Lake District - day 2; Tarn Hows

We ended up spending so long at Holker Hall that my plans for the rest of the day had to be revised. It was now early evening and too late in the day for either a long walk or any attraction with 'opening times'. We'd vaguely had an intention of visiting Tarn Hows though, and this was still do-able. 

This is a place we discovered accidentally on our first visit to the Lake District, over 40 years ago. I'm not sure how we stumbled upon it as the roads are narrow and twisty, and not really the sort you'd explore on a whim. I wonder if, rather oddly, it was better signposted back then when there were fewer holiday-makers in the area. What I hadn't realised back then is that, like Glencoe lochan in Scotland, this is a man-made landscape rather than natural.

The place itself has certainly changed in forty years. Instead of the rough footpath we'd discovered before there's now a wide firm path circling the tarn - it didn't seem either as flat or as short as our AirBnB hosts had described it as though, especially after a day spent mainly on my feet.

There's also been damage to the trees. Some, I've read, have been felled due to disease, but some, with their roots waving in the air, had definitely suffered in the high winds of early spring. (There were warnings about fallen trees and ongoing work to clear them at Grizedale too, but we didn't see so many there)

Maybe as well, early evening, with the sun already setting behind the mountains, wasn't the best time to visit. With the sun shining and the water reflecting blue sky, it would have looked quite different, but as it was, it seemed a somewhat dreary spot.

 

Lake District - day 2; Holker Hall gardens

I was going to put my 'day 2' adventures together as I did 'day 1' but we spent so much of the day at Holker Hall that it deserves its own post.

I only heard of Holker Hall recently, through an article in the RHS magazine, and was so taken by the photos and description that I decided we HAD to include it in our Lakeland trip. I suppose it's not actually in the Lakes area as such, but out on one of the southern peninsulas near Grange Over Sands. It was close enough to easily visit from out base, though satnav tried to misdirect us.

The Hall itself looked fascinating but my interest was mainly in the garden, so we wandered round to the front of the house and the formal beds filled with simple yet stunning displays of tulips and late narcissi ...

... then onward to a wilder meadow area studded with bluebells and camassias, and with a labyrinth (which, yes, I had to walk) with views out over the parkland ...

... then to a tree-lined avenue with carpets of bluebells and wild garlic - and the odd tulip.

As we tend to start any day rather late, and I was finding far more to explore than I'd expected, we decided now was the time to head back to the cafe and re-fuel before further exercise. We both went for the venison burgers which were delicious.  

Then back to the gardens - through the formal areas again but heading out of them in a different direction, through rhododendrons to a cascade which fed a hidden fountain.

Then onward in a sweeping arc, through more rhododendrons, and old trees with bluebell-studded grass around their roots, up to the higher points of the grounds ... 

 ... before dropping down to a sunken garden with tulips, honesty, and a romantic summer house covered in magnolia blossom.. This was a really special place - the formal lay-out of the beds contrasting with the natural feel of the planting, and on a summer day I suspect a real sun-trap.

As closing time approached, we headed past Neptune sitting at the head of the cascade, back to the formal gardens, and on to the cafe.

 For once this was a cafe with the sensible notion of staying open for a while after the gardens had closed. Too many don't. Some even close earlier! It's a mistake in my opinion. When I've spent all day walking I'm in the mood for cake, and a cup of tea, but mainly cake, and I'm sure many other visitors feel the same. As with lunch, the cake was excellent - good-sized slices of blueberry sponge with cream and coconut topping. To be honest, if you're in the area Holker Hall is worth a visit for the food alone! I'll be going back sometime to see the gardens again in another season (and maybe just a little something from the cafe)

Lake District - day 1; Grizedale Forest, Hawkshead, Claife Viewing Station

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.