The lake district

Author
Discussion

The_Doc

4,856 posts

219 months

Friday 3rd July 2020
quotequote all
D1on said:
Share your best memories/favourite places to go in the Lake District...

I love Keswick and ambleside/waterhead.
Looking forward to return smile
I live 30 mins from Ullswater, I am lucky. I've done lots of outdoorsy stuff, so I won't bore you with that. Catbells/Skiddaw/etc

My wife booked us the weekend here for my 40th. https://www.brimstonehotel.co.uk/spa.html

Checkin: leave your car outside, meet a chap/Concierge at the door, he gave us a DECT phone and said if you want anything just ring me.
He parked the car, brought the bags, laid a fire, drove us to the local pub later and did butler-y things.
It was my first experience of perfect tourism.



Bill

52,479 posts

254 months

Friday 3rd July 2020
quotequote all
I took this near the top of Corvus on Raven Crag, 30 years almost to the day after my climbing partner lead it as his first long mountain route.



Top day, followed by fish and chips and a few pints, and a day doing nice routes on Raven Crag in Langdale and finishing with a pint in the ODG. cloud9

Gary C

12,313 posts

178 months

Friday 3rd July 2020
quotequote all
The_Doc said:
I live 30 mins from Ullswater, I am lucky. I've done lots of outdoorsy stuff, so I won't bore you with that. Catbells/Skiddaw/etc

My wife booked us the weekend here for my 40th. https://www.brimstonehotel.co.uk/spa.html

Checkin: leave your car outside, meet a chap/Concierge at the door, he gave us a DECT phone and said if you want anything just ring me.
He parked the car, brought the bags, laid a fire, drove us to the local pub later and did butler-y things.
It was my first experience of perfect tourism.
Nice

We were booked into l'enclume in a couple of weeks, but wasn't sure we wanted to have such a meal with the risk of the atmosphere being spoilt by waiters in facemasks.

Lotobear

6,232 posts

127 months

Friday 3rd July 2020
quotequote all
Gary C said:
Nice

We were booked into l'enclume in a couple of weeks, but wasn't sure we wanted to have such a meal with the risk of the atmosphere being spoilt by waiters in facemasks.
If you do eventually go, tie it in with a trip to Angel Lane Chippie in Penrith afterwards - you will need it, and probably enjoy it more.

tomble22

598 posts

127 months

Friday 3rd July 2020
quotequote all
Up on top of the Old Man!


RammyMP

6,729 posts

152 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
The_Doc said:
D1on said:
Share your best memories/favourite places to go in the Lake District...

I love Keswick and ambleside/waterhead.
Looking forward to return smile
I live 30 mins from Ullswater, I am lucky. I've done lots of outdoorsy stuff, so I won't bore you with that. Catbells/Skiddaw/etc

My wife booked us the weekend here for my 40th. https://www.brimstonehotel.co.uk/spa.html

Checkin: leave your car outside, meet a chap/Concierge at the door, he gave us a DECT phone and said if you want anything just ring me.
He parked the car, brought the bags, laid a fire, drove us to the local pub later and did butler-y things.
It was my first experience of perfect tourism.


My wife’s desperate to go there! We spent the last weekend before lockdown at the Low Wood. I’m off for a week at the end of the month, might try and get a trip to the lakes organised.

Gad-Westy

14,521 posts

212 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
This is an inspiring thread. Our 10th anniversary coming up early 2021. Liking the look of these spa hotels.

Most of my time in the lakes is spent in slightly more rugged surrounding.

Favourite spot is probably Warnscale bothy overlooking Buttermere. In fact buttermere generally is one of my favourite little pockets of the lake district.

I also like the Haweswater area. It tends to be quieter than many other parts of the lakes because it's a bit out on a limb and also a dead end. But some great views around there and good access to High Street etc. It's one of my go-to areas to get away from it all.

The_Doc

4,856 posts

219 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
RammyMP said:
The_Doc said:
D1on said:
Share your best memories/favourite places to go in the Lake District...

I love Keswick and ambleside/waterhead.
Looking forward to return smile
I live 30 mins from Ullswater, I am lucky. I've done lots of outdoorsy stuff, so I won't bore you with that. Catbells/Skiddaw/etc

My wife booked us the weekend here for my 40th. https://www.brimstonehotel.co.uk/spa.html

Checkin: leave your car outside, meet a chap/Concierge at the door, he gave us a DECT phone and said if you want anything just ring me.
He parked the car, brought the bags, laid a fire, drove us to the local pub later and did butler-y things.
It was my first experience of perfect tourism.


My wife’s desperate to go there! We spent the last weekend before lockdown at the Low Wood. I’m off for a week at the end of the month, might try and get a trip to the lakes organised.
Brimstone really is great, so many little touches make it amazing.
Communal reading room off the hallway (there's only 7 or so suites) Free magazines, books, newspapers, soft drinks, coffee and Alcohol ! - free
Boot/Kit room downstairs fully stocked with Arc'teryx, all sizes of everything. Maps, boots, and the concierge to take you there in the Landrover. !
Mobile phone signal in room 1 - very thoughtfully ZERO SIGNAL (thank you Brimstone) - luck rather than design I'm sure.
Was there WiFi in the suites ? I don't know, I left my phone in the car for the weekend. Wonderful.

I've stayed in 6* the world over, and this is up there with the top.

98elise

26,376 posts

160 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
What's a good itinerary for a first visit to the lakes? I've travelled all over the world but never really seen the UK. The lakes is pretty much top of my list to visit now I've retired.

spikeyhead

17,224 posts

196 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
98elise said:
What's a good itinerary for a first visit to the lakes? I've travelled all over the world but never really seen the UK. The lakes is pretty much top of my list to visit now I've retired.
How much hilllwalking do you want to do?

RammyMP

6,729 posts

152 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
The_Doc said:
RammyMP said:
The_Doc said:
D1on said:
Share your best memories/favourite places to go in the Lake District...

I love Keswick and ambleside/waterhead.
Looking forward to return smile
I live 30 mins from Ullswater, I am lucky. I've done lots of outdoorsy stuff, so I won't bore you with that. Catbells/Skiddaw/etc

My wife booked us the weekend here for my 40th. https://www.brimstonehotel.co.uk/spa.html

Checkin: leave your car outside, meet a chap/Concierge at the door, he gave us a DECT phone and said if you want anything just ring me.
He parked the car, brought the bags, laid a fire, drove us to the local pub later and did butler-y things.
It was my first experience of perfect tourism.


My wife’s desperate to go there! We spent the last weekend before lockdown at the Low Wood. I’m off for a week at the end of the month, might try and get a trip to the lakes organised.
Brimstone really is great, so many little touches make it amazing.
Communal reading room off the hallway (there's only 7 or so suites) Free magazines, books, newspapers, soft drinks, coffee and Alcohol ! - free
Boot/Kit room downstairs fully stocked with Arc'teryx, all sizes of everything. Maps, boots, and the concierge to take you there in the Landrover. !
Mobile phone signal in room 1 - very thoughtfully ZERO SIGNAL (thank you Brimstone) - luck rather than design I'm sure.
Was there WiFi in the suites ? I don't know, I left my phone in the car for the weekend. Wonderful.

I've stayed in 6* the world over, and this is up there with the top.
Definitely going to have a visit! The wife keeps trying to convince me by saying there’s free booze!

98elise

26,376 posts

160 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
spikeyhead said:
98elise said:
What's a good itinerary for a first visit to the lakes? I've travelled all over the world but never really seen the UK. The lakes is pretty much top of my list to visit now I've retired.
How much hilllwalking do you want to do?
I'm 54 and fat so not too much smile

We do like a decent walk though.

spikeyhead

17,224 posts

196 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
98elise said:
I'm 54 and fat so not too much smile

We do like a decent walk though.
I'd spend a week in Keswick, or close by. It's either that or Ambleside. There are reasonable hotels, cheap B&B's and an assortment of flats and cottages to rent. There's plenty of good restaurants and pubs serving decent food in both. I prefer the better choice of those two than being in somewhere smaller.

Buy an OS map of the area, and one of the many walking guide books, pick a moderate walk, ie Catbells and guage future walks on that.

There are ferry's that run on Derwent Water and Windermere, Honister slate mine and plenty of other places to visit, but the more (and higher) you walk the better the views.

98elise

26,376 posts

160 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
spikeyhead said:
98elise said:
I'm 54 and fat so not too much smile

We do like a decent walk though.
I'd spend a week in Keswick, or close by. It's either that or Ambleside. There are reasonable hotels, cheap B&B's and an assortment of flats and cottages to rent. There's plenty of good restaurants and pubs serving decent food in both. I prefer the better choice of those two than being in somewhere smaller.

Buy an OS map of the area, and one of the many walking guide books, pick a moderate walk, ie Catbells and guage future walks on that.

There are ferry's that run on Derwent Water and Windermere, Honister slate mine and plenty of other places to visit, but the more (and higher) you walk the better the views.
Thanks. Flats and cottages to rent sounds perfect. My Uni age kids want to come too and we prefer the flexibility of a home as opposed to hotel rooms.

Definitely want somewhere with a choice of restaurants and pubs.

NGRhodes

1,291 posts

71 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
I usually go at-least once a year (I can get to Windermere in an hour and a half with steady traffic), lots of nice places mentioned already, IMHO 99% of the lakes you are less than 10 minutes away from something beautiful.

Past few years we have stayed at Muncaster Castle in the stables. Kids love the place, plenty of safe space to leave them to go adventure, climb trees, bird displays etc.
Grizedale Lodge also nice stay when the kids are with Grandparents.

Going back 20 years Windermere and Bowness were nice to visit, but very busy and not fun herding kids around.
Last year we were in that area we headed up the road to Brockhole, which turned out to be a much nicer place to visit.

1878

821 posts

162 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
Getting to Black Sail YHA, a simple but very welcome meal, couple of beers, looking down Ennerdale Valley as the sun was setting. Sadly, no pics but will live long in the memory.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
The_Doc said:
I live 30 mins from Ullswater, I am lucky. I've done lots of outdoorsy stuff, so I won't bore you with that. Catbells/Skiddaw/etc

My wife booked us the weekend here for my 40th. https://www.brimstonehotel.co.uk/spa.html

Checkin: leave your car outside, meet a chap/Concierge at the door, he gave us a DECT phone and said if you want anything just ring me.
He parked the car, brought the bags, laid a fire, drove us to the local pub later and did butler-y things.
It was my first experience of perfect tourism.


I used to live about the same distance away for 20 years in the Eden Valley. My wife and I have stayed in the same room a few times. It's a nice service in a great location.

Last time we were sat in the heated outdoor pool at the spa as the drizzle came down, then a walk over to cathedral caves and lunch at the Britannia. Then back to the room for a bottle or two of complimentary red in front of the fire in the room.

Don't fancy going back to Brimstone until the restrictions disappear, though.

I head across to the Lakes about every 5 or 6 weeks from our home now in Leeds to hit the fells. Could happily live in the Lakes.

ATG

20,485 posts

271 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
98elise said:
spikeyhead said:
98elise said:
What's a good itinerary for a first visit to the lakes? I've travelled all over the world but never really seen the UK. The lakes is pretty much top of my list to visit now I've retired.
How much hilllwalking do you want to do?
I'm 54 and fat so not too much smile

We do like a decent walk though.
Get thee to Catbells. It's a fell, it looks like a fell, you get proper views, it's a decent walk, but it's all in miniature. Very accessible, gives you a taste of what the more strenuous stuff is like, but is easy.

Err .. in fact what spikeyhead already said.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
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.

boxedin

1,351 posts

125 months

Saturday 4th July 2020
quotequote all
1878 said:
Getting to Black Sail YHA, a simple but very welcome meal, couple of beers, looking down Ennerdale Valley as the sun was setting. Sadly, no pics but will live long in the memory.
Black Sail! One route I can't recommend is walking from Black Sail *up* to the bottom of Windy Gap. That was after a 'wander' from Honister round Haystacks over to IIRC Red Pike and back via Black Sail. It's a bit of blur and best forgotten now, though the GPX file has the pain details for review.

I also cannot recommend walking *up* Aaron's Slack, that's the other side of the path at Windy Gap between the Gables.

I walk past these places on a regular basis and still they inflict pain just by looking at them from afar.

Other than that, grab a book from where ever you're staying or search around the web for routes that are suitable for your fitness ( walking englishman for instance ).