The Lakes are outside your door.
Fells, lakes, villages and the occasional wet afternoon. This is how we would spend the days.
Getting around
Close at hand.
Approximate drive times from the house. Illustrative, and not to scale.
Illustrative map. Not to scale.
01
Walking
Start with a short, rewarding climb and build from there. There is a path for every pair of legs, and a hot bath waiting at the end of it.
Catbells
A short ridge walk above Derwentwater with a view out of all proportion to the effort.
Orrest Head
An easy hour up and down, and one of the best first walks in the Lakes.
Loughrigg Terrace
A level shelf of path with a wide view over Grasmere.
Tarn Hows
A gentle circuit around a still tarn, lovely in low light.
02
Lakes
The water is the heart of the place. Take a boat, hire a rowing boat for an hour, or find a quiet shore and swim.
Windermere
The largest lake in England, with steamers, rowing boats and long shoreline walks.
Derwentwater
Wooded islands, a gentle shore path and the fells reflected on still mornings.
Ullswater
A long, quiet lake with a classic steamer route and good walking along the shore.
Wild swimming
Choose a shallow, easy shore, go with a friend and keep it short.
03
Food & Drink
Small bakeries, farm shops and old ale houses. Eat well, and take a little home with you.
Village bakeries
Warm bread, pies and gingerbread for the rucksack.
Farm shops
Cheese, chutney and cured meats from within a few miles.
Ale houses
Stone floors, low beams and a fire. Order the local.
Picnics
Ask us, and the kitchen will pack one for the fell.
04
Villages
Slate roofs, whitewashed walls and lanes that were never meant for cars. Each village has its own pace.
Grasmere
Quiet, stone-built and set beside its own small lake.
Ambleside
Independent shops, outdoor kit and an honest bakery.
Hawkshead
A web of lanes, small galleries and tea rooms.
Keswick
A proper market town on the edge of Derwentwater.
05
Culture
Poets, painters and storytellers have always been drawn to this corner of England. You can follow their footsteps, or simply sit where they sat.
Poets' houses
Grasmere and Rydal have long literary associations.
Story and setting
Several small museums celebrate the people who loved the Lakes.
Theatre and cinema
Small venues in the larger towns, including a lakeside theatre.
Galleries
Local painters and potters show work in many of the villages.
06
Rainy Days
It rains. It is part of the charm, and the reason everything is so green. These are the things we do when the cloud comes down.
Stay in
A fire, a book and a pot of tea. The best plan, honestly.
Waterfalls
Wear a waterproof and visit them at their best.
Bookshops
The Lakes are well stocked with good, crowded second-hand shops.
A long lunch
A table by the window, and nowhere to be.