Blogs from Lake District, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe - page 5

Via Ferrata means Iron Way in Latin and usually consists of fixed steel lines stretched across mountains and hammered into the rock at regular points. Typically these lines are build into steep or exposed sections rock, making it much easier for people to traverse the mountain. You simply have to tie yourself in to the fixed lines, and then scramble across and up the mountain, knowing that if you lose your grip you are safely held in. The best known Via Ferrata are in the Dolomites in Italy. Many of these were built in WW2 by Italian soldiers as a quick means of navigating through the mountains, though in more recent times they have been used for adventure sports. Every year they attract huge numbers of people keen to try it out or to experience the ... read more

Yay, the internet is working this morning so we have been able to load the first three days of our travel blog. We are really impressed with how easy it is to load and how straightforward it is to include photos! The weather is a bit better today. Still overcast first thing, but at least it is not raining anymore! First stop this morning was Stagshaw Garden, a National Trust property in Ambleside. The rhododendrons in the gardens are still quite spectacular although a little bit past their best. The views down over Lake Windermere were fabulous especially since the sun has actually started to shine. From the gardens we drove to another NT property, Townend House at Troutbeck only a few minutes away from Ambleside. Townend is a remote stone farmhouse with a slate roof, ... read more

We really enjoyed our stay at Lowther House (13 Inkerman Terrace, Whitehaven). We had a good sized room and a huge ensuite bathroom. And this morning we discovered that the shower was to die for!! We both enjoyed very long showers without feeling guilty about it. We were extremely well fed at breakfast finally having to pass on the croissants after we had already consumed cereal, full English breakfast and toast!! Mind you this ‘boutique accommodation’ came with a reasonably hefty £70/night price tag! After breakfast we headed back down the coast to Ravenglass with plans to see the Roman ruins and Muncaster castle. Unfortunately the weather has taken a turn for the worse and it was wet today so we drove down the coast in the rain. We arrived in Ravenglass and could not find ... read more

Day23 Windermere to Grasmere - via Hawkshead 14 miles (704) Bydd yn cyrraedd yn Windermere a'r ardal llyniau at un o'r gloch yn y prynhawn. Des i ar y trên o Gaerfyrddin. Roedd y dref yn prysur iawn gyda llawer o ymwelwyr. Es i i'r fferi Bowness drosodd y llyn i Far Sawrey. Bydd cwpan o coffi a chachen a Hawkshead cyn es i i'r ElterWater. Wedyn, roedd hi'n llethr serth iawn i fyny i High Close a Loughrigg. Roedd hi'n llethr serth arall i lawr i cyrhaedd a Llyn Grasmere.... read more

Day 140 A three day weekend, we caught the evening train Thursday to Windemere, the heart of the Lakes district considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in England. We arrived at 11.00 pm after we missing our connecting train. We checked in to the Lakes District Backpackers, an innovative non-staffed but clean backpackers, and we hit the only local restaurant open this late at night, the Chinese Dragon. The food was sensational hence we reminicsed last years trip to China. Day 141 Carly’s 25th Birthday, Unfortunately it was yet another grey English summer day, but that didn't dull the mood as there was so much to see, do and eat... After a big breaky at the Lighthouse we called past the tourist office for a couple maps and set off with Beatrix Potter World in ... read more