Lake District Weekend

Our Lake District (aka Cumbria) getaway with John and Anne was superior in every respect. We had great weather, (sunshine at last!), and although it was a Bank Holiday Weekend, we hardly noticed.  We had been squashed on the train to Windermere with all the other holiday makers, but we felt like the only tourists in town when we drove our rental car up to Rose Cottage in the village of Witherslack at the southern edge of the district.

We had been looking for self-catering accommodation for four, and in a tourist area that specializes in B&B's we considered ourselves lucky to have found this charming short-term rental in a place we would otherwise have avoided.  Because, honestly, who would ever think "Witherslack! Yippee! Now there is a place that really sounds interesting!"

Spring is late this year.  Rose Cottage has no roses yet.

Our intention was to go on a couple of walks and do a bit of exploring by car. But we also thoroughly explored the little roads around Witherslack, especially the one that leads to the pub, the village's only amenity.  (There is also a community shop but it never seemed to be open.  We did all our grocery shopping in Windermere, about 20 minutes away.)

The pub is just down the road.

Some kind of yellow anemone adorns one of many stone walls.

Looking back down the road at a gorse hedge in full bloom.

The Derby Arms, our destination at dusk.

There is plenty of exciting hiking in Cumbria, but we settled for a couple of less adrenaline-pumping walks.  We didn't have time for all-day excursions.  Our 3-hour rambles presented no cliffs to scale, and no ledges to traverse, but we did see some very lovely pastoral scenery.

No daffodils, but a host of woodland bluebells were a beautiful sight.

As we walked along through property near Coniston that had once been owned by Beatrix Potter, we learned that when 19th century Lake District dwellers realized that they were onto a good thing scenery-wise, they were not above adding the occasional prettifying detail.  A stone fence here, a charming building there, and don't forget to throw in a few sheep!    The tourists will love the sheep!

Aaaah...ewes and lambs.

                                                                                    

Anne's brother Gareth came on our walk to Tarn Hows, and was greeted by a very tame ram.

These lambs have white ears.  I could only see white ewes, but many, many adorable black offspring. Hmmmmm.....

Ullswater is the deepest lake in the LD, and there is plenty of fine walking nearby. Most hikers are heading for Helvelyan, the third highest mountain in England.  We went part of the way on this trail.  

On the hills above Ullswater

Bruce consults with puzzled walkers. 

Take my word for it.  There were sheep grazing here until a FOX scooted by. 

Our day ended with a trip to Keswick.  We whizzed through town and headed to Castlerigg
 -- a sort of miniature Stonehenge.  I was surprised that so few other people were investigating this historic site, but perhaps the English are ho-hum about such attractions because there are so many.  Kind of the way Canadians are about elk in Banff National Park. (Yaaawn.  Another giant horned ungulate......)         

Castlerigg sits on a plateau surrounded by hills.  Amazingly, there were only about 10 other visitors.