Day 8
Bodnant Garden, Lake District
Today, we leave Wales for Keswick in the Lake District. But first, a morning in the 80-acres of lush greenery at Bodnant Garden. I spent most of my time trying to photograph the River Hiraethlyn that ran through the Dell. I got one decent photo out of it (see below). The visit to Wales made an impression on me. I realized this only after I returned home and noticed most of my souvenirs were from Wales. They are a constant reminder of my time there - of the hearty food I enjoyed, the natural resources and crafts I learned about, and, especially, the people I met.
Upon entering the Lake District, we stopped in Grasmere to visit William Wordsworth's grave and stretch our legs a bit. I bought some Kendal mint cakes, the local candy mentioned in the guidebook, at the chocolate shop. Then, we left for our final destination of the day, Keswick. We had fish and chips for dinner, followed by a hike to Castlerigg Stone Circle and a well-earned nightcap.
<
>
Photo above:
Bodnant House
My one decent photo of the river
River Hiraethlyn
Winter Garden
The Wordsworth graves
Breathtaking view from my hotel room - well worth all those stairs!
Castlerigg Stone Circle - it was dark by the time we climbed the steep hill to get here, so capturing this was totally unexpected