This adventure was the longest time I have spent in the UK and certainly the most exploratory. I had a wonderful time, everything went pretty much to plan and it has left me with many fantastic memories.  I can't wait to put the book for this trip together.

So here are my final thoughts and reflections, in no particular order. 

• The weather was warmer than I had expected. I didn't get any of the crisp days I had hoped for and my scarves remained packed the whole trip. 
• I didn't spend enough time just sitting and absorbing my surroundings. I need to get better at that. 
• At the end of my last trip I learned a valuable photographic tip of getting the shutter speed right to avoid camera shake. That technique alone has massively improved the focus quality of my photos on this trip. 
• The final photo count is approximately 5,000. 
• The English countryside is even more beautiful than I had previously realised and there are still plenty of places left for me to explore. 
• Next time I must find accommodation in the places I want to walk. Then I won't waste as much time getting there or feeling time constrained. It will also make it easier to walk earlier in the morning or later in the day. 
• I need to do some training before the trip if I intend to walk. Also, I need to bring more robust walking boots. 
• I must factor in regular rest days otherwise I will burn myself out. 
• I must be mindful of the weekends when planning an itinerary. Train travel is sometimes disrupted on the weekends with fewer services. And there tend to be more couples in resort type hotels on the weekends which tends to make me feel a little out of place. 
• I need to pack lighter still. I could have done without some clothes I packed. 

And just in case you wondered (but probably didn't), here's the approximate breakdown of photos per day.

Thanks for following along. Until next time...

Along the way I acquired a number of guides and books, partly necessitating an additional suitcase on my return. Most are self explanatory, but I will elaborate where necessary.

• TRANSCENDENCE: On my last day in London I was strolling along Southbank and came across a guy busking under Blackfriars Bridge. He was creating beautiful ambient soundscapes and I listened for a while. I'd made my mind to leave a little more than I would normally and his response was to hand me one of his CDs. It was a lovely exchange. You can check him out on SoundCloud at JustJoseph.
• BEFORE THE DAWN (KATE BUSH): This is the CD of her shows in London in 2014. I attended two of the performances and already have this album on digital. But I wanted to get the physical copy to get the liner notes. I've had trouble finding it in Adelaide.
• WELCOME JOY AND WELCOME SORROW (SPIRO): Spiro are an English folk band we heard at Womadelaide last year. Again I've had trouble tracking them down in Adelaide and figured it would be easier to find in London.
• ON THE NIGHT BUS: A while back I read an article about this piece of work. The photos are amazing. I found the book in the shop at The Photographer's Gallery in London. You can read more and see some photos at On The Night Bus.
• ABANDONED PLACES: I found this book at Tate Modern. It's a collection of fantastic photos taken of completely abandoned buildings and landscapes. Quite eerie.
• WHY FONTS MATTER: Well I bought this because fonts DO matter!
• I bought the two photography books to help me think more outside the box a little and to help me improve my eye as much as my technique.

• I acquired the artwork in the top left corner from a gallery in Llandudno. The artist Caroline Rees combines her contemporary and stylised design with the traditional technique of paper cutting. She loves simple, bold and graphic imagery and is inspired by primitive art, Scandinavian textiles, her Welsh heritage and the beautiful Gower landscape where she lives. She likes to create quirky and humorous designs which make you smile.
• OUR SONGBIRDS: This is is a lighthearted look at songbirds or Britain with beautiful illustrations and a cheeky narrative.
• The mug and puzzle came from Broadway Tower.
• KINGS & QUEENS OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND: I just bought this because I'm always looking up who was who in British royalty and this has the information all in one place.
• The various guide books are all pretty self explanatory.

Flying out of Doha at night was amazing. I had a fantastic view of Doha in all it's sparkly glittery glory. I tried taking pictures on my phone but they don't do it any justice. Had I realised what to expect I would have left my good camera out of my bag. 

By the time we departed I was really hungry so I had dinner; a lovely beef salad followed by lamb loin. Both were exceptional.

The plan was then to try and get some sleep.  Unfortunately, towards the end of dinner the turbulence started. At times it was pretty bad, though not the worst I've encountered. But it was relentless and we continued to bump along for nearly 5 hours. I managed to doze on and off but it wasn't a refreshing sleep. It should do until tonight though.

After I had given up on getting any more sleep I watched my first and only movie for this trip home - "Hidden Figures"  - a great movie. Then a nice breakfast of bircher muesli followed by scrambled eggs.

Now, I'm writing this entry as we speed across the Great Australian Bight only an hour from home.

I just had to check something on Google maps and I must admit I had a *sigh* moment when it opened on London, where I last used it. No point getting all emotional about it though. Time to get back and live life in my Australian home again for a while.

My flight was at 9:15am. As I don't like risking a missed flight I intended to get there early. I had set my alarm for 5:30am but was already awake at 5:00am. That was actually nice because it gave me a little time to enjoy the London skyline for one last time. It was a beautiful clear morning. 

A little while after taking that shot I noticed a hot air baloon gracefully floating across the city. I also managed to get a better shot to give a sense of just how magnificent the view appears in the context of the room. 

When I spoke to the doorman last night about booking a taxi he gave me a tip that there are treats on the reception level in the morning for people who need to head out before breakfast is served. He was right. I grabbed myself a yummy muesli slice which kept me going until I got to the airport.

I decided to only get a taxi to Paddington Station and then catch the Heathrow Express from there. I figured it would be the quickest route and it was. It nearly took 1/2 hour to get to Paddington but then it was only 15min train journey to the airport. 

After check-in I was able to go through the fast track security before heading to the Qatar lounge. They were serving breakfast.

We boarded only a little late but the plane stayed at the gate for a while due to traffic in the airport. We finished up leaving about 1/2 hour late but made most of that up. 

Since I'd only just had breakfast I decided not to have anything straight away on the plan. Because of their dine any time service I could choose to have something a bit later. 

The sky was clear over England and later of Europe. That's new for me. I think the last trip was cloudy all the way. 

As usual there was a little sadness as we crossed the English Channel but not as much as last year. Maybe I'm just getting used to this relationship I have formed with my homeland. 

I spent quite a bit of time sorting through my photos. Not only did it pass the time very well, but it was a great way to reminisce. 

A couple of hours into the flight I decided to have some lunch. 

I chose the goat's cheese salad followed by the chicken kapsa. Both were delicious and filling.  I decided to leave dessert for later.

After a nice meal like that (and a couple of champagnes after take off) I was sleepy and had a nap for an hour.  Then it was dessert time. I had the cheesecake followed by a nice chai (but forgot to take a photo). 

After some more photo sorting it was time to descend. The flight was 6.5 hours long but it went incredibly quickly. I have a couple of hours before the flight to Adelaide so I'm sitting in the lounge in Doha. The lounge is massive with different areas. I'm in the "blue" area. 

It's funny, but only a couple of weeks into my holiday it had felt like I had been in the UK for ages. The last week in particular seemed like a lifetime away from Adelaide. Then the moment I stepped on the plane and into the familiarity of my seat it seemed like the holiday had all happened in an instant.

But I know differently and will hold onto that feeling of drawn out absence for as long as I possibly can.

This time tomorrow I will be on the plane on my way home after this wonderful adventure.

I travel solo mainly out of choice but also because the reality of my life these days doesn't really give me an alternative. Mostly I love the freedom of only having to worry about myself, but it does get lonely from time to time. It doesn't help that I'm not great at engaging with strangers.

So, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who engaged with my posts in any way. For me, your responses and reactions became part of a dialogue that helped me through the times I was feeling on my own on the other side of the world.

I went to bed late last night after all my night time photography shenanigans. Of course, that didn't mean my body would allow me to sleep in this morning. Still, I took my time getting ready as there were only a couple of things on my list for this final day. 

After much fluffing around I headed towards Oxford street going along the river bank as far as I could. I've seen the growth on this bridge before and it amazes me how it survives.

The tide was out and I wondered where each of these fragments would have originated from. 

The pedestrian crossing lights in Trafalgar Square now have a variety of different inclusive symbols instead of the traditional green man. I saw just about every combination you could imagine. This was just one. 

Near Oxford street is the Photographer's Gallery. Unfortunately, it was smaller than I had expected/hoped, but it was still interesting and I particularly liked an exhibition by Sophie Calle. I bought a couple of books from their book shop afterwards.

Following the gallery I slowly made my way back to the Thames. I popped through Carnaby Street to do a little bit of shopping.

Then I made my way back along the bank, stopping a couple of times for a drink and to soak up the atmosphere. I should have made more time for this and will remember for the future.  I passed a guy who was making huge bubbles for the crowd. I tried to capture some with my camera but it wasn't easy.

When I got back to the hotel it was time to pack before going out. Last night an advert for a play at the Battersea Arts Centre just happened to pop up in my Facebook feed and the first night just happened to be tonight so I though "why not". I caught the Northern Line from London Bridge to Clapham South and then walked about 20min to the theatre.

The play was fantastic. Really smart and ingenious in the way that they use light to allow them to change quickly back and forth between scenes. Here's a link if you're interested in knowing more. 

https://www.bac.org.uk/events/21989/view

I got back to the hotel by about 9:30pm. I will try to get to bed soon. I need to be up early in the morning so I can get to the airport in plenty of time. My flight departs at 9:15am. I will be a bit sad to leave, but I'm also very ready to go home. 

My original plan had been to do some day trips out of London but I've decided to make the most of being here and stick to city activities. I've had plenty of time to explore further afield during this holiday. Today's main activity was to catch up with a friend. That was scheduled for 1:00pm so I had time for some other things.

A place I wanted to visit was Leadenhall Market. I've seen photos and it looks quite ornate. It looked as I expected, but was quite small - more like an arcade. 

My next task was to buy a small suitcase. I haven't bought a lot but my case was packed full before I left and I've run out of room. I needed a second small case to split the contents. I caught the Central Line from Bank to Tottenham Court so I could have a look down Oxford Street. To my surprise, luggage shops were scarce and I found myself back at Muji before long. The other day I had seen a nice case there so it seemed like a sign. From there I headed back to the hotel to change before meeting Andy. 

We arranged to meet at Waterloo Station (sounds quite poetic). After some confusion over which entrance to meet at, we located each other and walked to Lower Marsh. After grabbing some lunch it was nice to spend a couple of hours wandering around the city and catching up. These looked a bit like high density housing for the local bird population.

Andy was on night shift and need to grab some sleep so we parted mid afternoon. I took the tube back to the hotel from Southwark station. I noticed the massive patterned wall in the station which also acted a bit like a mirror.

I tried to have a nap too as my final plan for the day was to head out with my camera in the evening. The nap didn't really work out.

I headed out around 7:30pm. Although it was still very light, it was a good light and perfect when the sun came out from behind the clouds to illuminate the western facing surfaces of buildings and bridges. I walked all the way down to the Houses of Parliament before stopping for some dinner and working my way back.

At this part of the river and at this level, the Thames looked so wide. 

The shapes of the roofs of this building reminded me of Disneyland. 

There is a large construction site near the London Eye.  I wondered, what would be the right collective noun? Maybe "a lifting of cranes"?

There was so much activity all along Southbank. This shot was taken around 9:30pm with people relaxing in chairs on the bank. It was a bit cool but no one seemed bothered. 

As the sun went down I took shots of this skyline from various locations. 

The cloud looming above St Paul's looked ominous.

In the end I was moderately happy with the results of my nighttime photography. I learnt a few things along the way that I would do differently and discovered that there were still limitations to what I would be able to do. Hopefully I will keep practicing so I can focus less on the technique and more on finding interesting scenes. 

By the time I got back to the hotel it was about 11:00pm and still there were lots of couples and groups of people around me all the way back. It felt very safe. 

Because the weather was supposed to be a bit dodgy today I decided it was a gallery day. I had two lined up that I'd like to visit. 

First off was Tate Modern which is only about 10min walk from the hotel. I've been a number of times before but not since the new extension was finished. I left the hotel around 10:30am. Since it was so close I decided to travel without bags or camera. I'm not a big fan of taking hi-res photos in a gallery and it was quite liberating to travel so lightly for a change. 

In the end I spent nearly 5 hours in the gallery and didn't make it to my second choice. But that's in no way a complaint.

I took this shot of a work in one of the free collections. It contained intricate mirrors that distorted and combined images from different sides of the cube.  Quite freaky.

I really enjoyed my time at the gallery and there were 2 highlights.

First was an exhibition of works by Wolfgang Tillmans. He is known for his photographs of everyday life and contemporary culture and for his pioneering method of displaying prints as whole-room installations. 

But the standout for me was a work by Janet Cardiff.  The following blurb and cheeky shots explain the premise better than I could.

Aside from the beauty of the piece itself, you had the added experience of being able to walk around and as you pass a speaker you could clearly hear just that person's voice. It's if you were able to weave in and out and in between the members of choir getting right up close. In that way it was incredibly intimate and personal. And as singers came in and out with their parts you might be startled when a voice suddenly booms from the speaker next to you. They even recorded the chit chat from the singers before the performance began which again added to the intimacy. I found the who experience very emotional and I listened to the entire performance at the start of my visit and again before I left.  I did feel a little sorry for the people who chose just to listen in the middle. Although they got an awesome surround sound experience, they would have missed the close up experience.

At the very end of my visit I decided to pop up to the 10th floor where there is an observation deck. As soon as the lift doors opened I realised I wanted my camera. The deck gives you a fantastic 360 view of the city at city level. Why did I not know about this? As the gallery would still be open for two more hours I decided to go back to the hotel and get my camera.  

I finished up taking a series of shots I hope I will be able to stitch into some type of panorama.  Here's just one.

The building itself was interesting too and I took a few shots of the interior. 

I had some dinner on the way back to the hotel as well as taking a few pictures along the Thames. At river level the Millennium Bridge looked a bit like a conveyor belt feeding people into St Paul's.

I might try some night time street photography tonight if the weather holds out. If not, I have two more nights to go and the weather is forecast to improve. 

Completely unrelated, I noticed this when looking out of my room this morning. Can't get much closer to the rail line than that. 

As you would hope in a hotel like this, I slept really well. The blinds are amazing and when they're down you would have no idea what time it is. Which is just as well since the sun was already rising when I peeked out at 4:30am this morning. I stayed in bed until 7:30am but I'm still feeling very tired.  

I headed down to breakfast overlooking the city. The sun was bright and warm through the windows. People were remarking on the weather so I assume it's not been so good lately. 

I was undecided on what to do today. My original plan had been to visit the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. They have a great collection of planes and it's been on my "to do" list for sometime. Luckily I checked their website because there was an air show on this weekend. That didn't appeal to me for two reasons: 1) it would be super busy, 2) I get a bit freaked out even when they do the fly pass for the Clipsal 500 so I don't think I'd enjoy it. I will leave it until later this week or save for another trip. 

In the end I decided to do a bit of retail therapy. I'm running short on a few clothes. I looked into using the hotel laundry service but realised it would almost cost the same to buy new items. I don't mind spending the money on the laundry service, but if I can get some new things for the same price then I may as well. Arriving in the hotel last night I also noticed the city lights and thought it might be fun to try some nighttime photography. The monopod I brought is OK, but it's not going to keep the camera still enough for long exposure shots. So my plan was also to either buy an extremely lightweight tripod or a cheap one I can afford to leave here. 

I wandered towards Oxford street. The city was quite busy with lots of tourists. The tide was way out on the Thames. As I've noticed on other occasions there were people fossicking around the banks. 

From this point, on the Millenium Bridge, I could also get a good shot of The Shard. By my calculations, my room is somewhere around the red dot. 

Oxford Street was very busy. For a long time I was indecisive but finally dived in and found a few things I liked. I popped into the Muji store and spent a while trying to dream up legitimate uses for the array of perfect boxes and containers. And finally, I found a camera store with a great tripod that folds into a very compact size but still has good stability. 

By this time it was starting to rain so I decided to catch the tube back. I caught the Central Line from Tottenham Court to Bank and then the Northern Line from Bank to London Bridge. From there it's a couple of minutes walk to The Shard. 

By this time it was nearly 5:00pm so I fluffed around for a bit and played with my new tripod. I had also originally planned to go to Horse Meat Disco tonight. I've been a couple of times on previous visits and have always really enjoyed it. But last night the rain looked as if it had set in and I was feeling tired and introspective. I decided against it.

I ordered some room service dinner to avoid having to sit in a restaurant alone. The view could be my company. Of course, it didn't just arrive on a tray, did it. 

After dinner I had a brief feeling of revitalisation and reconsidered going to HMD. It didn't last long though. Instead I utilised my new equipment to get some better quality night shots of London. With the new tripod I was able to take photos with less noise and sharper focus. I'm very happy with the results and will try to get out to do some at street level Monday or Tuesday night. 

I'm finishing my holiday in London because ... it's London. My favourite city. I'm not sure what I'm going to do here. I'm feeling quite exhausted from my adventures, so I might just take advantage of the luxury of my final hotel and just relax.

Speaking of which, when I was looking for London accommodation I had two considerations. Firstly, most of the other accommodation I had secured for the holiday had come in under budget which meant I could spend extra in London. Secondly, all of my previous stays in London have been in relatively modest apartments or hotels with little or no view and very little space. I thought it was time to stay somewhere nicer. When the Shangi-La at The Shard first popped up on Booking.com I giggled to myself and whispered "as if". But then the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't resist the temptation. The appeal was less about the luxury of the hotel and all about the views. I selected a mid price room which would give me a view to the east, missing the major landmarks but still spectacular. To my delight, when I checked in last night they had upgraded me to a north facing room with the perfect view from the Houses of Parliament on the left to St Paul's on the right and the Thames slap bang in the middle. Could not ask for a better view.

I got to the hotel about 9:30pm after catching a taxi from London Kings Cross station. The check-in process was easy and I was personally escorted to my room on the 40th floor. The room is even larger than I had expected. The bathroom alone is nearly bigger than the entire room in the final hotel of my last holiday here! And there are lots of nice touches, like a set of binoculars to check out the sights, a Nespresso machine for the early morning coffee, electronic blinds that do a magnificent job of blocking out the early morning sun (it was light at 4:30am this morning), and even a TV built into the mirror in the bathroom.  

But the main attraction is the view. I could just sit an gaze out the window all day and night. The photos just don't give you the full floor to ceiling panoramic effect of the view.

Today it was time to move on to my final destination in this adventure, London. Unfortunately I didn't plan today's journey very well. I purchased the train tickets first back in March in order to secure advance first class tickets at a good price. I purposely chose trains towards the end of the day so I could maximise my stay in the Lake District by doing an activity this morning. However, when it came to booking a car I found myself having to return the car before 1:00pm because it's a Saturday. That was nearly 3 hours ahead of my train departure. 

As there was very little point in returning the car earlier, I took my time getting ready this morning, aiming to check out close to 11:00am. Packing was the usual challenge and one holiday experience I won't miss. 

I headed back to Carlisle shortly before 11:00am. I decided that I would take the route with major roads this time following the A66 and then the M6. This provided a very easy and pleasant driving experience. 

After returning the car I headed to the train station. I decided to enquire whether I could exchange my tickets for an earlier service. Unfortunately, because I had managed to get such cheap advance tickets in the first place, to change them now would have been ridiculously expensive. Also unfortunately, Carlisle railway station doesn't have any facility for leaving your luggage so you can head off for a bit. My only choice was to wait it out at the station. But at least that was a nice opportunity to read over the notes I've been keeping for this trip and skim through some of the books I've purchased. 

This weekend there is maintenance on the west coast line which seemed to cause some chaos at Carlisle with bus services and announcements going off all over the place. When I first purchased my tickets there had been a note that the service might be affected by maintenance, but luckily for me the east cost line I had selected escaped the works. 

The first train from Carlisle to Leeds departed at 3:49pm. The train arrived in Leeds on time despite having to stop for a fallen branch across the line. At Leeds I transferred to the 6:45pm Virgin Trains service to London Kings Cross.  All up, that's nearly 5 1/2 hours of train travel.

Funnily, the first train, which was a Northern service, was a very ordinary train but smooth ride. The second train, which was the much swisher Virgin Trains service, was really bumpy. Of course, I think it was a much faster train, but surprising all the same.

There are a number of walks around Grasmere, including ones that take you towards another lake. After yesterday morning's experience I decided to set out on a similar adventure this morning. I was out of the hotel by 5:30am. This time there were a few other people out and about by then, so I didn't feel quite so freakish. This morning was a clear blue sky, so the mist was more patchy. But it created some beautiful effects in the woodlands. 

Before heading off on today's major event I wanted to walk into Grasmere village. I needed to pick up a couple of extra t-shirts as well as look for some acclaimed gingerbread that I'd been told about. I found a shop that appeared to be selling the gingerbread but the shop assistant was upfront and admitted that it wasn't the "famous" Grasmere gingerbread. It was more a ginger shortbread. It still sounded interesting and I was impressed with her honesty so I bought some.

From there I hopped in the car and headed towards Keswick. On the way I planned to stop off to view (lake) Thirlmere if I got the opportunity. Thirlmere is actually a man made reservoir formed from two existing lakes, but is still impressive. A parking spot did present itself along with a short walk to a view point. 

After that brief interlude I continued on to Keswick. In total it was only about 30 min drive from Grasmere and I was beginning to become familiar with the road. 

First stop in Keswick was a visit to the Derwent Pencil Museum. The Derwent Pencil Factory used to be in Keswick and I believe they used to do factory tours. The factory has moved so I figured the museum would be the next best bet. It has been closed for renovations and today was the re-opening date. It was interesting in that it explained how pencils were manufactured but it was a little bit lightweight. 

After that it was on to the physical activity for the day, and probably the last big walk of the holiday. Latrigg is a viewpoint overlooking Keswick that is meant to be spectacular. I had downloaded a map from the internet that indicated I should be able to walk there and back in about 2 hours. 

As I started the walk I looked at the fell (barren mountain feature) ahead of me and could make out people at the very top (see arrow below). 

Surely that wasn't where I was going? Not only did it seem like a hell of a hike, I didn't see how I could get there and back in 2 hours. Surely Latrigg must be a lookout part way up the fell?  It wasn't. Latrigg was the summit and the climb was surprisingly manageable. Having said that, it was still hard work.

On the way up I passed some sheep and goats who were, I assume, totally oblivious to their beautiful surroundings. 

The final stretch of the walk snaked up the side of the fell. 

And the view at the summit did not disappoint. I provided nearly 360 degree views. The main being Keswick and Derwent Water.

There were fields, fells and other lakes in other directions too.

At Latrigg there was a viewing bench occupied by a couple of ladies for the entire duration of my stay at the top. I can only assume that they were determined to make the most of the effort it took to get up there. 

It was interesting to see the architecture of Keswick from above. 

Perched at the top of the fell, I reflected on where I was. It was a definite "pinch me" moment and feeling of intense gratitude.

At the top I met a couple and we exchanged some stories of our ascent as well as adoration for the view.

I spent a good 30-45 min at the top, finishing by taking some photos I hope to be able to stitch into a panorama. Then it was time to descent. Fortunately, a much less strenuous activity. I made it down to Keswick just before 2:00pm. My parking was due to expire at 2:30pm so I topped it up to give me a little time to wander around the town. Quite by chance I made it down to the water's edge. 

On my way back to the car, the image of these grand houses and the mountains behind caught my attention. 

On the way back to the hotel I made my second attempt to find the famous gingerbread, having done some extra research. This time I found it. The shop is tiny and adorable (should have taken a photo) and clearly well known with a steady stream of customers. As for the gingerbread, as described it was quite different - hard to describe how - and quite delicious. 

One more night, then the final leg of my holiday down to London. The food at this hotel has been outstanding - the best of the trip so far - but I've definitely felt conspicuous as a solo traveller here. The place is teeming with couples. It makes it a little bit tougher but I haven't let it spoil my time.

Last night I had decided to get up early and retrace my walk around the lake to catch some moments. After yet another restless night it was easy to get up just after 5:00am and head out. The lake was draped in mist. By the time I reached them at 5:30am the birds were in full song. I recorded some, but the constant road traffic did hamper my attempts a little. 

A beautifully peaceful way to begin the day. 

(The WiFi isn't very fast here so I'll have to lower the resolution of photos before uploading them while I'm here) 

There was a lone man fishing in the centre of the lake. 

After my peaceful (if early) start to the day I made my plans and headed off in the car. First destination was Windermere to then walk to Orrest Head, a lookout above the village. I managed to find my way there successfully and the driving was relatively easy. 

From the car park my sources indicated it would be a couple of hours walking to and from the lookout so I was prepared for a hike. And although it was quite a hike up the side of the hill, it only took about 30min each way. The view was breathtaking. You could see all of (lake) Windermere which is so long I couldn't fit it into one shot.

And the views away from the lake were just as beautiful. 

It was a popular spot, though I realised later that many were in a group together. 

After Orrest Head, I had decided to visit Ullswater. I would have a couple of choices of activity including boat cruise and walking. I plugged in Glenridding, the town at the bottom of Ullswater, into the sat nav and blindly followed the directions. Soon I realised it was taking me on exactly the kind of narrow, bendy roads I had desperately wanted to avoid. 

But there was no turning back so I decided to go for it. Luckily there wasn't much traffic which certainly reduced the stress. The road was narrow, often walled on both sides and frequently twisting and turning.  Furthermore, it was climbing. I later discovered it was taking me though Kirkstone Pass which is the highest pass open to traffic in the Lake District. Not only was the road treacherous, but in the highest parts there were goats and sheep wandering across and along the road at times. It required massive amounts of concentration. It also epitomised what was hugely frustrating about driving today. I knew I was driving through breathtaking scenery, I could sense the views all around me, but I dare not take my eyes off the road for a second.

Luckily on this occassion, there was a parking stop at the top of the pass which allowed me to get some shots. The road I had driven on is the winding one in the distant middle of the picture. 

After pausing to take photos I continued on and made it to Glenridding. By this time it was coming up to 1:00pm. The weather was sunny and very warm. I decided against walking and settled on a cruise on the lake instead.  The next cruise was at 2:20pm so I wandered and had some lunch while I waited.

The cruise was very nice, with great scenery, but I must admit it wasn't that dissimilar to the Windermere cruise I did last year. I got a little bored towards the end. 

There was a smattering of sailing going on. 

Our boat was in the same style as this other one we passed. 

At Howtown there were lots of children engaged in various activities. I assume it was some kind of scouting site or similar.

Near the end of the cruise we passed this guy. He was a fair way into the middle of the lake paddling along. He handled the wake from our boat expertly. 

The cruise ended about 4:45pm. I decided it was time to get back to the hotel. When I punched Grasmere into the sat nav it was going to take me back through the Kirkstone Pass. There was no way I was going that. So I did some research of my own. By asking the sat nav to go via Troutbeck it picked a different route that appeared to be better, if a little longer. Of course, I wouldn't know until I started. 

Turns out it was a much better route and for the most part very easy. It still required massive concentration and I was still teased by epic scenery in my peripheral vision. I'm going to plan to see some of it properly tomorrow. 

As I wandered on my early morning walk I reflected on how I was feeling. Obviously, I'd love to stay in the UK longer, but I think by next week I will feel ready to return home. It feels like I have been away for much longer than 4 weeks. 

I stayed in the Lake District last year and definitely wanted to return to explore a bit further afield. I decided a more central location might be nice and a car would expand my options. Unlike just about every other destination on this trip I don't really have a definite list of places to see yet. I'm hoping it will be easy to find some places I can drive to then do some walking. 

The hotel I selected is a little bit different to where I stayed last year. It's a bit more spa/resort and less character and charm. Having said that, it will be lovely. I have a great view of the lake from my window that I look forward to waking up to.  This is pretty much that view.

After checking in, I headed out for a walk. The hotel is on the edge of (lake) Grasmere and I was hoping I might be able to walk all the way around. To my delight there is a walking trail that takes you most of the way and you can follow roads for the rest.

The other side of the lake gave me a good view of the hotel. 

The water in the lake is crystal clear. I saw someone swimming across it as I walked around. 

My plan is to get up early one morning and do a circumnavigation to catch the early morning light. 

To my surprise my legs felt OK this morning after yesterday's trek. Today was a travel day so I needed to be up early. I had a rotten night's sleep, so that was quite easy. I took at taxi to the train station well in time to catch my 8:50am Trans-Pennine Express to Leeds. This was the same route I took to get to Scarborough. From Leeds I caught the 10:49am Northern service to Carlisle. 

The weather in Scarborough had been mild with blue sky. From Leeds it got grey and chilly before finally clearing up at Carlisle.  

The countryside started with the familiar fields before changing to a more barren landscape in the Yorkshire Dales and then returning to more pastoral.

I arrived in Carlisle around 1:30pm. Next task was to pick up my hire car. I'm not fond of driving while on holiday, but I decided that having a car would provide me with more interesting adventure opportunities in the Lake District. I remember public transport being quite restrictive last year.

After figuring out how to start it (new cars!) I made my way first to Keswick. The lady in the car hire place asked if I needed help getting to Grasmere. I explained the path I planned to take. She suggested an alternative which would be much more scenic. I decided to take her advice. She was right, but it was distractingly scenic! With a new car and driving in England to contend with already, having the magnificent mountains and lakes in my peripheral vision made it even harder. But I managed OK.

I plan to explore Keswick in more detail later so I only stayed long enough for some refreshment and a couple of snaps. 

From Keswick it was just a 15min drive to my final destination Grasmere where the hotel is. 

For the second time in a row the day didn't pan out as I expected. The original soft plan was to go for a stroll along a nearby walking trail for a couple of hours, come back and freshen up, then head to Whitby and/or Robin Hood's Bay for a second attempt at early evening light photography. To cut a long story short, the walk was so amazing and I was enjoying it so much that I just kept going. 21.6km later I've got some wonderful memories and two very stiff and sore legs.

So back to the beginning. The Cinder Track is a bike and walking track along the old disused train line between Scarborough and Whitby. Being a former train line, the walk is relatively easy with a mild gradient. After a slow morning I headed towards the start of the track at about 11:00am. The track was pleasant from the start but it took over an hour before I reached the outskirts of Scarborough and neighbouring Scalby.

The further away from civilisation I got, the more beautiful and peaceful the track became. Towards Scarborough there was a steady stream of parents wheeling prams but after that the track was only punctuated with walkers and cyclists. A couple of hours in I realised that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of the day. All around me was incredible birdsong with the occassional bird darting on to the path in front of me. I recorded as much of the sound as I could, when the singers weren't being shy on me.

The terrain changed as the track continued, as you'll see from the photos. Every path in front of me was a picture - a work of art - inviting me onwards. 

I realised that this was the most "in the moment" I have been on this holiday. 

Initially, the path was reminiscent of so many of the other paths I've explored on this trip.

I noticed the shine on the leaves of this tree. 

As well as a large number of perfectly formed dandelion flowers. 

Towards the town of Burniston, the path opened up. 

More verdant green fields. 

There was one section of trees decked out with accommodation for fledgling birds. 

And more fields. 

The path started to become more woody. 

Then opened up again. I noticed this wall snaking its way up the hillside.

All along the track there are the bridges that use to pass over the train line. They add a unique feel to what is now a pedestrian or cycling way. 

I noticed these unusually shaped gates in a number of places. 

I passed a number of fields with cows. In this field I first noticed a white cow scratching her chin on a post but then paused to meet the rest. I thought this was the most photogenic. 

For a while the track cut through dense woods. 

Before revealing glimpses of the sea. 

This was a former station on the line. The station building is now a residence and you can see the platform on the right. I encountered 3 other stations, but they were in far worse shape. 

Eventually the track opened up completely. 

Near Ravenscar I passed ruins of a WWII monitoring station. 

At Ravenscar I paused at the visitor information centre. While relaxing I chatted with a couple who were staying in one of the villages I had passed. We talked about many things including how beautiful the countryside is. Robyn, you'll be pleased to know there ARE some english folk who appreciate what they have! 

I was considering a couple of options for the final leg of my journey but the couple convinced me to stay on the Cinder Track. I'm so pleased that they did. Soon after leaving Ravenscar the view opened up to this incredible vista. 

What a place for a picnic!

In the distance I could see Robin Hood's Bay. 

From here on it was downhill, which was lucky because my legs were really complaining by this stage. Ideally I would have ended the walk an hour before, but I had to continue in order to meet the bus route for my return journey. 

My walk terminated at Fylinthorpe. As I reached the town I passed a caravan park with this reassuring sign. 

The weather was stunning and the light was brilliant. My head was tempted to turn right to Robin Hood's Bay but my body told me otherwise. When I reached the bus stop it was 5:26pm and the next bus was due at 5:36pm. It was a sign. I hopped on board and hobbled off at Scarborough 45min later. 

I feel so incredibly privileged to have experienced such a wonderful path through this country.  

Seeing the Larpool Viaduct inspired me to make a "small" diversion when I reached the end of the train line at Whitby. By this time it was around 1:30pm. My original plan for the day had been to spend the afternoon exploring Whitby, grab some dinner there and hopefully take advantage of the early evening light before catching the last bus back to Scarborough. But now I really wanted to find the viaduct and explore it a bit. At the time it seemed easy enough and shouldn't impact my overall plan.

On my map it appeared easy to get near where the viaduct was and I estimated it should only take 30-60min to get there. As I walked away from Whitby there were opportunities to take some snaps.

I managed to find the viaduct quite easily. It used to carry trains across the valley when the train line ran from Whitby to Scarborough. Now it's part of a bike and walking trail. 

On one side the river bends as it heads towards Whitby. 

On the other side I could see the train line that carried me earlier. I knew there was a walking trail on the river side of the track. I just needed to figure out how to get there! 

I found one walking track off the viaduct and weaving below. Totally unexpectedly, I came across this horse hitched to a tree with no one else in sight. At the end of the day I would see the same horse with rider as the bus turned into Robin Hood's Bay on the way back to Scarborough. 

I continued on my mission to get to the river side train track. My map app had some tracks marked on it so I had a strong feeling I was going to succeed. In the end it became clear my only option would be to walk to the nearest village Ruswarp where there was a crossing across the train line. 

So I walked. 

And walked. 

And walked. 

Before reaching the crossing and getting on the river side of the train track. 

Although it was a long and unplanned walk, it was lovely and I made sure I paced myself to enjoy the journey and not just anticipate the destination. 

Eventually I made it to the viaduct and it was worth it. 36m high, 279m long, 13 arches and 5,000,000 bricks, it was very impressive. 

From there I continued on the river track back to Whitby. I noticed the triangles of the roofs on the buildings on one side of the town as they cascaded down to the northern bank of the river. 

Captain Cook came from around this area so there are quite a few Captain Cook themed museums and buildings in Whitby. 

Whitby contains a number of streets preserved in time and thankfully devoid of parked traffic. I wandered around as I headed towards the famous abbey on the southern side of the river. 

Leading to the abbey are the famous 199 steps.  

At the top of the steps is St Mary's church and graveyard. It struck me that these stones were like the souls of the departed still looking down and keeping an eye on the inhabitants of the town below. I can't decide whether that's comforting or creepy. 

Next to the church are the ruins of Whitby Abey. These ruins date from the Benedictine abbey constructed around the 13th century. I hadn't been all that interested in exploring the abbey because it seemed quite decayed. But since I was there I decided to get a ticket and look around. 

The lush green grass was like a luxurious carpet connecting the ruins.

I was surprised at how substantial the abbey had been. 

By this time it was about 5:00pm. My original plan would have involved finding some dinner and then wandering around to do some photography in the late afternoon/early evening light. But I was exhausted. The extra walking to find Larpool Viaduct had not been in my plan and I'd used up my energy. The light was starting to look fantastic, beautifully lighting up the sides of the buildings but I couldn't bear the thought of wandering around for another hour taking pictures. I decided to listen to my body and head back earlier than planned.  

I caught the 5:43pm X93 bus back to Scarborough. On the way back the light on the fields and moors was better than I had seen so far, but I just couldn't get the camera out. I was done. I have one more day here tomorrow so I will probably try to hatch a better plan. 

Today was another one of those days that turned out quite different from the original plan. The day got off to a good start after a less noisy night and a better sleep. I went for the buckwheat pancakes and berry compote for breakfast and they were fantastic. As I enjoyed my breakfast I reflected on how it feels like I have been away for an eternity. That's a really nice feeling to have. And there's still just over a week to go! 

I also reflected on a funny trend I've noticed. The few times I've engaged in conversation with locals I've often remarked on how beautiful I think the UK is. The standard response has been along the lines of "yes, but you have better weather". Like they can't recognise what they have. When I respond that I'm not a fan of the hot weather they don't know what to say next. 

I headed off quite early. I needed to get to Pickering at one end of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. I briskly walked the 10min to the train station where the 128 bus to Pickering departed. I was there in plenty of time for the 9:10am bus. Pickering isn't that far if you travel direct but the bus did dart in and out of a few villages, something I was very happy with as it gave me more insight into the area. We passed through more green fields and villages with lovely stone cottages. The bus was a double decker and I decided to be brave and sit up top at the front. I say brave because last time I did that was in a bus from Windermere to Bowness last year and I really didn't enjoy the experience. But this time was OK and I got a great view. 

Pickering is a small town with a generally vintage feel. There was an open air market with a variety of things on sale, but nothing I was overly interested in. 

I headed straight away to the train station to get my bearings and secure a ticket. The station and surrounding areas purposely appear frozen in time, like this tea room. 

After wandering around Pickering for a little while I decided to head back to the station. My train was due to leave at 12:00pm and I got back there just as the 11:00am train was departing. 

The platform is decked out in 1930s style. Others on the line reflect other eras including the Goathland station which has been used for the Heartbeat TV series and first Harry Potter movie. 

I had some morning tea in the tea rooms at the station and bought a book from the gift shop while waiting for the train. Shortly after 12:00pm toots heralded the train as it rounded the bend into the station. 

This train was more substantial than those on the North Wales railways. The sound of the steam as the engine gained speed was so iconic. We even got a free fine layer of soot blown in through the windows.

The scenery along the line was quite varied. There were buildings dotted though the countryside and green fields. 

As well as stretches through the barren North Yorkshire Moors. 

This row of houses appeared out of nowhere with no evidence of other buildings to form a village. 

Part way along the trip I noticed a "passenger" hitch hiking on the outside of the window. He held on for quite some time, helped by the leisurely pace of the train. 

All up the journey took about 1.5hr. Towards the end the train went under the massive Larpool Viaduct. I wasn't able to get a great photo from the train but that led to the changes in the rest of the day.