In July, we actually managed to have a holiday. Having endured lockdown since late March due to 2020's biggest phenomenon, Covid-19, we booked for 2 weeks off work and very luckily for us they coincided with the end of the first lockdown. We chose to go to the Lake District for a one week break in the middle of our 2 weeks. opting to travel midweek so went Thursday to following Wednesday.
The weather in the Lakes is notoriously changeable, depends a lot on which area of the National Park you are actually in. I always say that, if you divided the Park into 4 you would experience different weather in each of the 4 parts at any one time.
For our first day, we had arranged to meet up with my youngest Sister and her Husband and her Son ( from 2nd marriage). We met at a car park in Buttermere, for our planned walk around the shores of the lake. The weather forecast for the day was good in this area and we struck very lucky, the forecast and reality matched on this occasion.
Buttermere has to be one of the prettiest places we have visited, with wonderful views around every corner. My Sister was our guide for the day, as they live in Whitehaven and this is more or less their back yard. I couldn't actually manage to stop and take all the photos I would have liked to have done, as it would have meant even more sitting around for them waiting for me.
There were many highlights throughout the walk, but the standout one was when we stopped at a rocky outcrop for lunch - a spot my Sister and her Husband knew well. It provided an elevated view across the lake to the row of trees known as the Sentinels, made famous by many previous photographers.
A while earlier, on the other side of the lake, we had been lucky enough to catch a waterfall as the water cascaded down the fell towards the lake.
After lunch, we continued our walk - though we hadn't gone far when I simply had to stop for another photo opportunity. A lone tree was growing out of the dge of the rocky outcrop on which we had just eaten lunch. I stopped to take a photo, before realising that if I moved a bit further over I could place the tree in a great position within my photo and against a blue sky.
Eventually, after an approx 3.5 mile walk, we arrived back at the car having also sampled the local ice cream delights.
Our plan after this was to drive to visit Wast Water before heading back to out hotel. This also proved to be a beautiful location, though I really do think I needed much longer to explore there - somewhere to return to I reckon.
We had a few other magical moments during our holiday, with the day out on Ullswater by using Ullswater Steamers as the other standout. Driving to Glenridding to take the boat trip, we travelled over Kirkstone Pass and were greeted by a magnificent view down the descent towards Brothers Water. We revisited this spot later in the holiday, on less clear day but still awesome.
Honister Pass also captivated us, despite the grey and drizzly weather on the day - such a bleak and desolate place but incredible.
We also thoroughly enjoyed Kendal and would have liked to explore Coniston further if the weather had allowed us when there.
Another Lake District holiday will beckon before too long, as there are many interesting spots to visit. We didn't get to doing any long walks up the fells, but that will also be another thing for the future.
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