Carlisle

Jammy Face

Friday, Matt took a day off.  As our cheap train fares are about to end we decided to go to Carlisle again on the train.  So we went back to Ribblehead Station and got the northbound train to Carlisle.  Tom again was very good, watching the scenery go past.  I took a whole load of 'things to do' with me on this journey and the York journey and didn't have to get anything out at all which is great.

Our plan on arrival to Carlisle was to walk down to the railway arches where there is a very big cake shop next door but one to a cafe with a model railway = heaven for all of us.  However, we got there to find the cafe had gone and the cake shop due to move next week.  The cafe has relocated to another town, but luckily the cake shop is moving closer to the station, so all is not lost.

We were a bit lost as to what to do for lunch so asked at the cake shop and were directed to a cafe not far away from the shop called the Old Engine House.  It was a fantastic place.  Very very good food, all local produce but sold at very reasonable prices.  We couldn't quite believe our luck.  We were very luck to get a table, people were queueing up and happily waiting half an hour or so for a place.  We did feel a little young as it was mostly retired folk in there, but we didn't care, we were on to a good thing.  It is going to be very hard to go anywhere else now when we visit Carlisle.  Tom decided to have crumpets with strawberry jam and as you can see from his face, enjoyed them very much (even the jam was homemade and full of fruit).

We then made our way to Bitts Park, a good park in the centre of Carlisle where we went last time.  Tom had a happy hour or so playing on all the equipment and exploring the musical garden before we headed into the town centre for a spot of shopping - we bought ourselves a phone with answering machine as we still haven't found our handsets and are now thinking that maybe we threw them out or left them behind in Telford (although neither of us remembers this!)  We bought one with an answering machine in the hope that we won't miss any messages anyone leaves us - we have a bad track record in the past.  

Happy sliding

We then headed back to the station for a bit of trainspotting and then the train home.  Tom had a picnic dinner on the train on the way home - this time he opted for an ebi sandwich and he ate the whole thing as well as a whole pack of crisps and a banana - that is basically an adult's meal he had!

We got to Ribblehead and drove straight home (he fell asleep again but woke up in good enough humour to endure a bath and the proper night routine).  Matt then went out to get take away pizza from the Italian restaurant (very good and very juicy - I made a right mess eating mine) which we ate collapsed on the sofa.