(The Lake District)
Hi readers,
I've just got back from a week away in the Lake District and now I'm feeling inspired to write again. Problem is I am also feeling a bit unwell. Granted I am refreshed and in a more positive state of mind then I've been during the last few weeks, but my body feels like it's coming down with another cold. Hopefully, it's just the tiredness from having an active week! I doubt I'll get all I want to say about my holiday down in one, so I'll write as much as I can and return to it later. This post is going to be pack with photos too and that should mean that there is less writing to be done, but my mind doesn't seem to agree with that.
There really is something inspiring and awe creating about the Lake District. Even on a terrible day, something can always be discovered about the place that draws you in more. On a hot, sunny day that becomes ten times as drawing and in some ways no words can describe the beauty of the place. I think that it's just one of those spots on Earth that just attracts people because of the landscaping and the nature. For creative people its the perfect place to go if they want to get back in touch with themselves and find something inspiring to write, paint and create about.
Whilst it didn't rain once, beside from a small attempt on Wednesday afternoon, the Lakes were still caught in the embrace of winter. There had been a heavy snowfall the week before we were due to go and because of the cold temperature, the snow was still on the ground in some places. It could be seen capping the peaks and hills around us. Though this added to the beauty and power of the views, I would rather have liked to have seen the plants starting to awaken and cover the landscape. Beside from the evergreen pines and dull green of some fields, the only thing 'springy' about the lakes were the baby lambs. However, there wasn't as many as one would expect to see at this time of year and due to the cold weather they were huddled by their mothers on the ground. I am hoping that if I return in the summer time as planned, that I will see much more of the Lakes' nature.
I think the most exciting thing about this holiday was that I went on it with my boyfriend. I've only once been on holiday without my parents before and this was also the first time I was going away with a boyfriend. I was interested to know how it would effect our relationship and if it would feel different being away from my family. Though we weren't actually alone, because his dad and his dad's girlfriend had invited us to join them. So, it was a little different in that sense. However, things went great and we had a wonderful week together.
We stayed at a timeshare run by the Langdale Hotel and Spa. We had a lodge built for six people, in a woodland area with some okay views the surrounding peak tops. It was really nice and quiet and the beds were big and soft. The place felt miles from anywhere else, though there were houses, pubs and farms around. I had to try out the swimming pool, which I was expecting to be a bit bigger, but it was great fun. The food they had in the restaurant was good too and they have a few different places where you can eat.
(Langdale spa hotel lodges)
The nearest village of Ambleside was a 15 minute drive away and it's a mix of tourist and local shops. I love the chocolate makers shop there and they even sold my mum's favourite chocolates which have become a lot harder to find over the years as they have almost stopped making them. There was also a lot of hiking equipment shops, which is something you get use to and they must do a good business in this area! There is also a lot of tea rooms and cafes which seemed forever busy to me. They have a really odd cinema too, because it's divided up into three different buildings. One of which is the old school house where the smallness of the room was a bit of a shock. We still managed to watch a movie though. They have a park, golf course and tennis court area too. My interested was in the church and the graveyard though!
We were also close to Windermere which was the busiest town I saw. We didn't really stop to wonder around there, but I did see some good views from the car windows. We visited a few places and once took the road along the peaks, which was both scary and fun.
(Ambleside and Windermere)
One of the places I really wanted to visit was Rydale Mount, the last home of William Wordsworth. My plan had actually been to let my boyfriend take me to some of his favourite places, but when I found out how close we were to Wordsworth's house, I just had to go. I had fallen in love with his poetry as a teenager studying the Romantics in college. When we arrived at Rydale Mount, I could see why Wordsworth had liked the place. Seeing the gardens, I felt it even more so because the views of the surrounding area were very pretty.
Inside the house has had little changed to it, beside from the removing of a wall which now opens the living and drawing rooms up. The walls are covered with paintings of Wordsworth, his family, friends, other connecting people and landscapes. There is also a whole wall of books too and lots of windows to look out on the gardens. The bedrooms were fun to explore and it made you feel like you were peeking into this unseen world, where the people had only just left it. The last room of the house is the attic, which was Wordsworth's study. His desk sits under the window and is scattered with the writing tools and books. Along the back wall was a big empty space where the family tree had been removed for upgrading. There is a massive glass display in the middle which houses bits and pieces of writing and family history.
It was far too cold to wonder around the gardens for long, so we just did the front one and also the side one which led down to a view of the river. There was also the field full of daffs which were planted in memory of his daughter further down. In the summer the place will look a lot pretty and it'll be nicer to walk around.
We also visited the graveyard were Wordsworth was buried. We had no trouble finding the headstone because of all the people standing before it! Wordsworth is buried with his family behind the church, in a spot that over looks a small remembrance garden. I would have stayed longer and looked at some of the other headstones, but the smell of freshly made gingerbread was drifting on the breeze. Right outside the church yard is a small shop selling homemade Lake district style gingerbread and fudge. It tastes so good and is different from any ginger biscuits I've had before.
(Rydle Mount- Wordsworth's last house)
Due to the weather, we didn't do that much walking. Though of course going to the Lakes means you'll be doing just that! Long walks have never applied to me though and climbing peaks has never been my thing. However, I would have liked to have done some short walks and really taken in the scenery. Maybe in the summer! We found other things to do instead though, including a small place in Keswick called The Puzzle Place, which my boyfriend really likes. It's based on optical illusions and had lots of different puzzles, art work and interactive thing. It boggles the mind and gets you thinking about how we look at the world.
We also played the crazy golf course at Keswick. The back drop of the peaks was really nice and the course itself was fun. Been ages since I last played though and it took me awhile to get into it. Watching other people play is also half the fun, I think. We didn't keep score and just went by hole in ones. We had ice cream after and wondered around the high street as there were a lot of shops here.
(Playing crazy golf)
We had a day out at Lakeside and when to see the Lakes Aquarium. I like animals and I find watching fish to be really relaxing and interesting. I really enjoyed my wonder around here because it wasn't just fish that they had, they had snakes, toads, turtles, otters and monkeys! They had a tunnel walk through too and I spend a bit of time in here watching the fish swimming above me. The sea shore section they had was pretty interesting, though I didn't spot any seahorses and they are my favourite. I got to hold a snake though and that was pretty cool. Took my back to my animal care course days and cleaning out the snakes there. The flatfish and stingray pool was the last thing we saw and we joined a talk about them.
There was a lot to do at Lakeside and my boyfriend really wanted to drive a boat around the lake, but it was far too cold for that and the water looked really choppy. Instead we took a steam train ride down the tracks. That was a lot warmer, but I wish it could have been longer! The trip to the end of the line and back again was far too short for me. Eating gingerbread was good though and watching the landscape go by couldn't be knocked. Only problem was my camera had run out of battery, so I missed out on taking photos!
(Big fish)
I did managed to take some pics whilst we are driving around, but these really don't do justice to the Lakes. You can see what the snow was like on these pics though and also some of the views we did enjoy whilst driving around. I'm hoping to get some better ones in the summer, though the internet is full of them, so finding photos is very easy.
(Road trip into the peaks)
(Peak view)
Images from:
The Lake District -
http://www.bestwestern.co.uk/destinations/lake-district-hotels/attractions.aspx
Langdale lodges -
http://www.langdale.co.uk/stay/timeshare/lake-district-timeshare.htm
Ambleside and Windermere -
http://www.lakedistrictwalks.com/ambredq.html
Rydale Mount - Author's own.
Playing crazy golf -Author's own.
Big fish - Author's own.
Road trip into the peaks -Author's own
Peak view - Author's own.
