In pursuit of great writers, lochs, whisky, wildcats and love… Scotland Part 1

THE LAKES DISTRICT Thurs 1 Sept.  It is with great excitement that we are back on the road again in our rental – a Kia Cede Estate 1.6 Diesel 6-speed. It’s a new journey that will take us to the Lakes District in Cumbria and then over the Scottish border. We are told that we will feel homesick when we get to Scotland, so we are keen to find out why.

The YHA in the town of Ambleside is our destination and sits at the top end of Lake Windermere. Windermere is the largest of the lakes and lies in a long and narrow valley created by glaciers long ago in the Ice Age.  We join the lake at its southern most end, Lakeside, where it runs into the River Leven and winds its way out to the Irish Sea.

It’s an unbelievably hot day as we stop first at Lakeside for lunch and then wind our way around the lake towards Ambleside. Autumn has just arrived here in the Lakes District – tones of gold and red are just visible throughout the landscape.

The YHA is a stunning building right on the edge of the lake with the bonus of free parking and its own bar and restaurant. Built in 1894 as four small hotels, it is a maze of rooms and corridors. Our room is small but overlooks the lake and includes a bunk bed (a one up and one down) and a chair – it’s simple but comfortable.

We are close to the wharf and within easy walking distance to the town centre.

Once a market town, Ambleside is now a tourist town with its distinctive local grey, stone buildings and dozens of outdoor adventure stores (all with sales on) selling everything you could possibly need to explore the nearby mountain range and lakes. The town is a gateway for walkers and mountaineers.

We explore the town on foot and even manage to find a bike shop. Always happy to inspect a new bike shop, Max gives this town the Thumbs Up.

Potted floral displays add charm and colour to this delightful little alpine-style village.

 

No matter where we go in England, the Romans have been before us – on a walk we discover the remains of Galava Roman Fort not far from the hostel – not much left!

And a kissing gate that requires...well...a kiss!

Sadly, our hot and sunny day gives way to cold, grey skies and rain the next day. We plan a day on the lake with a trip on the passenger boat Tern to Bowness where we change boat and take the Teal to Lakeside.

At Lakeside, Max catches a bus to the Lakeside Motor Museum at Newby Bridge, while I stay behind and visit the Aquarium.

Max enjoys displays of pedal cars and the Donald Campbell Bluebird exhibition, while I enjoy watching the antics of otters and marmoset monkeys as well as coming face to face with piranha fish. I also learn that house mice don’t like the smell of vanilla and strawberry scented candles – a bit of info that might be useful someday!

Before we leave the district we have just one more visit – we head to the home of a great writer of children’s books – Beatrix Potter.

It’s a wet and windy drive around the lake to Hill Top farm. We arrive half an hour early and just a handful of people are waiting to buy their ‘timed’ tickets. We line up in rain, sheltering under umbrellas and are first to get our entry tickets when the office opens. It’s a short walk up the road, through a garden gate, to the shop, garden and house. Again we stand in the rain waiting for the house to open.

The house has been left exactly as Beatrix Potter lived (as she stipulated it should be), including her hat hanging at the fireside and the hob-nail clogs that she used to wear. It’s dark and almost gloomy inside – there is no artificial lighting, no gimmicks, no information boards – it is just as it was all those years ago. We get a glimpse into Beatrix’s life, where she spent many a day writing her beloved animal stories. Her books are placed strategically around the house with pages open showing a particular drawing – from this we can look about the room and see where her inspiration came from.

Beatrix was not only a talented writer and artist, she was a farmer, a conservationist, and naturalist – she made detailed drawings and studies of fungi. Over the years, Beatrix bought large areas of land and then donated much it to the National Trust. She also worked hard to preserve the quaint old cottages and continue the breeding of Herdwick sheep in the area.

When it’s time to leave, we find the carpark full to overflowing; such is the pull of this famous lady!

The Lakes District was also home to another great writer, poet William Wordsworth, who penned many of his greatest poems while living in Dove Cottage in Grasmere.

It’s a privilege to experience the homes and areas that inspired these amazing people, to see the landscape that spurred them to put their thoughts on paper…


As we leave the Beatrix Potter home, Max quietly points to the field beside the garden and there we see two little wild rabbits nibbling on the grass – Peter, perhaps, and Cottontail?