Holidays
are times we have all come to expect and look forward to,
welcome breaks from our daily routines. The English Lake
District is an excellent choice in which to take such a break,
whether it be for a brief weekend, or a leisurely fortnight. For
those of you who have a love of the outdoors, it is an absolute
paradise as there are countless walks amidst beautiful and
unspoilt scenery, boating on a number of lakes scattered about,
riding, cycling, golf and tennis.
This is merely the
beginning. There are stately homes and gardens to visit,
villages of great charm to explore, lovely shops in which to
browse or make that special purchase and a wide variety of first
class restaurants and pubs… it is all here, just waiting for
your arrival.
To help you enjoy your holiday we have listed below some of our
favourite tours that we can recommend:
A day of touring
in the Northern Lake District
From Windermere village, drive north on the A591 past the
villages of Ambleside and Grasmere to Keswick, a scenic journey
of about 20 miles taking 35-40 minutes altogether.
Keswick
An interesting town worth exploring. If the time permits, a
visit to the Cumberland pencil museum should be included. It
relates the story of pencils through the ages and has on exhibit
the world's longest pencil, at seven feet. A place of interest
for both adults and children. Opposite the museum is a good spot
for lunch at La Primavera Ristorante.
Drive to nearby Derwentwater Lake and Borrowdale valley.
Derwentwater
A beautiful lake just south of Keswick town centre. The lake
itself can be explored by launch from the lakeside.
Alternatively, walk on just a bit further south to Friar's Crag,
where you'll find what John Ruskin considered to be one of the
finest views in Europe.
Borrowdale
Take the B5289 into the green and beautiful Borrowdale valley,
stopping at some of the villages/hamlets such as Grange, which
look as though modern times have somehow passed them by. Drive
over the Honister Pass, where the views below are truly
spectacular. Carry on to Buttermere Lake, which one can easily
walk around in about 2 hours time. Finally, take a sharp right
at Buttermere village and drive back to Keswick.
A nice place to eat in Borrowdale is the Borrowdale Hotel, but
make sure you're good and hungry, as the portions can be large.
Drive along the A66 to Penrith and then take the A592 down to
Ullswater.
Ullswater
Drive along the western shore of this 7-mile lake amongst yet
more glorious scenery, perhaps stopping near the bottom to view
Aira Force, a 70-foot high waterfall of some distinction.
Continue to the Kirkstone pass and then drop down to Windermere
and back to Fir Trees.
A wonderful place to stop and have a proper English tea is the
deservedly famous Sharrow Bay Hotel on the north-eastern shore
of Ullswater. Reservations are essential.
A day of touring in
the South/Central Lakes
From Windermere village, drive north about 4 miles on the A591
toward Ambleside. Shortly before reaching Ambleside, turn left
at the sign reading "Keswick, Hawkshead, Langdale." Turn left
and keep going a short distance until you reach a sign pointing
to "Hawkshead." Turn left toward Hawkshead and keep on this road
until you see a sign to Tarn Hows. Follow this sign to Tarn Hows
lake and look for the car park on the far side.
Tarn Hows
A beautiful small lake in the mountains, reputed to be one of
the most photographed lakes in all of England. There is a
footpath to follow and you can easily walk around the entire
lake in one hour, which is well worth doing.
Take a short drive to the village of Hawkshead. Before going to
Hawkshead you might like to visit Brantwood House on the Western
shores of Lake Coniston. This was the home of John Ruskin in the
late 1800's, the renowned artist, writer, philosopher and
champion of many social causes. The adjacent café, "The Jumping
Jenny", is an excellent choice for lunch or a snack.
Hawkshead
A lovely small village with Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter
associations. Stroll around leisurely. Visit the church on the
hill - excellent views of the countryside on a clear day.
Stewardson's is a very good shop for both women's and men's
clothing. The Queen's Head is a superb pub for lunch or a drink
or two. Nearby, in the village of Near Sawrey, is Hill Top,
where Beatrix Potter lived. Her house is now a National Trust
property and one can go inside and have a look around. Closed
Thursdays and Fridays and during the winter. A good pub in
between Hawkshead and Ambleside, on a secluded crossroad, is the
Drunken Duck.
Take a short drive to Skelwith Bridge to start the next
activity.
Circular drive around Langdales
Drive from Skelwith Bridge to Elterwater to Chapel Stile to
Great Langdale to Little Langdale and back to start. Narrow road
with a gate or two to open, but magnificently wild scenery.
Drive north to Grasmere village, any route you prefer.
Grasmere
Pretty village in beautiful setting. William Wordsworth and
family are buried in the church cemetery. Dove Cottage, where
Wordsworth lived for a while, has been turned into an excellent
museum, and is well worth a visit.
Drive south to Ambleside village on the A591. Consider wandering
around Ambleside before returning to Fir Trees.
Fir
Trees Guest House
