I will let you in on a little secret if you promise not to tell. I love hiking sans trees! I know, as a dutiful North Idahoan, that is sacrilege. To live in the Inland Northwest is to embrace the evergreens, and I truly do appreciate the conifers, but that doesn’t change the fact that I love to leave the forest behind and hike places such as Fiordland, high deserts, canyonlands and the fells and dales of England’s Lake District. There is something special about being out in the open and seeing a vast trail un-fold in front of you. I have hiked some of England’s coastal paths, but have dreamed of walking in the Lake District for many years.
After leading a hiking trip to Madeira, Portugal last summer, I bade my group goodbye and set out for a mother-daughter trip to Cumbria, in northwest England. My daughter and I have hiked together her whole life. The first time I took her hiking in the Alps, she was only 3 years old. It was a trip of her walking several miles per day and alternating riding in my backpack carrier. We have come a long way since then! She became the lead hiker for our overseas hiking organization, Good Soles Adventures LLC, and we have traveled near and far exploring together over the past decade and a half.
We flew from Lisbon to Manchester and set out by train to Penrith and then bussed to the charming town of Keswick. This quaint town is positioned on the shores of Derwentwater, a lovely lake in Cumbria.
Departing the bus, we wandered through the town square and took in the vibe of this idyllic sports town. We instantly fell for this friendly (and dog-friendly) active hub. Brits love their dogs, but I have never seen a place as dog-friendly as the Lake District! Keswick is a bustling adventure holiday destination for Brits and for hikers from around the globe. The Lake District is a dog lover’s mecca, too. Brits on holiday flock to this hiking destination with their four-legged friends, and locals embrace the canine companions. Under every outdoor table at the pubs, you’re sure to find a well-mannered pup and a full water bowl, and patrons shop and dine with their dogs by their side.
We meandered the cobblestone pathway of the town center and took in the stucco and stone buildings with bright colored awnings. Famished, we ducked into a pub to share an order of fish and chips while capitalizing on the free Wi-Fi to catch up on email before settling into our B and B for the night.
Next morning, we enjoyed breakfast to order as we visited with the other patrons of the B and B, all of whom were vacationing Brits. We talked with the proprietor about the hike we had planned for the day, then set out for a day in the fells.
Taking the path that leads to the lake, we walked to the jetty to purchase a one-way ticket down the lake to our trailhead via the Keswick Launch Ferry Company. It was an unusually dry and warm summer in the Lake District, as evidenced by the reduction in ferry stops. Derwentwater was too shallow for the ferry boats to dock at many of the ferry stops. Due to the elimination of our planned stop, we were required us to adjust our plan and take the next ferry stop down the lake, thus lengthening our day’s hike. We let the captain know which stop we wanted for our hike of Cat Bells, and he obliged by stopping at Low Brandelhow jetty for us. We walked up the iconic Cat Bells fell, then along the ridgeline to where we sat in the sunshine and admired the view of Derwentwater and Keswick below.
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From this vantage point, we were able to scope out hiking options for the days to come. Intoxicated by the views, we finally descended back down to Derwentwater’s shoreline. Seeing arrows for the Lingholm Estate and Lingholm Kitchen, we made an impromptu deviation to the Lingolm Bakery. This laid-back bakery is adjacent to the walled garden and potting shed that dates back to 1873 when the sprawling estate was built. After our lazy lunch stop, we trekked back to Keswick along the shoreline path.
The next day, I set out to conquer the sharp edge of Blencathra, while my daughter opted to spend the day paddle boarding on Derwentwater.
My solo hike was a point A to point B trek (my favorite kind), made possible by the bus system. I spent the day outdoors hiking the fells and dales full of herds of sheep before coming to the tarn (small lake) at the base of Blencathra. The route of the ‘Sharp Edge,’ which included an interesting and exposed scramble to the top of Blencathra. Atop this mesmerizing ridge, I spied the multiple routes back the town of Threlkeld, where I would catch a bus back to Keswick.
As luck would have it, England was playing Sweden that afternoon in the World Cup Quarterfinal, so I thought the best option was to hike down and watch the soccer match at the 17th century Horse and Ferrier pub. For the second half of the match, I walked myself and my beer across the street to the sister pub, The Sally. There was a raucous crowd at The Sally, and the pub was standing room only. Fans were adorned with Union Jack face paintings and many were draped in capes of the British fl ag. The loyal fans were friendly and exuberant! The decibel levels reached dangerous territory as the crowd cheered and sang the Three Lions song throughout the match. To our delight, England won that night! It was a special treat to celebrate England’s victory with local fans in The Sally (short for Salutation) pub built in 1664.
Worn out from the hike and excitement of the football match, I caught the bus back to Keswick to reunite with my daughter and learn about her exploits swimming and paddling that day.
We enjoyed many hikes in the area and reveled in region’s rich history and architecture. The Lake District quickly won my heart. This was a place where I couldn’t imagine being hurried or stressed, the pace was leisurely and the people were civilized, welcoming and content.
Our next night’s accommodations were at the south end of the lake in Borrowdale. We hired a cab to transport our luggage down Derwentwater to our hotel so we could make the transfer on foot. We bid our B and B proprietors and fellow guests adieu at breakfast then walked from Keswick to Castlerigg to view the Castlerigg Stone Circle. This awe-inspiring circle is one of the earliest stone circles in Britain. It is thought to be built around 3,000 B.C., the beginning of the Neolithic Period, and is comprised of 38 stones that were placed in significant astronomical alignments.
From the stone circle, we walked the trails that followed the lake’s shore to our quaint accommodations in the Borrowdale Valley.
We hiked this region with fervor and enjoyed coming home to the welcoming atmosphere of the hotel’s pub patio that contained a dog and dog water bowl under every table.
Amongst our favorite walks were the treks to Great Gable and Scafell Pike, the tallest peak in England. We roamed the hills and dales of delightful Buttermere, took in the magically serene village of Grasmere. One thing to know about hiking in the Lake District is that you need to know how to navigate. We were fortunate not to encounter any dense fog, but orienteering skills are a must in the Lake District.
We mused at the trail descriptions that called for turning ‘left at the big tree with a metal pail at the trunk,’ or ‘head up the hill by the pasture with cattle,’ and wondered what happened if someone removed the pail or sold the cattle.
Signage was sporadic, but not the norm. There is a sense that you should know where you are going and be able to independently figure out how to get there, which is different from other international hiking destinations, and somewhat refreshing.
We concluded our holiday with three nights in the charming town of Ambleside at the north shore of Lake Windermere, another fabulous hiking center in a surreal setting. Days were consumed hiking to pristine tarns, bussing to trailheads in the morning and walking the trails back to town in the afternoon. In the evenings, we strolled along the shore of Lake Windermere and watched the sailboats dock in the marinas before sunset. Food options in Ambleside were plentiful with curries, pizzas, seafood, and international cuisine all readily available. In a word, Ambleside was captivating!
The Lake District is an enchanting place to wander, a place where you can truly feel the freedom of the hills as you see the trail laid out in front of you from the ridgetops. If you haven’t watched the movie Miss Potter, you should. The film captures the dramatic beauty of the Lake District, and the story of author/illustrator Beatrix Potter, who owned farms and bred sheep in the Lake District. Potter was a pioneer of preservation and left much of her vast land holdings to the National Trust to preserve it for future generations.
While in the Lake District, I became overcome by a sense of peace. The hills and dales filled with grazing sheep, the stream crossings with stone bridges, passing from farm to farm via turnstiles in the fences, visiting the tarns, climbing the pikes and wandering cobblestone roads was a magical experience. Gazing at this beautiful countryside, I couldn’t help but give a nod to conservationist Beatrix Potter for her incredible foresight and dedication to protecting this special land.
On the return train ride to the Manchester airport, I reflected on how much this adventure lived up to my every expectation. The only disappointment was England’s loss to Croatia in the World Cup semifinals, yet it was still a thrill to watch that match from a packed pub in Ambleside!
We enjoyed one final night in Lisbon before our holiday ended and made our way home. What an extraordinary time we had with our group followed by a mother-daughter scouting trip for our hiking group. We are looking forward to leading a trip to Cumbria in the near future, but this year Austria’s Alps are on the schedule.
Cheers! N
By Denise Lundy
Photography By David Ronalds