The lake district

[Nickbrapp]

We’re heading up for 4 days first week in September

So far we’ve got a restaurant booked in amberside and the boat/train tour of Windermere.

Any other must sees? Also looking for a good walk about 5 miles long if possible

[spikeyhead]

Nickbrapp said:

We’re heading up for 4 days first week in September

So far we’ve got a restaurant booked in amberside and the boat/train tour of Windermere.

Any other must sees? Also looking for a good walk about 5 miles long if possible

There's a stroll round Grasmere Chapel Stile and Elterwater

or Grasmere and Helm Crag

or Grasmere and Easedale Tarn

or Great Langdale ad Baysbrown Wood

Or the Langdale pikes if you want it properly hilly.

All of which are described in a booklet called Walks around Ambleside which should be readily available

[silverthorn2151]

Some years since we have been but we'll be back when my dodgy knee is fixed a bit more.

Some fabuloys memories have been brought back from this thread. We tended to go out of season and some of the nights in the ODG live strong in our minds.

Is the Drunken Duck as good as it always was? Might be worth a visit, particularly for those new to the Lakes.

https://drunkenduckinn.co.uk/

I've been following the solo summiteer on youtube. He visits many many places I've trodden, without too many words and thankfully no music!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlxXKr-vY5HA7Inx...

[The Don of Croy]

Love the Lakes. Wifey and I used to escape to the Wasdale Head Inn every few years, using the self catering apartments, knowing we could walk from the door (having driven for five hours).

Our pattern was broken by the foot and mouth outbreak, and we haven’t got back yet.

Having visited with toddlers as well as a couple we’ve done the tops, and the pencil museum. Also enjoyed the visitor centre at Sellafield, and the ruined Roman fort on Hardknott Pass.

Seeing the Lakes in sunshine is treat. Although you prepare for damp conditions getting lucky with a warm spell is something else. Magical place.

[ben5575]

spikeyhead said:

Nickbrapp said:

We’re heading up for 4 days first week in September

So far we’ve got a restaurant booked in amberside and the boat/train tour of Windermere.

Any other must sees? Also looking for a good walk about 5 miles long if possible

There's a stroll round Grasmere Chapel Stile and Elterwater

or Grasmere and Helm Crag

or Grasmere and Easedale Tarn

or Great Langdale ad Baysbrown Wood

Or the Langdale pikes if you want it properly hilly.

All of which are described in a booklet called Walks around Ambleside which should be readily available

This man knows his onions. Just in case you didn't get it from the above; Grasmere

Slight variation of ​one of the above, but Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge and back really is delightful with a nice (but vegan) cafe 'Chesters' at the end of it. It's flat and on paths, so very much a stroll rather than a walk/hike.
https://www.active-traveller.com/top-tens/lake-dis...

If you find yourself further south, then Grizedale Forrest and its sculptures between Windermere and Coniston is excellent but under canopy so less 'Lakes'

[soxboy]

A word of warning though that Chesters has disappeared even further up its own backside than I thought possible from our previous visits.

[a311]

The Don of Croy said:

Love the Lakes. Wifey and I used to escape to the Wasdale Head Inn every few years, using the self catering apartments, knowing we could walk from the door (having driven for five hours).

Our pattern was broken by the foot and mouth outbreak, and we haven’t got back yet.

Having visited with toddlers as well as a couple we’ve done the tops, and the pencil museum. Also enjoyed the visitor centre at Sellafield, and the ruined Roman fort on Hardknott Pass.

Seeing the Lakes in sunshine is treat. Although you prepare for damp conditions getting lucky with a warm spell is something else. Magical place.

Must have been a while ago! The Sellafield visitors centre is long closed and now demolished which is a shame. Prior to 9/11 it was also possible to get bus tours on to the site.

Living here I've seen lots of positive and negative changes over the last 10-15 years in particular, the place has really grew in popularity with mainstream tourists across the board (Windermere/Ambleside has always been busy/popular).

The weather we had the last week was probably enough to put a lot off for life!

[clarkmagpie]

anonymous-user said:

That or a womble up to Easedale Tarn from Grasmere also gives a great feel of the fells without going too ballistic on the commitment.

Going to the chapel at Howtown on Ullswater is also a nice genteel place to walk from to enjoy some of the best views in the area.

With a bit more commitment, Haweswater up to High Street isn't too far but quite rewarding and can be made circular.

Once saw a golden eagle on high street.
I believe there are non currently in the lakes which is a shame.

[ben5575]

soxboy said:

A word of warning though that Chesters has disappeared even further up its own backside than I thought possible from our previous visits.

Hard to argue with that .

But you can't argue with the quality of the cheesy chips that the Britannia Inn serve at the end of the return leg which is more my level

[Gary C]

Its sunny up there today !

Can see it across the bay from work.

[Downward]

a311 said:

Downward said:

What’s it like at the moment ?
Off to south of Windermere tomorrow

Weather looks set to improve this week which is good. Tbh I don't go anywhere near Windermere in the summer holidays, too busy. Although I don't expect there will be the usual bus loads of Asian tourists no doubt the numbers have been replaced by domestic staycationors.

Got here late last night.
Not seen any camper vans and wrap around shades since Loch Lomond !

[Kenty]

We are going to Coniston Coppice park for a week on Sunday (15th), are the surrounding roads compleyely bunged with traffic or is it possible to get around ?

Have found quite a few pubs/restaurants don't take food bookings as so many people just don't show up, its turn up and wait
for a table..

[Jazoli]

Kenty said:

We are going to Coniston Coppice park for a week on Sunday (15th), are the surrounding roads compleyely bunged with traffic or is it possible to get around ?

Have found quite a few pubs/restaurants don't take food bookings as so many people just don't show up, its turn up and wait
for a table..

You can get around, at 2mph, it really isn't pleasant going anywhere here at the minute, I work in the hellhole that is Bowness and it takes me 20 minutes to get in at 7am but 45 minutes to get home in the afternoon, it is completely rammed solid at weekends, I would recommend that anyone considering coming here but has nothing booked go to Northumbria, or SW Scotland or anywhere else instead, car parks are full, there is little on-street parking, restaurants and pubs have no staff so reduced capacity (my friend who has a restaurant in the village is fully booked until mid-october!) and the queues are horrendous for the local chippys and takeaways.

[ben5575]

Downward said:

Got here late last night.
Not seen any camper vans and wrap around shades since Loch Lomond !

You just wait until the weekend...;).

[Matt..]

I'm in the Lakes now. It's currently awful weather. Very low cloud and lots of rain.

Traffic hasn't been that bad all week really. It's awful in the main towns of course, and there are queues and full car parks. Outside of those areas and at sensible hours (eg. going places at ~8am) the traffic is absolutely not an issue.

[Ryyy]

Nickbrapp said:

We’re heading up for 4 days first week in September

Any other must sees? Also looking for a good walk about 5 miles long if possible

The honister pass is as very scenic drive and would highly recommend,rydal caves is worth a visit too for a walk

[PurpleTurtle]

We're heading to the Lakes tomorrow. First time staying there since visiting as an 8yo kid, I am now 49, it's a long overdue return. We used to stay at a campsite called Falbarrow Park which was idyllic in the 80's as you could camp and walk down to the shores of the lake, although I see it is now a Parkdean mega resort full of lodges and no actual 'camping' style camping. We are staying at the Caravan & Camping Club's Windermere site, which is closer to Kendal than Windermere itself.

There's me, wife and 6yo son. Any recommended relatively flat walks in that vicinity? I'd like to do Helvellyn at some point but it's a bit much to ask a young 'un - he's happy to do 5-6 miles on undulating terrain but I think we'll need to come back to do that when he's older.

We're also keen cyclists, son on a tagalong attached to the back of my MTB. Looks like there are some excellent off road trails at Grizedale which we will visit, any others to recommend?

https://www.forestryengland.uk/grizedale/cycling-a...

Sorry to add to the crowds, locals!

ETA: just saw spikeyhead's post about walks circa 5 miles, thanks, noted

Edited by PurpleTurtle on Thursday 12th August 15:46

[a311]

PurpleTurtle said:

We're heading to the Lakes tomorrow. First time staying there since visiting as an 8yo kid, I am now 49, it's a long overdue return. We used to stay at a campsite called Falbarrow Park which was idyllic in the 80's as you could camp and walk down to the shores of the lake, although I see it is now a Parkdean mega resort full of lodges and no actual 'camping' style camping. We are staying at the Caravan & Camping Club's Windermere site, which is closer to Kendal than Windermere itself.

There's me, wife and 6yo son. Any recommended relatively flat walks in that vicinity? I'd like to do Helvellyn at some point but it's a bit much to ask a young 'un - he's happy to do 5-6 miles on undulating terrain but I think we'll need to come back to do that when he's older.

We're also keen cyclists, son on a tagalong attached to the back of my MTB. Looks like there are some excellent off road trails at Grizedale which we will visit, any others to recommend?

https://www.forestryengland.uk/grizedale/cycling-a...

Sorry to add to the crowds, locals!

ETA: just saw spikeyhead's post about walks circa 5 miles, thanks, noted

Edited by PurpleTurtle on Thursday 12th August 15:46

Where will you be based? Assume south east. Whinlatter forest also has some excellent mtb trails plus a bit of an outdoor adventure thing, Go Ape and some nice walks.

Helvellyn, not a fell to be tackling with a 6 year old. If the weather has been like it has been it won't be pleasant.

[Gary C]

Be careful if you book castlerigg campsite

If its still the same owner, you cant make any noise, even the taxi driver made us get out down the lane as she would threaten them with the police for making nose.

We got kicked off because we had a frisbee, and threatened with the Police !

Most unpleasant owner I have ever met.

Mind you, if you are a couple of corpses, its probably the site for you

[croyde]

Arrived in the Lakes yesterday on the way to Skye. Weather was awful, curtains of rain but managed to eat and drink in a couple of pubs.

Beautiful day today and climbed, but not to the top of, Skiddaw.

My son had Covid a couple of months back and gets very out of breath but he insisted on persevering until I decided we'd better not push it. Plus it was getting cold and it looked like rain.

We got to 2500ft, views of Derwent Water were amazing and we could see Scotland, tomorrow's destination.