We had awarded ourselves a couple of days in the land of Wainwright and James Rebanks of The Shepherd's Life, the Lake District, en route north as time to pause, unwind and get a feel for the road and the journey, and so we had a wonderful time wandering around Keswick. It really is a lovely town, the last time I was there we had been delivering Offspringette to university at Stirling (we are talking 1999 or so) and I had bought a couple of skirts and shirts and a fleece jumper in a sale at the Rohan shop. Rohan, if you don't know of it is a bit of a cut above the average and the outdoor gear is priced accordingly, consequently I may not have bought much in there since (occasionally find new bargains on eBay) but I am walking proof that the clothes are made to last because, to my amusement, I realised I was actually wearing one of those original shirts as I walked in.
Now this sounds dreadful...how on earth can you wear a shirt for seventeen years and not have it fall apart or be condemned as a hazard, but out they come every summer. The skirts, the shirts, they wear, they wash clean like a dream, they dry in a flash, they pack down small and emerge pristine, plus a VERY BIG AND... they still fit me and yes, they went to New Zealand too. I greet them each year like old friends so I was delighted to find a pair of fleece-lined trousers, Winter Roamers, nice fit, nice colour (forest green) and splashed out the cash in advance of a birthday (to save Bookhound worrying) on the evidence-base that (dv) I could still be wearing them when I am eighty. Perfect for Dartmoor tramping this winter and the next...and the next...
As we wandered around the town we found the cinema.
I had to look it up but discovering that the name Alhambra has its origins in Arabic and means 'red or crimson castle' might be a hint about the Alhambra Cinema in Keswick, because it is indeed very red. I'm sure someone will know more about Spanish connections and how the name came to be used here in the UK for theatres and cinemas.
Lit by gas until the 1980s the cinema itself was opened in time for Christmas 1913, with licenses for music, dancing and cinematograph and how amazing that The Alhambra has weathered every change and passing trend and is still opening its doors to punters. Digital technology arrived in 2012 and was swiftly followed by satellite reception which now allows for the presentation of plays, operas and ballets from the worlds leading venues, and
as we sat there in our front row balcony seat and watched the pre-film adverts we marvelled at what was to come. Keswick is to be treated to 'live' performances of Andre Rieu, Miss Saigon, Cosi Fan Tutte from the Royal Opera House, an RSC production of King Lear, the Australian Ballet performing Sleeping Beauty...seriously I'd be in there very week. The seats are spacious and comfortable you know that smooth old velveteen feel, with plenty of leg room, whilst the atmosphere with the old film posters and the lovely old cinema clock glowing in the dark sets you up perfectly for a jolly good film.
Here's what we saw...
I feel sure I would have read Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome as a child, but I have no lasting lovely memory of it...so maybe not. But if you are looking for a feel-good film with a delightful 1920's Lake District setting and with delightful children and clothes to match (the book was first published in 1930) doing exciting things in boats with no regard for health and safety whatsoever and then camping out on an island, then this is the film for you. It seems to have had mixed reviews and comes in for some criticism about plot alterations and the usual moans about nostalgia, but if you watch in a relaxed holiday-ish mood knowing you've left the cares of the world behind and are heading off on an adventure of your own as we were, then it isn't difficult to buy into the magic and the excitement of children being allowed to go off and get into mischief and have an adventure too. Apart from the usual person(s) behind us with the constant refrain of noisy sweet packets (why not tip them out or something) we had a lovely time.
If you have read the book or seen the film...what did you think...
Do the other books by Arthur Ransome match up to Swallows and Amazons...
Do noisy sweet packets annoy you too...
And more importantly are we going to have a freezing cold winter so that I can start to get the seventeen years wear out of my new trousers. I'm waiting for the Daily Express's annual prediction of 'Arctic Winter heading our way,' which usually sees us baking in short sleeves in December...
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