14th March 2020 by emmadurnford

14th March 2020

We have made it! Finally we got to Dalemain Mansion despite the cancellation of the marmalade festival that I had booked tickets to a number of months ago. We drove to the Estate but were swiftly turned round by a friendly marshal who explained that there was limited parking and so a shuttle minibus would bring us in from the centre of Penrith. The minibus was actually just setting off so as I was driving, it was a rapid turn around and brisk drive following the minibus. I dropped Colin off right next to the vehicle to ask them to wait for me and I drove off to park as quickly as possible. I made it (not forgetting to stick Gulliver in my bag for photos) and after a round-about journey and a chat with the friendly driver were arrived back at Dalemain House.

It was sad not to be able to taste the literally thousands of jars of marmalade but we could talk to everyone and could at least look at the display. I treated Colin to 4 jars of marmalade and bought one for Hester with gin in it and another for Chris to go with his birthday presents. The display was amazing and the House was beautiful with rooms packed with things such as the nursery with toys and the old kitchen area with original jars and boxes. The gardens were showing signs of spring with spirals of snowdrops and frogspawn in the pond but it was very nippy and in our haste we had left our thicker coats back in the car!

We enjoyed sharing a marmalade sausage roll and marmalade ginger cake for lunch. We met ‘Old Jim’ who has worked on the Estate for decades. He is a total character and I really wish I could have photographed him. He is blind in one eye and over the years has trained the local chaffinches and blue tits to eat seed from his hand.

We finally got the minibus with a different driver back to the car park in Penrith to collect our car and as it had started drizzling we headed back to our lovely room at the 1863 B&B. W thought we’d brave the weather and go for a walk around Ullswater lake and it chucked it down! I had hoped to find somewhere suitable to try out my new ND grad filters and my ‘big stopper’ but there was no particular suitable spot.

Back to the B&B to prepare ourselves for the evenings 6-course tasting menu that I booked as part of Colin’s Christmas present. We went downstairs a bit earlier and relaxed in front of the fire with (for me) a large local gin and tonic and a beer for Colin.

We had a nice corner table for our meal and it really was superb. Six courses and extra courses from the chef. Each course was beautifully presented and although on the small size (it is a tasting menu) we were full by the end and I also enjoyed a glass of Malbec with my main ‘courses’. A very successful day.
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