This is the second post of Baker's 2025 holiday. See the first part here > Baker's Last Camping Holiday.
After our one-night camping on the South West coast of Scotland, I wanted to take a little detour rather than heading straight home. My Maiden name (and now middle name) is Eskdale, and it's an important family name to me. It's uncommon and was Baker's original Surname too. So I've always wanted to visit the places of Eskdale in the UK.
There is Eskdale, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, which we technically drove through on the way to our camping adventure; however, it is no longer an actual place name, but rather a 'glen and former lordship'. The River Esk flows through Eskdale to its estuary at the Solway Firth, and we've driven over the River Esk many times.
There is also Eskdale in Cumbria, England. It's a civil parish in the west of the Lake District National Park...somewhere I have never wanted to visit haha. This Eskdale is named after the Eskdale valley, through which the River Esk flows. With the village of Eskdale Green and the popular Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, we were sure we'd be able to find a cool signpost somewhere with the name 'Eskdale' emblazoned, where we could get a photo of Baker.
Long story long, things didn't go as planned.
The first derailment of the daily schedule came when we approached the signpost for Wigtown. We decided to finally take the turn at the junction and pay a quick visit to Scotland's Book Town!
It turned out to be the very best part of our day and a wonderful, yet expensive, stop. The shopkeepers were so friendly, the garden and town itself were beautiful, peaceful places, and Baker was even welcomed into his first-ever bookstore! If only we'd decided to call it a day then and head straight home from there...
Instead, we jumped back into the car and started the journey South towards 'Eskdale'!
After a couple of hours driving, my pains gave in and I had to swap with Mr H, which then brought on the travel sickness. By the time we reached the country roads of the North West Lake District, we were not having a good time. So many people, especially those inexperienced driving on single-track roads, drive so dangerously around these areas and with that stress on top of stomach-churning nausea, I just wanted to give up and go home. We passed through many little villages with lovely signs declaring where we were, apart from when we reached Eskdale. Typical!
We got out to stretch our legs, get some fresh air and still my tummy, walking through the village before popping back in the car to continue the sign hunt. We passed the railway, we passed holiday homes, but still no signs! So we decided to give up and head home. An 8ish hour detour for nothing!
Instead, we jumped back into the car and started the journey South towards 'Eskdale'!
After a couple of hours driving, my pains gave in and I had to swap with Mr H, which then brought on the travel sickness. By the time we reached the country roads of the North West Lake District, we were not having a good time. So many people, especially those inexperienced driving on single-track roads, drive so dangerously around these areas and with that stress on top of stomach-churning nausea, I just wanted to give up and go home. We passed through many little villages with lovely signs declaring where we were, apart from when we reached Eskdale. Typical!
We got out to stretch our legs, get some fresh air and still my tummy, walking through the village before popping back in the car to continue the sign hunt. We passed the railway, we passed holiday homes, but still no signs! So we decided to give up and head home. An 8ish hour detour for nothing!
That's when we spotted it. The only sign we'd seen. On our way home. We jumped out of the car and got a quick photo, but overall, I was disappointed we'd come all this way just for that. I know many people from all over the UK revere the Lake District, but I feel what we saw (and what I have seen online) is nothing special compared to the sights of Scotland we have explored. I grew up in one of the most gorgeous counties, Northumberland, which is often underestimated and have spent time in many places in the Scottish Borders, Kielder and other areas of the North East, which I much prefer. At least there will be one less person crowding the Lake District because I am highly unlikely to visit again*, haha!
Having added a good 6 hours onto our journey, we arrived home late. It was a little bit of a sour end to Baker's last trip away, but he did so well and had a good time before we reentered England that morning!
*Perhaps one day, only to see Beatrix Potter's house at Hill Top...
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