A beautiful day, blazing sunshine and barely a breeze; just begging for us to take the boats to Coniston.
For a change we left the west of the lake alone, choosing instead to launch from Bailiffs Wood car park about halfway along the lakes east shore. A very easy launch site with the car park across the road from the lake and a total carry of perhaps 20 metres; well, it was hot!
Making certain that we had some marks to identify the landing point on our return, Sue and I headed north along the shore; plenty of other folk had the same idea as us; kids swimming, canoes, SOTs, sailing boats, from decent sized cruisers to mirror dinghies, racing - great to see so many folk out on the water. The sailors seemed pretty chilled rather than competitive; we were easily out pacing them and for those that were moving, it was paddle, rather than wind power that was giving them any advantage.
After an easy hour we were on the beach at Coniston slip where tea, scones and ice creams were taken, sitting in the sun watching the world (and its many dogs) go by. Duly refuelled, we headed back past Coniston Hall and the sailing club; the yachts were still on the Lake, seemingly going nowhere in any kind of a hurry. Before long we picked up the marks indicating the car park, best part of 6 miles paddled. After some soggy fun and games, each taking it in turn to play rescuer and victin (of a capsize, not indigestion) in water that was verging on warm, it was back over the road into the car park where we were duly fed upon by swarms of horse flies. Ah well, no such thing as perfection...
Coniston Hall - big chimneys were a 16th century status symbol!
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