View After View

I know, I know, nearly all the photos are of stunning views, but that’s the Lake District for you! Every day a new path (usually climbing up) and a new part of this incredible landscape opens up. Photos don’t really capture it. 

We walked different paths from Glenridding, a village I visited twelve years ago with family, with dad as my walking partner. Parts of the Ullswater Way, Red Tarn, Place Fell, Helvellyn, Sticks Pass, Hallin Fell, Martindale, Grisedale and Angle Tarn were a few of the routes I did this time. I know dad would have enjoyed them too, especially the downhill bits!

Campsite was terrific, quiet and tucked above the village of Glenridding. Well, quiet and fairly empty until the bank holiday weekend for the Queen’s funeral. Poppy and I left about 11ish for our walk on the Friday and when we returned at about 6pm every patch of grass was occupied - tents galore and BBQs going! We just had enough space to drive off our pitch to get out the following day.

Our drive into Yorkshire was via Arnside first for views over Morecambe Bay and then, avoiding motorways, we travelled in the little blue van along the most twisty, narrow roads with sheep and cattle either side and open moorland. Luckily didn’t meet too many people travelling the other direction and was quite relieved to finally arrive in Buckden to our campsite, which is in the National Park. A super, quiet site and a network of paths to walk (with pubs on route!) I think this will do us nicely until the weekend.

12 years ago dad and I walking in the lakes 

   View down to Hayeswater

     Thirlmere - this took my breath away 

   Ullswater

   View from Helvellyn summit

     Cartmel Fell walk

               Grisedale

     On our way down from Helvellyn

               Ullswater playtime! 

     Angle Tarn

     Place Fell summit

     Sticks Pass

               Yorkshire traffic 🙄

        Ullswater steamer back to Glenridding

     Angle Tarn walk

     Hallin Fell summit

               Grisedale 

  Spot the van! Campsite near Crossthwaite

     Sheep watch!

     Evening light, Buckden campsite

               A rest stop with a view

               Red Tarn paddle

     Arnside, view across Morecambe Bay

Love in the Lakes

We are into our second week in the Lake District and I have been struck by the kindness of strangers. People have stopped to chat on the footpaths, I have cried with strangers when we have shared experiences of grief, folk have offered to hold onto Poppy whilst I nip into a cafe to get lunch, others have shared picnic tables with us and chatted about travels, a farmer has offered us a house to rent if we’d like to stay and walk the fells longer and a couple have shared their address and told us if we’re passing on our travels then we can call in for a cuppa! Such loveliness! That is why for me travelling is always about the people you cross paths with and their stories. 

The photos are from our week staying in Stonewaithe and the start of our adventures in Glenridding on Ullswater. We managed a visit to Keswick to find Max’s statue in Hope Park. Those of you who haven’t read ‘Max the Miracle Dog’ I would highly recommend it. Our (very) wet walk was up to the top of Cat Bells. Other photos show Buttermere, Watendlath tarn, Dock Tarn, Derwent Water and Manesty.

Back on the road

After two weeks back in Norfolk to plan and celebrate the long life of our beautiful Nan, we return to travelling. We were met with kindness and generosity in Norfolk with so many friends and family sharing their homes and gardens (and fields) with us, for which we are so incredibly grateful. 

September finds us in the Lake District after a brief stop near Knaresborough in Yorkshire. I remember going as a child to Mother Shipton’s Cave, to Harrogate and Ripon. This time we had a walk along the river and around the castle ruins, admiring the impressive viaduct. We also discovered Fountains Abbey which is a magnificent National Trust property complete with stunning water gardens as well as the vast abbey ruins. Thanks again to the lovely families of Hickling for our NT membership to allow us to discover all these new places!

Now in the lakes with so far mostly beautiful weather and blue skies. It has rained heavily at night, but we’re safe and dry in our little van. I picked our campsites here as they have walking paths right from the doorstep. So far we have walked to ‘Seatoller and Castle Crag’ and ‘Sty Head and Grains Gill.’ Poppy is doing pretty well (as are my arms) being on a lead the whole time due to the numerous sheep in residence round every corner! After our five hours walking today she had her first doggy ice-cream and is now fast asleep in the bar at the youth hostel in Longthwaite whilst I write this. Later this week we hope to walk around Derwent Water and possibly Cat Bells. 

Enjoy the pictures and to those of you starting back at school this week, have a great start to the term - work hard but play hard too! 

Pressing Pause

When you think your walks and views cannot get any better, you travel a bit further down the road and wham, unexpected gems lay in wait! Glen Lochan just outside Glencoe village are a great network of trails through woodland to a man-made lake. It was created by Lord Strathcona in the 1890s – he hoped the North American trees would comfort his homesick Canadian wife. Poppy certainly enjoyed her swim there but was quickly put back on her lead when I spotted a wedding party coming down to the shore for photos. I had visions of Poppy running up to the beautiful bride in her white dress to say hello!!

From there we headed to Oban, a place I remember my grandparents visiting when I was little. They always used to send us postcards and I was always so excited to read them. It made me think I’d like to send some postcards on this trip to communicate with folk the ‘old school’ way and maybe bring that magic to someone else when we live in a world of technology.

Whilst staying in Oban, we also took the five minute ferry to Kerrera to hike around the island taking in views of Gylen Castle standing on the cliff top. We started in bright sunshine but by the end were walking through thunderstorms in steady rain.

It’s strange that as I was in a place I remember my nan visiting on her holidays many years ago that I received a call to say after a fall she had been admitted to hospital. After her ten years living with the cruelest of diseases Alzheimer’s and dementia, she finally left this life for a better place. She died in hospital on 15th with my sister and cousin beside her. So it is here that I pause my blog as I have returned to Norfolk to plan our farewells to the most generous, caring lady that I was lucky enough to call my nan.