when you can have views like this from your back garden?!

Grange Cottage to rent

Our cottage next door, Grange Cottage, is back up for rent after just 6 months! The tennants gave notice 4 weeks after moving in due to changes in work circumstances.
It's a lovely refurbished 2 bedroom cottage with a hand-built kitchen and a cozy lounge with a log burning stove.
The tennant before, a 70 year old lady loved the cottage and vowed to stay forever!! However, that wasn't the only thing she fell in love with!! The local 'logman' 'wooed' her and she now lives 1 mile further in to the village!!
She clearly still loves the village.

Changes to Acres Suite

The 1st stage of making another ensuite at The Grange has begun. Soil pipes in, walls drilled through and floors ripped up and put back together again. Now we have to wait for Karl to come back from his Easter break and then finish off another job in Scotland!!

We're looking at Mid May for him to start again!!
Nevermind, i know it will be worth waiting for....but i want it NOW!!!!!!

I can't believe that 10 years ago, when we were renovating, we talked about putting another ensuite in, but couldn't justify it. Isn't hindsighta wonderful thing?!!
The photo of the bedroom is 'Now' ( chairs carefully positioned to cover new pipe!)