Sunday 15 June 2014

Messing About in a Boat

                     
It was his idea; he fancied rowing a boat for his Father's Day outing, so that's what we did and rather lovely it was.

We headed to Rudyard Lake a beautiful reservoir, just out of town, that's been a pleasure ground for local people since Victorian times. Back then a Sunday afternoon at the Lake was a welcome refuge from the smoke and smog of the city, from it's pot banks and pits. It must have felt like a piece of heaven. Kipling's parents honeymooned here apparently, hence his name. 

My parents remember Sunday school outings to Rudyard and the sides of the lake being packed with thousands of people enjoying themselves.
The sky was low and threatening this afternoon so it was quiet, not busy at all, meaning our hopeless rowing efforts went pretty unnoticed! It was beautifully still, no breeze at all and the lake surface was still as a millpond.
I could have sat back and drifted up and down Rudyard's watery reaches all afternoon, absorbed in the relections, imagining cosying up inside the cabin of a favourite handsome craft, cooking in the tiny galley and sunning myself on the deck.

Our time was soon up though but we'll be back again, with the sunshine hopefully x

8 comments:

Leisa said...

What a lovely afternoon.

SandyshoesCornwall said...

Sounds like you had a great time! I love messing about on water, and have even been drooling over a kayak brochure this evening. I think we're in for a lovely summer. Antonia x

Jay said...

It's lovely to see your photos, Rudyard lake was a place I spent many hours as a child. I have a picture of me and friends swimming there and we had a girl guide camp nearby I think (it was many moons ago). I left Staffordshire when I was 11 and haven't been to Rudyard since then.
What a perfect day you had there.

driftwood said...

such fun!

Unknown said...

Nige took the kids canoeing on there when we holidayed in the area a couple of summers ago - lovely place

Bobo Bun said...

yup, your pictures just get better and better Steph. I used to love rowing. The summer of my O'levels I meandered up and down the river with two friends on their rowing boat as the river ran at the end of their garden. Bliss. x

Heather LeFebvre said...

Oh how lovely!!!! A Swallows and Amazons adventure in my mind!!!! Would have loved to do this!!!

sweetbriardreams said...

A perfect day to mess about in a boat. The children look as though they were having fun. I would love to live near a lake and live on a houseboat. True perfection!