Lazing Amidst the Lakes
Following in the Footsteps of the Romantic Poets
(The Almeida Family on the shores of Lake Bowness)
England’s Lake District is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque parts of the British countryside. Long associated with the Romantic poets, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a lesser-known fact is that it was the home of Beatrix Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit and his lovable team of friends. If vast, unspoiled, green-clad mountainous vistas, lazy paddling in mirror-like lakes, endless ambles down country lanes filled with placid cattle and wildflowers, gargantuan breakfasts of freshly-laid eggs and locally-cured bacon, crisp toast and fruity preserves, suit your fancy, then you will be charmed by the area of Central England that goes by the name of the Lake District for, indeed, the region, is dotted by lakes and set in the midst of gentle rolling hills that offer spectacular sunrises and equally stirring sunsets.
Llew, Chriselle and I headed north from London on the M4 towards the lakes in the swanky Rover we rented at Heathrow.
Our first stop was the charming village of Kendal where the uniform greyness of the sides and roofs of cottages created a very pretty picture indeed on the toy-town like streets. Unable to resist the quaintness of a typical English country church, we posed for pictures in the hushed environs of the church-yard (left). Deciding to take a break, we made our way to a local pub where a group of jolly local folk finding us–a family of South Asians–a rare curiosity in their village, joked with us for a while.
Driving further north, we checked into Linda’s Bed & Breakfast at Ambleside, nestled right in the heart of the Lake District. We loved the little attic room that Linda Marshall let out to us and taking her advice, we spent the rest of the day strolling around the little village. Ambleside has the distinction of being named and photographed in a coffee-table book entitled, The Prettiest Villages of England. And truly it is delightful. The streets are narrow and deeply atmospheric. All roads lead to the village center where a tiny brook flows quietly by, accentuated by a mill-like structure poised above it, complete with turning mill-wheel. Lovely shops line the cobbled streets enticing visitors with their offerings of souvenirs and “traditional cream teas.” All through our rambles in Ambleside, we were conscious of its beautiful location, nestling in the soft folds of the hills. Indeed, though Ambleside cannot boast its own lake, there are enough seductions in this tiny village to keep tourists enthralled for a long time.
One of Ambleside’s biggest attractions for instance, is its walking trails and, the next morning, we went on one of the loveliest nature treks we’ve ever taken.
Following our landlady Linda’s advice, we left our car behind and footed it past the tiny River Rothay into pristine pastureland serenely grazed over by horses in paddock, flocks of sheep and large brown cows (left). The typical drizzle of an English summer’s day did nothing to dampen our spirits as we crossed stepping stones over the river, passed charming stone cottages with roses rambling all over them and meadows of wild foxgloves.
After a good hour’s walk, we arrived at Rydal Mount, home of the Lake District’s most famous son, William Wordsworth. By then, of course, we fully understood what the source of all his “Nature Poems” had been!
Rydal Mount (left) is a beautiful house that overlooks Conniston Waters, the largest lake in the region. Still furnished in the manner in which it was during Wordsworth’s day, it carries a wealth of memorabilia from the lives of the poet and his beloved sister, Dorothy. Indeed, the Lake District is truly “Wordworth Country” and there is enough here to keep his fans enthralled. In the afternoon, we drove to Grasmere for lunch and had the opportunity to visit Dove Cottage where Wordworth had lived before moving to Rydal Mount.
Like most cottages in the region, Dove enraptures the senses. It is small, cosy and very pretty with sweet peas growing all over its walls and fuschia hanging from profuse vines (left). In the churchyard at Grasmere is the Wordsworth family grave and we were able to pay our respects to this most Romantic of English poets. We ended the day driving around the village of Bowness with its narrow lanes and holiday atmosphere.
No holiday in the Lake District would be complete without a visit to one of the lakes themselves and Lake Windermere is easily accessed from the town of Bowness. Boats ply on the waters and visitors are always enchanted by their ability to board one of these pretty craft to get a sense of the quiet beauty of this region. Closer to the shores, we were equally enchanted by the antics of little toddlers who dissolved into peals of excited giggles every time the hungry ducks and swans ate from their hands.
A little after dawn the next morning, we began our drive southwards to the Cotswolds, but a treat for the eyes awaited us just as we were leaving the Lake District.
It was, of course, drizzling again, but to our enormous delight, right across Lake Windermere was the most perfect rainbow we had ever seen (left). Squealing with joy, we stopped to take pictures and now have printed memories in our album of one of the prettiest sights in the world.
You do not need to be a published poet to enjoy the Lake District. But, don’t be surprised, if the creative impulse seizes you .You’re very likely to leave the area having created a souvenir water color of your visit, composed a few lines of your own, or at the very least, quoting Wordswoth who referred to the area in his Ode on Immortality.
Bon Voyage!