2016 Norman Lund

We chose what would have been Dad’s 93rd birthday to scatter his ashes. Overlooking Elterwater there’s a rocky knoll where foxgloves grow, and that’s where his final resting place is. We could hardly see the lake through the mist - we think he would have approved of the typical Lake District weather :) We then repaired to Eltermere, where we’d had happy and formative family holidays in the 60s, for a meal. It’s a lot posher than when we used to stay there, but the front door and the particular feel of the brass door knob hadn’t changed a bit. A lovely meal. Perhaps we’ll do this once a year in September. 

And then, next day...sunshine! So we had another day in the Lakes visiting old haunts: Cartmel, Coniston Water, Blea Tarn, Langdale and Esthwaite. Just perfect.

Dad had kept a huge stack of letters from his schoolfriend Alan Mann, and Alan had also kept the letters from him, going right back to the wartime years.

We’d copied Alan’s letters so we could take him the originals on our drive back south. At the same time we picked up Dad’s letters to Alan. The eventual aim is to have a complete copy of their correspondence - one for our family and one for Alan’s.

Both sets of letters contain discussions about art and music, as well as everyday life as an army recruit (Dad) and university student (Alan). They also have several fascinating drawings by Dad, such as ‘Sunday Morning Idyll’, right, that record his impressions of army life. 

Elterwater village in mist

Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, Langdale Pikes