We have had a busy day today with an early Sunday start.
Our day started with a car journey towards the East and our first stop was Appleby
Many people know this small town for the horse festival that takes place here every year.
Parking the car in the car park of the Appleby War Memorial Swimming pool we walked across the food defence barriers and onto the river path.
The path leads alongside the River Eden and towards bridge shown at the top of this article.
Flooding is a problem in this area and the height of the River Eden here is often used as a warning to flooding risk further down the Eden in Carlisle.
Following the road from the bridge and into the town we make our way up the hill on our adventure.
Christmas is coming to Appleby as we pass the volunteers putting up the Christmas lights.
Hundreds of coloured lamps are being removed from their cardboard sleeves and then hung from the strings of wire around the town.
Half way up the hill we look through an open gate and into a lovely courtyard.
The courtyard is surrounded by a number of cottages, all with bright red doors, and form the Hospital of St.Anne.
Founded by The Lady Anne Clifford these houses, known as Almshouses are still in use and offer homes for widows from the area.
The cobbled courtyard is open to the public most days and is well worth a visit.
Outside the entrance to Appleby Castle is the High Cross. It dates from the 17th Centures and has on the town facing side the inscription ‘Retain your loyalty, preserve your rights’
A bench mark cut exists on the west face of the cross on the base just above the steps. These marks are used in map and survey works by the Ordnance Survey.
The windvane is dated 1936.
At the top of the lime tree avenue is Appleby Castle.
Sadly the castle can only be observed through the padlocked gates.
Large white notices attached to the gates indicated the castle may not be open to the general public. It is privately owned.
The castle was founded at the beginning of the 12th Century.
Lady Anne Clifford made the property her home and restored large parts of it.
To the right of the gates is the North Lodge.
When we visited a cardboard film character peers out onto visitors.
We walked back down the hill and back to the car as we needed to get to our next adventure in a place called Kirkby Stephen.
More on this tomorrow, when will find out why our paws are a bit sore now and why we need a good nights sleep.
Until tomorow
Charlie and Buster.