729 miles driven, 31 hours elapsed, Mother has now had important chat with her brother (at a slightly elevated volume, but he is a bit deaf, being nearly 90).

We didn't manage to get a meal at The Linen Room, which is apparently the best eating place in SW Scotland (but trying to book on a Saturday night a mere 30 minutes in advance is inadvisable - I would have book the previous day, but didn't have scheduling certainty till I rang them).

And Levens Hall was closed when we passed by, shuit till next March. Hmph! (Even the buttery, which I have a strange desire to see.)

On the other hand, we went to a motorway service station and spent silly amounts in the shop. When I say that it was the Tebay services on the M6, some of you may understand why. For the rest - it's the only place I've yet encountered Stinking Bishop.