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STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING FOR THE
WINNER
A DAY AT THE RACES IN THE ENGLISH
LAKE DISTRICT
by Mark Hodson
Returning to Cartmell in the
afternoon after a wonderful walk and a sumptuous picnic, we find the village
with its numerous old pubs a hive of activity. Racegoers of all ages and from
all walks of life have gathered to join in this unique event, one of only five
racedays taking place here throughout the year. The tweeds and classic fashion
of the Rangerover owners mix with pensioners, prams and people who have come
simply to soak up the magic of the races. This is pure storybook stuff. The
idyllic setting for the venue is private land owned by Lord and Lady Cavendish
of nearby Holker Hall. Here the racecourse circles around the cricket ground and
the bowling green with its whitewashed and weather-beaten pavilion. A couple
over to our right have brought along their deck chairs and champagne glasses and
are popping out the cork. Behind them in the sunshine lies a multicolored sea of
folk eagerly awaiting the start of the race.
The eloquent voice of the race
announcer echoes around the racetrack once more informing us of the prizes.
Locally-made Sticky Toffee Pudding is the fine reward for the trainer, the more
usual champagne for the owner and jockey, as well as twenty pounds to spend for
the stable lad or lass in charge of the best turned out horse. I would have gone
for the trainer's prize myself. As we leave, dads are lighting
barbecues, kids are kicking soccer balls, grandmas lay the heavy woollen plaid
car rugs on the ground and mums produce a vast array of mouthwatering salads and
sandwiches from seemingly minute cars. My copy of the Racing Post will be kept
as a memento - it seems strange now that only an hour ago well-meaning local
folks were jabbing their fingers helping me pick a sure-fire winner as if life
depended on it. Mark Hodson went to Cartmel on a
LancasterAuthentic hiking vacation. Further details from: info@lancasterauthentic.com,
website: http://www.lancasterauthentic.com,
Toll free (U.S.):1-800 227-5550 tel: +44 (0)1524 67007 or write to
LancasterAuthentic, Stoneridge House, 9, Cromwell Road, Lancaster LA1 5BD,
ENGLAND Photographs: "Lake District Fells" by Alex Phillips "Horse and rider" by J.R. Unwin FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
More information on walking and hiking tours timed to
include local events like the one above, contact info@lancasterauthentic.com
or visit http://www.lancasterauthentic.com/. |
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TM
Early
summer mornings are always cool and refreshing in Britain and this morning is no
exception. The honeysuckle is in full bloom in hedgerows and cascading over
garden walls. Its delicate fragrance mixes with the heavenly scent of rambling
English roses carried on the calm morning air. The early sunshine picks out the
worn cobblestones of the sleepy main street in the Lakeland village of Cartmell
as it prepares itself for one of the biggest days of its calendar. The tranquil
village center has just the odd soul around in the stillness of early morning,
preparing the pig roast or putting out the temporary traffic cones. Although
Cartmell is out of the way of the popular regions of the Lake District, today
the English will travel from all over this beautiful North West corner of their
country to indulge in that classic tradition - a day at the races.
A
weathered old man closes off the lane that leads to the centre of the racecourse
covering it liberally with straw. The well-groomed horses gallop past us on
their way to the starting line as a well-bred BBC accent captures our attention
over the loudspeakers, announcing the colours of the jockeys'
"jerseys". The drama unfolds as the towering horses pound past us
towards the finishing post. The noise of the crowd crescendos with excitement.