Grayrigg & Manchester

While you were sleeping.........

Had another experience with nuked food. We decided to do the buffet continental breakfast at our accommodation this morning in order to try and have an early getaway.

There was a message beside the croissants suggesting that if you wanted your croissant warmed, ask the staff to do it for you. I thought to myself, "hmmmm a warm croissant, that sounds tasty," and asked one of the staff to warm one for me. When the smiling waitress delivered it she warned me that the plate was quite hot. I

wish she had warned me the the croissant was also quite hot. It burned my fingertips when I touched it and when I tried to put the knife into it, the whole thing deflated like a pricked balloon. Should have had it cold. Get the idea about how hot they like their food in these parts?

Grey and drizzly weather as we headed off towards Grayrigg. A small hamlet of about 240 people. The village only has a church and a primary school. No shop and to my great surprise, no pub. Despite the small population, the church is quite impressive. Grayrigg is where I have traced the Robinson ancestors back to. Great-grandfather Edmund Robinson grew up there on a farm in the household of his maternal grandfather.

I wandered through the churchyard wearing a plastic poncho to keep dry, trying to read the old, weathered and lichen clad headstones. Found two with the name Robinson inscribed on them. Might lead to further information.

Continued on along the same country roads until we came to Tebay. We went into a pub there to ask direction onto the south-bound motorway. Here we met a beautiful black German Shepherd and his sister.

A bit scary entering the motorway getting up to 80mph. But once travelling at that speed all the traffic flows quite smoothly and the rental handled really nicely at high speed. Imagine cruising on the Bruce Highway at 130km.

Reached Manchester in good time but because we had asked Lucy to take us on the scenic route to our digs, she guided us through the centre of the city and on a very wriggly route through the suburbs to

our destination. We have decided to ask her to take us on the quickest route in future.

Got settled into our room at Luther King House which has a beautiful tranquil garden and grey squirrels busy gathering and storing their food for the winter. Later went for a walk looking for dinner. The main street just around the corner has a restaurant strip known locally as the "curry mile" according to the chap on reception. So, our first curry in the UK tonight. The people in the street are an interesting mix and the clothes and jewellery in the shop fronts are all unfamiliar to my eyes.

Early start tomorrow, flight to Belfast and onward to Castlederg and the Gallens'.

Right, Lancaster. Bed in tiny museum and Queen Victoria Statue.