Kendal Cricket Club, Kendal

Yesterday evening after all the day visitors left the site was peaceful. Marge and a dozen other vans, a few English the rest Europeans. Thankfully no Spanish. Before the 'big' match, we walked up to the tunnel that the Union canal flows through. A beautiful orange sunset was just beginning.

Quiet now, the canal belonged to the ducks and damselflies, their metallic blue colouring flashing as they moved swiftly feeding off the small insects that inhabited the vegetation on the canal bank. As we watched England play Spain at football with one eye, we watched the sunset with the other.

Two dramas unfolding at the same time. After both had finished we stepped outside for some air. As the night before our neighbours were Dutch, and they came over to chat, asking which  Scottish islands they should visit. Scottish islands, they were talking to the right people, we felt we were qualified in the subject. Well they must visit Mull of course, and Arran and of course Skye. We've been told the Isle of Skye is expecting a million visitors this year. How the island will cope we don't know. 

This morning summer had officially arrived. It was warm, dry and there was no wind. We felt hot! The Scottish would say this was 'roasting' on another level. Setting off early, we decided to head down to Glencaple and stay near the castle, but as we drove we realised this took us away from our route south so decided to cross back into England to Kendal in the Lake District. The traffic was heavy, and stopping at Gretna services we nearly had a meltdown. So, so busy with Scottish families heading south for their holidays. The temperature creeping up to, wait for it 30 c. Hot children in hot cars, surrounded by luggage. In one a set of golf clubs was wedged between the children. Hopefully this evening they have all arrived safely at their accommodations.

Just after one thirty we crossed the border into England, the last nine weeks suddenly seemed a dream. We felt so sad to be on our way home. The drive through the lake district is always beautiful. Rolling green hills, zig zagging stone walls, and stunning views. We stopped on Shap Fell to take it all in. Stunning as it was, it wasn't Scotland. 

Tonight we are settled at Kendal cricket club, in the beautiful old town of Kendal.

When we arrived a match was being played and we had to wait a long while for a space for Marge. Some light rain arrived and stopped play for a while. But it is so warm, it bothered no one. The night time temperature tonight is set to be 14 c. In Scotland we'd been happy with that as a daytime temperature. Scotland is behind us now, but we will be away for a few more days, and are looking forward to stopping to visit family on the way home. As always Marge is the star attraction and was more than happy to be surrounded by a group of young cricketers who marvelled at her. What a girl. She turns heads wherever we go.