cartmel is a village just outside of grange-over-sands. on our last full day in the lakes, we took to springbank hill for a view over everything the light touches, and - besides getting lost on the way there, not wearing the right shoes to climb said hill, or knowing exactly how to get back down again, it was bloomin' gorgeous. while atop the mountain, i flailed. you guys know i love a mountain flail, but what made this flail better than the last, is that this time there was an actual soundtrack to my moves.
"oh mother, i could never get lost up there, that's my mountain."
that's right, off in the distance, down in the tiny village, was the abbey bells crying out to announce a wedding paty's arrival. it was literally like the opening credits of 'the sound of music', and i may have sung out at the top of my lungs, regardless of the sunday hikers (and rebekah's) disgust. oh well! with the crystal clear sky and the snow-topped mountains as my backdrop, i had not a care in the world.
when we'd finally made it down (i had so walk down the mountain sideways like a goat, gripping the tufts of grass with my boots where i could... damn heels), we jumped in the car and drove into the village. with the wedding in full swing, we weren't able to go inside the ancient priory but spent a good while wandering the grounds, digesting the headstones, taking in the beautiful stained windows and gothic architecture.
we explored the narrow cobbled streets in the village, snooping in high windows and scrabbling for warmth in the bright doorways of the local shops, until hunger pangs hit...surely you've heard what cartmel is world famous for; it's the home of sticky toffee pudding of course! when in rome...
now, i can hand on heart say that the pudding was easily the best i've ever had. the giant dessert was drowning in sauce, and with the super creamy ice cream melting on the side, it was pure heaven. sadly, we had been eating badly for almost six days straight, and my intolerance to sweet things was very, very high. i ate as much as i could, but i hate to say it... i was defeated by a pudding.
and defeat has never tasted so good.
