Up early and the washing was started by 7.30am. After it had finished and even though it was raining, we went to Kendal (8 miles away from Windermere) and visited the Museum of Lakeland Life.

The museum had interesting street reproductions from the past including the pre-Marks and Spencer store selling everything for a penny (don’t ask the price, it’s a penny).



Upstairs there was a recreation of Arthur Ransome’s study where an amazing collection of memorabilia and personal effects belonging to the famous author was on display. Things of interest included his typewriter, upon which many a novel was written, along with framed original ink-on-paper illustrations from his books hanging on the walls. Amazing for anyone who has read any of his books.



The rest of the museum showed all sorts of items and tools associated with different local trades and industry. The blacksmith, the baker, the cotton reel bobbin maker :-)

At the end were some rooms from a middle class house showing the furnishings, as they would have been at the time.

Outside again, still raining, we stopped at a Chippy for a heart-warming snack.

Back in the car, after some touring of one-way streets and taking some ‘turns not permitted’, we found our way to K Shopping Village where a few factory outlets sell to the public. Clarke Shoes – seconds and all – are not what you would call cheap, so we didn’t buy anything. There was a display of K Shoes advertising over the last 100 years and a display of an old K Shoes Shop, all of which seemed terribly appropriate given a certain someone’s love of shoes.