I'd set out with rather ambitious hopes for a two day stay in the Lake District - hoping to visit Holker Hall Gardens, see Coniston Water, drive round Lake Windermere viewing it from all angles, and have time to visit Grasmere and Rydal as well. Like I said, rather ambitious. Definitely too much.
Our first day started, not very early at Grizedale Forest visitor centre. This is an area that we've visited before, to see car rallying, and on one autumn weekend, travelling south from Dumfries, when we found it impossible to park anywhere. This kind of parking nightmare was something I'd dreaded about the Lake District, which was why I'd planned our trip for after the Easter holidays when I'd hoped things would be quieter. Thankfully, they were. The car park was empty. The cafe quiet.
There are several walks throughout the forest, most starting at the visitor centre, and we (or perhaps more accurately, I) chose a short mile and half route hoping it was easy going and flat.
It started that way at least, ambling alongside a stream; quiet and peaceful with only the humming of Go Ape zipwires above us to disrupt the birdsong. Then (there's always a 'then'), at a point where there's a return loop option, we headed uphill.
My knees thought it was quite stiff going, but with plenty of pauses to look at wildflowers I made it up the steep bit to a forest road which led gently back downhill, with lovely views across the valley.
I half-wondered if this even gradient route would have been a better way to tackle the hill, but as we went down, and down, and down, gradually but persistently I began to think that the short, sharp climb we'd taken up was better than a long steady slog that would feel like it had gone on forever.
Fueled with cake from the cafe, we continued our adventures - northwards, up and over the hill with wonderful mountain views, and down via a twisty-turny road to the village of Hawkshead.
Hawkshead's appeal is obvious - quaint olde-worlde houses, narrow alleys between to investigate, and streets kept free of traffic. Among the tea-rooms and touristy shops were other food and drink places that caught my eye - Hawkshead Preserves which alongside the obvious jams and marmalades sold vegan beer, and a micro-pub serving nachos. Hipster-y? Maybe, but more interesting to my mind.
I'd visited Hawkshead before, many, many years ago, but it didn't really seem familiar. The previous holiday had been in autumn, with grey skies, so maybe the sharper contrast of white walls against a bright blue sky was confusing me.
From Hawkshead our road took us again up and over hills, and down to Lake Windermere and Claife Viewing Station. This National Trust property sits on the western shore of the lake, not far from the small ferry that runs across to Bowness, and was built in the 18th century specifically as a place from which to enjoy the views of the lake.
There are miles of pathways to be discovered heading from here - following the lakeshore north or south, or heading uphill to Near Sawrey and beyond. I rather though I'd had enough exercise for one day, so made a note of such things for another trip, and just headed up to the Viewing Station.
The views are certainly far-reaching, but unlike some of the early visitors I didn't feel myself likely to faint. For myself, I preferred the view as seen at water level, maybe because it had a more seaside feel to it.
Dropping back to the lakeside by a different route we found a cafe (unfortunately not open) in the old gatehouse where those early visitors were welcomed before climbing the path to the folly above.
One downside to being among mountains is the shadows they cast, and how early the sun sets behind them, so it was now to be heading back to the cottage, though not without a couple of stops on the way.
First in the village of Near Sawrey where Beatrix Potter made her home after achieving success with her children's stories. It was too late to visit her house, another National Trust property, but we had a walk through the village and spotted Peter Rabbit on a road sign.
Then on to another National Trust property, though this was only a picnic place by Coniston Water. A very short walk led to a pier where by day you can catch a boat to various points around the lake, and which in the evening makes an excellent spot to watch the sun set.
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