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The Tale of Contented Lake Lovers
story and photos by Stan Farrow
Sometimes they work! Impulse decisions, that is. Walking out
of the cinema on a January evening after a screening of Miss
Potter, my wife and I decided we had to follow in Beatrix
Potter's footsteps and visit the Lake District in England. Never
mind that we had been across the pond the previous summer. We
would go back and visit the sites which had inspired The
Tale of Peter Rabbit and other well-loved Potter stories.
Since we had come to enjoy self-catering accommodations on our
previous visits, we felt we should go that route again, for
a two-week stay in late summer. After some investigation on
the internet, we decided to try a company, Lakelovers, which
specialized in the area and had a number of attractive properties
on view in their catalogue.
The
"cottages" are grouped by location; so our next decision was
to settle on an area for our home base. With no local knowledge
whatsoever, we looked at a map and settled on Ambleside. What
an inspired choice! It turned out to be a very attractive and
friendly town, large enough to have all the amenities one would
want, yet compact enough that we could walk its entire length
or breadth in little over half an hour. That included the many
times we ambled from the town square down to Waterhead at the
north end of Windermere (the lake). If we had one reservation
about the town, it was the lack of a good-sized supermarket
for groceries and other staples. For that, there was a three-mile
drive to Booths, at the north end of Windermere (the town).
Ambleside
was also fairly central to most of the attractions in the southern
part of the Lake District, with easy access north, south and
southeast, west and southwest. We had decided to rent a car
for local outings but to sign up for minivan excursions further
afield. The Hub, in central Ambleside, doubled as an efficient
Tourist Information Centre, where we could purchase tickets;
a souvenir shop; and the town Post Office. One word of caution:
there are precious few places to park in town, short of one
major pay-and-display lot at the north end.
With
catalogue in hand, open to the pages for Ambleside and vicinity,
we selected Kingfisher Cottage, 31 The Falls. If you look it
up on the internet, its description falls short of the real
thing. Nestled on the steep cliffside banks of Stock Ghyll,
a tumbling stream, it was our delightful home for two weeks,
with the music of the waters lulling us to sleep each night.
Tastefully furnished with everything that visitors should need
(and signature kingfisher paintings, statuary, etc. everywhere!),
it is built on three levels, with only the roof showing from
the parking pad on the lane above. Steps take you down to an
outdoor patio, overlooking the stream. The cottage entrance
hall, the bedroom and the bathroom are on the same level as
the patio; the kitchen is half a floor below, and has a window
doorway onto a small balcony above the water; the living/dining
area is half a floor above.
It
is definitely a cottage for only two. And you will probably
realize from the geographical description above that it is not
suitable for wheelchair users. 
It is part of a large enclave
on the eastern edge of town largely made up of conversions from
old stone mill buildings along the stream, designed as rental
properties for vacationers. The range of accommodations is quite
wide. The surrounding views are lovely, but be forewarned: the
roads and paths down into town (or up from town) are quite steep
and not for those with fitness problems.
Our
first day, we explored the various nooks and crannies of Ambleside.
There is the photogenic Bridge House, a small building perched
atop Stock Ghyll to avoid land taxes. Further upstream, via
a pathwayon the opposite bank from our cottage, is the equally
notable Stock Ghyll Force, a waterfall that features on many
local postcards. There are the remains of a Roman camp on the
shores of Windermere. There is a local recreation area for lawn
bowling and pitch-and-putt golf and numerous shops, with particular
emphasis on clothes for hiking in the area. We bought a pair
of sandals from a woman who had emigrated from Peterborough,
Ontario, to teach here and met the man who became her husband
and with whom she now runs K.D. Sports as a family business.
We also visited the local cinema (cum pizza restaurant) - Zeffirelli's
- an old-time movie house, to view an old-time movie, The
Dam Busters.
And,
of course, there are many good restaurants. We had a soft spot
for Sheila's Cottage, tucked down a narrow lane, at which we
had our first and last meals out in town (not counting the compulsory
fish 'chips before we settled in on the day of our arrival).
Ordinarily, we had breakfast and supper at the cottage, with
lunch in town or wherever we happened to be touring. We twice
visited Low Sizergh Barn, a bit south of our area, to stock
up on meats, cheeses and fresh produce.
Our
nearby days out began with our homage to Beatrix Potter. We
paid a morning visit to her famous Hill Top Farm at Near Sawrey.
Visitors are 
advised to arrive at least half an hour before
opening time to beat the long line-ups later in the day for
timed entry. The house is small and can handle only a few guests
at a time. We then drove to nearby Hawkshead for lunch and a
second timed visit, this time to the Beatrix Potter Gallery.
A selection of her watercolours is on display upstairs above
the restored offices of William Heelis, the solicitor who arranged
for her purchase of local properties and who later married her.
Our day concluded with visits to the church of St. Michael's
and All Angels (with its distinctive stubby white pillars),
which overlooks the town on its protective hilltop, and to the
village school below it, which the poet, Wordsworth, attended
as a boy.
Of
course, we had our Wordsworth day out as well, since the famous
Dove Cottage, his home during his most prolific years (1799-1808)
and Rydal Mount, his home from 1813 to his death in 1850, are
just a 10-15-minute drive from Ambleside. Wordsworth was largely
responsible for designing the layout of this home and its impressive
gardens, with views over Rydal Water and, in the distance, Windermere.
We ended our day walking through the small village of Grasmere,
stopping by the churchyard where the Wordsworth family is buried.
On the edge of the grounds is the highly-touted Gingerbread
Shop. Sarah Nelson's recipe is over 150 years old, but we confess
we found the squares too crisp and dry for our Canadian tastes.
We
spent a rare rainy morning touring Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts
home designed by Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott at the end of the
nineteenth century. Its spare but impressive decor is a marvellous
antidote to the older stately mansions in the district. I also
received permission to try out the beautiful Broadwood piano,
from London, for about 20 minutes. Blackwell is a bit south-east
of Bowness-on-Windermere, overlooking the lake.
However,
if it's stately homes you wish, our far-and-away favourite was
Holker Hall, a Cavendish estate on a narrow country road close
to Morecambe Bay. The gardens are a delight and the home, which
opens at noon, allows visitors to wander at relative will, viewing
the rooms with their informative signage, but consulting attendants
with any further questions. As a bonus, you can continue along
the road to Cartmel for a visit to its lovely 12th-century Priory.
Since
my wife is an expert amateur gardener, we timed our visit to
Holehird Gardens 
(about 20 minutes from Ambleside) for a Wednesday
morning, when volunteers from the Lakeland Horticultural Society
conduct guided tours of the grounds at 11:00. As it turned out,
we had Vera, our hostess, all to ourselves - the advantage of
touring in September. The Society numbers about 1800, but only
80 are active in maintaining their beloved and justly-admired
gardens, overlooking Windermere, and adjacent to what used to
be a hotel, where the Potters stayed early in their sojourns
to the Lake District. You can combine a visit to Holehird with
a stop at Townend, a yeoman farmer's house on the hills above
Troutbeck Valley. Dark and smoky, it provides yet another style
of local living. And, not surprisingly, this National Trust
property also owes its existence in large part to Miss Potter!
We
signed on for three minivan tours, covering longer distances
and often narrow and steep mountain passes. That way I could
also enjoy the scenery and not have to worry about my fear of
heights and of driving on the left with barely room for two
vehicles to pass! Two of the itineraries were with Lakes Supertours,
based in Windermere. They pick up passengers from Ambleside
at the local market square bus stop. The first tour headed west
to climb Wrynose and Hardknott Passes. We stopped to clamber
about the Hardknott Roman Fort, now inhabited by sheep.
The
afternoon began with a ride on the narrow-gauge Ravenglass and
Eskdale Railway (our open-air car basked in glorious sunshine).
Then we drove to Wast Water, the deepest of the lakes, watched
from above by a paraglider from the surrounding hills. Muncaster
Castle provided yet another change of pace. We opted for a tour
of the castle (rent the audio wands for personal commentary
from the Duff-Pennington family!), while others watched the
outdoor show from the World Owl Centre on the grounds. Our final
stop of the day was at Coniston, where the locals had all come
out to enjoy the sunshine by the water.
The
touring steam yacht, Gondola, docked while we were there. The
road back to Ambleside took us past Yew Tree Farm, which served
as "Hill Top" in the Miss Potter movie. The "ten lakes"
itinerary took us up to the Kirkstone Pass (425 metres) by the
road which turned off to our cottage. There was a brief stop
at Glenridding on Ullswater, and a short hike through the woods
to see the waterfall, Aira Force, from below and above (note
there are slippery, steep climbs on the pathway), plus some
company from a herd of cattle who joined us on the pathway back
to the road.
Next
stops were at Surprise View, a spectacular outlook above Derwent
Water, and near-by rustic Ashness Bridge, probably the most
photographed bridge in the district. After lunch in Keswick,
a launch (lots of spray for those in front) took us south on
Derwent Water to Lodore landing, where we rejoined the van for
a hair-raising ride over Honister Pass, with its slate quarry,
for a stop in Buttermere village (try their ice cream!). Over
Newland Pass, through pastoral Newland Valley, on to the mysterious
Castlerigg Stone Circle, a quiet setting with 3500-5000 years
of history, then back home via Grasmere and Dove Cottage.
Our
third tour was with The Mountain Goat. They are better known,
but slightly more expensive than Lakes Supertours, and they
were the only company  to offer a weekly outing to Hadrian's
Wall, which I had visited before with fellow Latin teachers,
but which my wife had never seen. The company wisely takes back
routes, rather than motorways, but it makes for quite a long
day. The views at Steel Riggs and the facilities at Vindolanda
were highlights. We were able to chat with the archaeological
team at Vindolanda, nearing the end of what had been a very
wet season. The museum is also a special part of this site,
famous for its recovery of wax tablets detailing everyday life
for a Roman garrison.
If
you should take a similar tour, our advice would be to grab
lunch at the Roman Army Museum, which is mostly reproductions,
except for a fine film, rather than waiting until Vindolanda,
where it is worth having more time to see the real thing! On
our way home we stopped to admire the view from Hartside Summit
on the A686 (580 metres). The last two days of our stay were
the sunniest and warmest of all. As one Brit commented, trust
the weather to turn gorgeous once school was back in! We took
advantage one day by opting for a leisurely cruise around Windermere
plus a short train journey on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite
Railway. We were disappointed to find there was nothing at the
Haverthwaite end of the line but the station and a café - no
shops. And Lakeside is really no better. So we sailed back to
the pier at Bowness-on-Windermere and explored the shopping
areas there.
On
our final day we took a launch from Waterhead to the dock at
Wray Castle (another building with Beatrix Potter connections)
and hiked 4.5 miles through the woods by Windermere to the ferry
crossing near Far Sawrey. There, another launch took us back
to Bowness, from which we caught the regular lake cruiser to
Ambleside. This cruise-plus-walk is a ticketed option with Windermere
Lake Cruises and proved a very energetic and rewarding way to
complete a superb holiday.
Getting
there, of course, is not really half the fun, when airport terminals
are involved, but we can highly recommend Thomas Cook Airlines,
which flies into Manchester, the most convenient terminal for
the Lake District (although we also learned that Glasgow would
be a good alternative). The seats are quite comfortable - 35"
pitch in economy class - and the crew was superb. We picked
up a car at the Manchester airport - a Mercedes 2008 B-Class
that was stingy enough on diesel fuel that we never had to refuel
during our stay.
Since
our flight landed before 7:00 a.m and cottage rentals are usually
not available until mid-afternoon, we decided to break our travels
north with a stop at Morecambe, a Lancashire seaside resort
that is sprucing itself up. We arrived in time for the Sunday
market, which was fun. And, if you want a real bargain, drop
in to Rebecca's Café for their £2.99 breakfast special: sausages,
bacon, egg, hash browns, tomato, beans, mushrooms and toast!
The amazing topiary gardens at Levens Hall, a few miles north,
helped us walk off our meal.
Finally,
a note about Lakelovers. In the past, we had rented properties
where the owners either lived next door or were on hand to greet
us when we arrived. Lakelovers, instead, maintains offices in
the major towns, from which you obtain keys and driving instructions.
We were very impressed with the staff at the Lakelovers office
in Ambleside, whom we visited a number of times. Since there
was no telephone in the cottage, they allowed us to use theirs
a couple of times to contact friends in England who were paying
us a visit.
They
arranged for us to have towels at no extra charge, since we
were from overseas. And they functioned as a kind of second
tourist agency, to answer our questions. We continue to receive
email news from the company, who obviously live up to their
name as ambassadors for their beloved lakes.
Some contact and internet information
for places and businesses:
Lakelovers
- Belmont House, Lake Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria,
UK LA23 3BJ; tel: [country code 011 44] 15394 88855; www.lakelovers.co.uk
Lakes
Supertours - Lakes Hotel, 1 High Street, Windermere,
Cumbria, UK LA23 1AF; tel: 15394 42751; www.lakes-supertours.co.uk
The
Mountain Goat - Victoria Street, Windermere, Cumbria,
UK LA23 1AD; tel: 15394 45161; www.mountain-goat.com
Windermere Lake Cruises - Ambleside Pier, Waterhead,
Cumbria, UK; tel: 015394 32225; www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk
*
KD
Sports - Central Buildings, Ambleside, Cumbria, UK
LA22 9BS; tel: 01539 431543; www.kdsports.co.uk
*
Sheila's
Cottage - The Slack, Ambleside, Cumbria, UK LA22 9DQ;
tel: 15394 33079; www.thefoodplace.co.uk/restaurants/43827/
Sheila's+Cottage+in+Ambleside
Blackwell
- www.blackwell.org.uk
Cartmel
Priory - www.cartmelpriory.org.uk
Dove
Cottage - www.wordsworth.org.uk
Grasmere
Gingerbread Shop - www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk
Hill
Top, Beatrix Potter Gallery - www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beatrixpotter
Holehird
Gardens - www.holehirdgardens.org.uk
Holker
Hall - www.holker-hall.co.uk
Lakeside
and Haverthwaite Railway: www.lakesiderailway.co.uk
Levens
Hall - www.levenshall.co.uk
Low
Sizergh Barn - www.lowsizerghbarn.co.uk
Muncaster
Castle - www.muncaster.co.uk
Ravenglass
and Eskdale Railway - www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk
Rydal
Mount - www.rydalmount.co.uk
Townend
- www.nationaltrust.org.uk
/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/ w-townend
Vindolanda
- www.vindolanda.com
Fly
Thomas Cook - www.flythomascook.com
Zoom
Airlines also fly to both Manchester and Glasgow. www.flyzoom.com
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