We are entertaining Ukrainian guests this weekend.

Volodymyr is an Ukrainian refugee/lodger at Loes's daughter's house and we have got to know him slightly during our visits back to Harewood.

His daughter Alla and her two 5yrs olds escaped the war last year and now live in Leeds, so we invited them all to Cumbria for the weekend.

Loes's daughter couldn't make it but we had a great weekend nevertheless.

Volodymyr and the family at Hause Point.

Alla and the boys speak reasonable English having been over in this country and in school for about a year.

Vee has limited English due to his recent arrival but with the help of Alla, the boys and occasionally a phone App called "Say Hi"

we were able to understand each other sufficiently, even down to the technical stuff of life.

When in Buttermere you must if you can, sample the ice cream at Syke Farm Cafe.

Being mid-morning and a little cool outside, coffee was amore suitable alternative for us today.

[ Ann Kyle who lives at the farm was able to join us for a short while.]

Whilst in Buttermere we walked up to the little church on the hill.

The drive up the valley is never complete without a stop to photograph the famous "Buttermere Pines".

At the top of the pass are the Honister Mines, busy with visitors to their Via Ferratas and underground tours.

I don't imagine the steam engine ever worked underground . . . but it made a great attraction for young visitors.

Alla walks out a short distance along the old path that would have been the slate railway

that carried the trucks that had descended via the old Yew Crag Quarry funicular tramway. 

Even now 150 years on some wooden sleepers can still be seen.

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The family expressed an interest in seeing St Bees and Loes's old house

so we headed down the other side of Honister Pass, on the lookout for somewhere for lunch.

The Orient Express was busy with visitors today, so we had a very enjoyable lunch at the adjacent Pheasant Inn.

Still, 5 year olds can't miss out on a quick visit to look at the iconic train standing at Dubwath Station when we were so close.

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Onward to the coast and we leave the grey clouds behind in favour of strong sunshine.

With the open sea location comes stronger winds which added drama to the seafront.

It's about half tide and all the sand is covered.

The waves crash onto the shingles with a noisy cascade of water and stone.

The wooden groynes were designed to preserve the sandy beach, but nothing stops the power of nature over time.

With the rough seas we notice some jellyfish have been washed up onto the stones.

Loes is using her arms to balance in the strong wind.

After seeing her old house we returned home at the end of the afternoon.

Once out at the boathouse we turned for home, passing Crummock Weir along the way.

The boys wanted to carry on around the lake

but it was approaching lunchtime and they had to return to Leeds later this afternoon, so we kept it simple and headed back to the cottage.

It had been a great weekend.