We had been wanting to get away for ages. No kids, no dogs, no plans. Just a bit of space to walk, talk and be somewhere that wasn’t our living rooms. So me and Carl packed up the car and headed to the Lake District for a weekend in Barrow-in-Furness or little Barrow, to be precise.
We set off Friday morning, full of good intentions. A nice walk around Windermere, maybe a pub lunch, you know the vibe. But as luck would have it, we managed to time our trip perfectly with Amy. No…not another woman…the storm. And she was absolutely battering the north.
So instead of our hiking boots and lake views, we went straight to Booths for supplies.
If you’re not familiar with Booths, pull up a chair. I’ve been a fan since my uni days back in 2015 when there was still one in Media City (….come back). It’s the “Waitrose of the North” a family-run northern supermarket known for great local produce, brilliant food, and just nice, posh and a bit more expensive things.
So when we pulled into Ulverston and realised it was the full-size Booths, not a mini one, I was buzzing. Carl, less so, as I dragged him round the place kicking and screaming (not really, he loves a good shop as much as me, or so he tells me) anyway…before we knew it, we’d spent £120 on “essentials” for the weekend. Essentials like fancy cheese, wine, deli bits and snacks we didn’t need but obviously did.
We checked into our apartment at The Ironworks in Barrow. It was smart and modern, surrounded by everything you could want, a gym with a spa, hotels, bars, cafés and museums. We dumped the bags, stocked the fridge, had a little mooch about, then landed in a nearby pub for a couple of drinks before heading back.
The rest of the night was blissfully uneventful. We cooked, watched a film (something army-based that was definitely Carl’s pick, but actually not that bad) and crashed out early.
Saturday started slow: coffee, breakfast at the café Ambio , and then a wander to get our steps in before the rain came back. And yes, we went back to Booths. Another £50. I don’t even know how.
On the way back we stopped at a big hotel for a drink and accidentally stumbled into someone’s 40th birthday party. The theme? “Come dressed in your wedding gear.” I’m not kidding. Around a hundred people in wedding dresses and suits turning up to a function room while we sat in the corner with a pint, absolutely enthralled. Not my kind of party, but as far as people-watching goes, 10/10.
Back at the apartment we tucked into a Booths curry (also 10/10) and I finally tried Whispering Angel to see what the fuss was about. Consider me converted. We finished the night with a cheeseboard and zero regrets.
Sunday came too soon. We made breakfast, packed up and finally got that walk around Windermere before heading home. Boats, shops, puddles and all.
Nothing groundbreaking. No itinerary. Just a proper, rainy northern weekend: Booths bags, bad weather and good company.
Would do it all again in a heartbeat. ♥️
Kerry Wolstenholme 
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