The onset of spring here at Howtown is always welcome regardless of the weather and this year we have certainly seen a mixture of sunshine and showers accompanied at times by a very cold wind. However now into the second week of May the sunshine is back and hopefully here to stay for a while although the Lake, even this early in the season, is low due to a lack of rain. It will be interesting to see if the Low Water Mark at KalePot becomes visible again this year as it did last – a real indication of lack of water in the region.
Strolling the gardens with Mrs B. is always a pleasure, her knowledge of the plants and where they have come from, brings back memories of many friends who have contributed to the garden over the years.
Speaking just this morning to a couple who have visited the hotel for the past 33 years, it brought to mind a saying from Mrs B as we walked through the grounds of Howtown House; ‘a garden is just a collection of friends’ and the Hotel guests too I feel are a collection of friends, some friendships made decades ago and lasting through the years.
Another welcome sight at this time of year is that of the newborn lambs, and I must admit I have grown rather fond two newborn Herdwick lambs in the front field of the Hotel - they are just so cute and it is incredible that they will grow up and thrive in the harsh mountain environment of Fusedale where the grass can be sparse and the weather testing.
For visitors to Howtown a trip to Martindale to see the bluebells is a must. From Martindale Old Church the whole area is covered in swathes of blue from one end of the valley to the other. Of course, we may be considered biased, but it truly is a sight to behold and, which we don’t feel can be bettered anywhere in Lakeland.
We are always amazed to see what goes on in this small hamlet on the ‘quiet’ side of the Ullswater. The last Bank Holiday weekend saw the tearoom and walkers bar full to capacity with groups who were taking part in a 3 day orienteering event lasting from Saturday to Monday. Just how they orienteered themselves to the tearoom and bar, as part of their task we are not quite sure but they were all certainly very welcome.
On the same weekend there were history talks held in and around our ‘village hall’ The Bobbin Mill and we were grateful to be able to join the group for a short while. We heard a tale of intrigue and subterfuge; of ‘spies’ taking refuge in Martindale and the local policeman cycling from Shap to investigate, only to find that the two ladies in question had departed by steamer before he arrived. One of our local residents gave a talk on the history of the Bobbin Mill, whilst another walked us through Martindale from Medieval times.
Howtown Hotel is at the very heart of this vibrant community and we came away wanting to know more. The Historical Society have agreed to come back and repeat the talk in the Bobbin Mill at a later date, we will keep you informed as to when and where through the website and social media channels.
As we sit enjoying our coffee and a couple of the home-made sausage rolls for which the tearoom has become renowned, it is clear that ‘the boat has come in’ and the tearoom fills up very quickly, time for us to move on..................
Latest Bridge News:
It has been officially announced that the temporary crossing at Pooley Bridge is to be replaced starting on the 1st September 2019, we will keep you informed of further developments