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Easy Living
Early Carefree Days in the English Lake District
It’s April 1993, I am twenty four and living two hundred miles from home (as per Father’s wishes) in Cumbria, the land of sheep, rain and kendal mint cake. Despite my less than glamorous accomodation I have fallen in love with the area and feel completely at home.
A stone’s throw from the hotel is the shoreline of Lake Windermere, a vast expanse of water utterly beautiful from any angle. There was something about the place which I felt a strong connection to and I knew this was going to be my home for some time to come.
I used to love walking down to the waters edge in the morning before work and later in the evening just before sunset and the pub opening. I would sit on the jetty looking out for the local fishermen to see where their favourite spots were for pike and char. Whatever time of day I sat there the water seemed to take on a new look and made me want to understand the lake and all that lived in it that much more.
Those early days were ones I shall never forget, I fitted straight into the kitchen team; twelve chefs and four kitchen porters, all lads and all with different accents. The chefs were well known in the area, our reputation for working hard and playing harder went before us. I enjoyed the best of both worlds; drunken antics in the neighbouring towns and villages coupled with an afternoon’s pike fishing in complete tranquility.
One of the jetty’s would be used by the boys as a gangplank for cooling off in the summer or sobering up in the winter. Jumping in Lake Windermere at 2am on a January morning isn’t funny but we still did it.
My life in the Lake District was, for much of the time a very happy one. It is home to some of my fondest memories as a chef, it rekindled my childhood love of fishing and all things outdoors, taught me some valuable lessons and would, ultimately make me realise how much I missed being near my family and bring me back full circle.
But I had some fun first…..!
NB These photographs were taken back in ‘93, with a Canon Sureshot (I’ve since stuck with the make but the model has changed a bit!). I thought they would be useful in helping to set the scene for future posts…..
Miles,
Take that second shot for example … I could recreate that with rotring pen but I doubt I could take a decent photograph. Instead I used to trim my pictures and set them out to tell a story. You could say my ideas changed when I first saw a large Hockney photocollage in an exhibition years ago.
Cid
April 9, 2008 @ 8:32 am
Miles,
Great photos. The first one has great similarity with a painting I have of Ullswater. The second photo is superb.
Elsie
April 9, 2008 @ 9:08 am
I too remember those days well
I had some great trips up there.
Some of my happiest times were also spent in the Lakes.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane - halcyon days.
Having a brother who could arrange £5 a night ’stopovers’ was quite nice as well
Rod
April 9, 2008 @ 12:09 pm
PS
I remember being in your hotel dining room at a table which overlooked the lake and ordering a Wild Mushroon dish.
Me being me, I said to the waitress when ordering,
“and tell the chef not to stint on the mushrooms”
You had the last laugh, I could barely see over the plate that turned up - nearly killed me
April 9, 2008 @ 12:12 pm
Miles,
You are taking me back years now. The Lake District is simply stunning and all the lakes have their own wonderful settings. When the weather is on your side, nothing beats it. not only a walker’s but also a photographer’s paradise.
Christine
April 9, 2008 @ 2:06 pm
It’s been nice to look back over some old photos, they help put things into place so hopefully some of the posts might begin to make sense!
Miles
April 9, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
Rod,
After seeing you struggle with the amount on your first meal I decided to cut back on your next one-hence the old mullet story
April 9, 2008 @ 2:11 pm