Carlisle, the Coach & Horses, and Cod & chips

The drive from Glasgow to Carlisle was an uneventful one, although we did manage to get caught in quite a bit of rain along the way (there's a surprise!) and we arrived in Carlisle in time to visit the local Carphone Warehouse and pick up a couple of sim cards for the phone and iPad so we're wired for sound (and pictures).

We arrived at the Premier Inn at about 3.50pm and it was already starting to get dark, so any plans to see something of Hadrian's Wall (which I've never actually been able to see/stand on/touch/feel in all the time/s I've been in the UK) were left to the following day.

At the Premier Inn we were welcomed by the news that the national computer network was down and that we'd have to check in manually!  It was like going back 30 years in time, with the click-clack of the paper credit card embosser punctuating the travel.

Time for dinner and, using the Around Me app, we settled on the Flaming Grill at the Gosling Bridge Inn - 4+ stars and it seemed to have the sense of authenticity we were looking for.  Deciding to walk, we set off on what turned out to be a 2.5km round trip.  We walked past the Coach and Horses pub on the way, arriving at the Gosling to discover that it too was part of the Premier Inn franchise and we had been seduced by the "package". 

We were ushered to our table by the boss and left to peruse the menus (basically hamburgers and variations on the fast food theme) with a very pleasant local ale.  Our efforts to attract attention for our order though, fell on deaf ears and we decided that such rudeness should be responded to accordingly.  As I was paying for the beers to leave, the barman seemed puzzled that we'd had no food.  I explained we had tried to order numerous times but no one seemed interested.  He, in turn, asked "Didn't anyone tell you to order at the bar?"  Errr, no, says me and we were shown to our table by the boss! Oh, says he, sorry 'bout that.

Ah well, back to the Coach and Horses, and what a delight! A true local pub where everyone in the bar was brought to silence by our entrance - the question "Who be these strangers?" was silent but palpable.  The landlord was welcoming though and we washed down our battered cod and chips with another finely pulled pint.  An excellent end to our first day in Blighty, polished off by our walk back to the 'other' Premier Inn and off to bed for a good night's sleep.