Luncheon: The Force cafe at Ambleside. Superb eggs Benedict rosti with smoked salmon. It proving to be a reliably excellent spot. #TheForceAmbleside

It’s been Tuffty Time again in the garden. I managed to miss it (this is Mrs.N’s video), because due to our hard living lifestyle I was having a nap…

Morning coffee: Ambleside.

Grasmere: a drop of rain won’t stop the 599 open top bus from running…

They’re back! I suspect the disheveled fur is due to their technique of access the nuts…they’re using their head

Morning coffee: double espresso at #Mathilde’sGrasmere

We’ve had a special visitor this morning…

First night in the holiday hut. The fire’s on and I’m having a favourite Spanish Brandy. It’s cheap and it’s rough (as I image myself…) #Fabuloso

Morning espresso…on the road northbound.

Oh yes! I still have a couple of the Siskin kits in the loft.

Luncheon: baked potatoes, Langley Farm cottage cheese (from just down the road) and a salad of cucumber, tomatoes with pumpkin seeds. It’s fresh!

I’ve got my tickets for @ofalafel.bsky.social at Leeds City Varieties. As it’s a lunchtime kids show I now need to find a grandchild to come with me. Olaf’s Art Club (yes, you must repeat that 10 times as quickly as you can), was a factor that kept me going during those lockdown days.

Luncheon: beige… Mrs.N’s made mushroom soup with grains (or bits as I call them). With nutritional yeast (we’re also trendy) Hearty and surprisingly tasty! (and no, it was not a punishment)

As Mrs.N has said #ShouldHaveGoneToSpecssvers

Me opera glasses have been disabled (good job we’re not here for the singing)

I’m just disappointed nobody else is in Edwardian attire….a big frock, fancy hat and white tie…

We’re waiting for Paul Merton to do his best Leonard Sachs impression…

Luncheon: Mrs.N’s done a tomato, avocado and mozzarella salad…with lots of other stuff. And the sun’s been out!

Luncheon: Mrs.N’s done a warm cabbage, blue cheese, pear and pecan salad…with a scattering of chilli flakes. Surprisingly warming!

Luncheon: I’m self-catering and it’s corned beef butty. Corned beef layered on Mrs.N’s home baked ciabatta bread, with creamed horseradish, sliced cornichons, sauerkraut and sliced pink pickled onions, topped with cheddar cheese and then toasted. Filling!

Luncheon: Mrs.N’s roast duck spring parcels. They were going to be spring rolls, but it was decided to “go large”. Served with a carrot and red cabbage slaw and sweet chilli dip. Tasty!

Luncheon: grilled sardines with a celeriac and cucumber slaw and pomegranate seeds. Lovely!

Luncheon…you’re on a site visit, it’s dinnertime and you’re passing a big blue box.., #IKEAMeatballs !

It was not all play yesterday: a model of Leeds’s Quarry Hill Flats mounted on a wall. It was a much bigger development than I remember…(for the planning geeks)

Next stop on our adventure was Leeds City Museum and the Leeds music exhibition. #ProudDad seeing my kids contribution.

Our adventure yesterday continued…Valentines Fair in Leeds City Centre…Mrs.N was upset there were no teacups to ride.

A purpose of our adventure yesterday was to have lunch at #SixbyNicoKeeds. It was excellent. Humble, simple ingredients cooked imaginatively. Lots of fun…including a “hot chocolate” which believe it or not, was a hot chocolate drink (with Chantelle cream and a liqueur)

Yesterday we went to Leeds for an adventure. The bus driver may have hijacked the bus, been a getaway driver for a heist, or training for the Round Britain Rally (or similar). It was white knuckle stuff…and we arrived early (unsurprisingly).

I enjoyed this read…

Towards Barnsley: Wednesday 7.02am, and I’m ambling with Mrs.N. It’s a numbing wind and a shame we don’t need a visit to the dentist. The effect of this wind would have saved any injection palava.

Luncheon: Mrs.N’s done roast chicken and stuff salad…

Luncheon: baked sweet potato with Longley Farm cottage cheese (local!), and pumpkin seeds, accompanied by a salad of cucumber, red cabbage and avocado. I do enjoy a baked sweet potato!

Posh takeaway for Valentines Day (take 3): Set Buttermilk Cream, Preserved Rhubarb Hazelnut and Sweet Cicely. I can never get enough sweet cicely!

Posh takeaway for Valentines Day (take2): Stuffed Herdwick Lamb Shoulder, Gladiator Parsnips, Whey Onions, Sauce Infused with Horseradish. Accompanied by a lovely Douro Reserva.

Posh takeaway for Valentine’s Day (take 1)…Crisp Sourdough Wafer, Preserved Snowball Cauliflower, Fermented Bean, Truffle, Chrysanthemum…apparently. It looks beige but tastes fantastic!

Luncheon: smoked salmon with Mrs.N’s homemade Waldorf salad, pickled fennel and Guinness bread. Accompanied by a lovely Bulgarian Pinot Noir rosé.

Towards Barnsley: 11.05am Saturday. An amble down the road with Mrs.N and it’s crisp and glorious!

Well, tipple for tonight and I’ll put this in the winter whisky category. Excellent stuff!

Posh takeaway for Valentine’s Eve (take 2) West Coast Lobster Glazed in Garlic XO, Pink Fir, Our Farm Greens, Bay Shrimp. And Mrs.N has announced I’m having double kale this weekend as we’re having it on Sunday…am I the lucky one? Still accompanied by a lovely Bulgarian Pinot Noir Rosé from The Aldi

Posh takeaway for Valentine’s Eve (take 1): Grilled Ibis Celeriac, Cornish Smoked Mackerel, Shimejis, Mussels & Smoked Pike Perch Roe (apparently). Very good, but not as tasty as Mrs.N’s slow roasted celeriac in miso. Accompanied by a lovely Bulgarian Pinot Noir Rosé from The Aldi

Luncheon: I hated hummus with a passion. To me it had the taste and texture of wet sand. That is until Mrs.N started to make her own (from a @nigella.bsky.social recipe). This is sublime. Served with raw stuff.

Luncheon: baked beans on Mrs.N’s sourdough…topped with nutritional yeast (which is a revelation).

Luncheon: beef butty! Slices of rare roast beef, creamed horseradish and sliced pickled onions on Mrs.N’s sourdough. Accompanied by a lovely Palo Cortado. Champion!

Teatime gig…Launchpad at the Wardrobe, Leeds. Öops featuring Junior Grandson on drums (Senior Grandson on the sound desk for a later band). Launchpad dies a great job of getting young people involved in live music.

Afternoon coffee: pre-gig espresso at The Wardrobe, Leeds…

Towards the Jaws of Borrowdale (from the Crag of Friar’s)

Morning coffee: espresso at Theatre on the Lake, before we amble down to Friar’s Crag…

There was much alfresco dining at the Britannia today:

Luncheon: At The Britannia, Elterwater…ham sandwich, chips and beer. Unbeatable!

The tide’s in on Elterwater beach.