Travelling Simply

Travel recommendations, ideas and observations from two simple travellers

Category: United Kingdom

Ambleside township
Leave enough time to wander around Ambleside

The best hiking trail in the Lake District

27/06/2020 / / 4 Comments

We had been talking about visiting the Lake District for some time. The perfect opportunity arose when we visited one of our tribe who was living in Oxford for a time. He had stopped off there on the way to Scotland in the middle of winter and was keen to join us to see its beauty in the height of summer. And, take us on one of the best hikes in the Lake District.

We made the drive from Oxford in a day, stopping for lunch and a walk around the city of Chester. Known for its Roman walls and tudor-style half-timber buildings of Chester Rows, the city was a convenient mid-point on our drive north with plenty to see.

Our decision to stay in the small town of Kendal on the outskirts of the Lake District was two-fold; we wanted to spend time around the Lakes and also the Yorkshire Dales. The Castle Green Hotel was the perfect accommodation decision. It provided a cosy sanctuary after our long days of exploring.

On the recommendation of hotel staff, our first hike took us from the township of Ambleside to Grasmere. Sitting at the head of Lake Windermere, the township of Ambleside is a short 20-minute drive from Kendal and worthy of spending some time wandering around its watermills, the Bridge House and pretty township.

Leave enough time to wander around Ambleside

A small path behind St Mary’s Church led us over a quaint bridge and up a gently sloping trail surrounded by farmland to a lookout over the expansive Lake Windermere. The trail then carried on downhill through luscious green pastures, around small lakes and along pebbled paths intermittently lines with old stone houses which seemed to have been part of the landscape for hundreds of years. We were even treated to several flyovers by British fighter jets as we arrived closer to Grasmere.

A glimpse of Ambleside township from the walking trail
Lake Windemere

The village of Grasmere is known for hosting many poets, craftsmen and artists in its time. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Southey and William Wordsworth amongst others found inspiration in Grasmere’s beautiful surroundings. Wordsworth lived there for 15 years. You’ll find Wordworth’s family plot at St Oswald’s Church in the centre of Grasmere.

The beautiful surroundings are not the only reason visitors come to Grasmere. Chocolate from the handmade chocolate shop and the legendary gingerbread found at shops in the village are special treats to look forward to at the end of the walk.

We came upon some handsome stone dwellings along the picturesque paths

We enjoyed an indoor lunch at a cute coffee shop followed by an ice cream cone from the booth directly outside. And, after an amble through the village, prepared ourselves for the return journey on an alternative route back to Ambleside where our car was parked.

The Lake District is known for its rainy disposition. Our walk from Ambleside to Grasmere had been accompanied by cloudy skies and we were not surprised to have the heavens open up on us as we walked to the starting point of our return trail.

With no sign of the rain easing, we decided to take the bus back to Ambleside.

Like our walk up the Old Man of Coniston returning to complete the Grasmere to Ambleside trail and enjoying some of the other trails is high on our list.

A hidden gem in London you must visit

31/01/2020 / / 4 Comments

Julia, our London greeter meets us outside the Welcome Centre at the Tower of London. After a couple of days retracing our path around London’s popular tourist spots, we are looking forward to seeing a little of the hidden London reserved for those who dare to look for more.

St Katharine Dock

Along the Thames end of the Tower following the path around the corner, there is our first surprise: a marina full of all types of sailing vessels encircled by a mixture of old and new buildings. Just minutes from central London and we feel like we are in a completely different world.

Newer sailing vessels line up behind an older ship and we watch as the shipmaster shouts instructions to his shipmates as he carefully guides his charge through the lock into the River Thames.

After walking back and forth over small footbridges around the marina we arrive at the pride and joy of the marina. The Gloriana is the British Royal barge commissioned for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The regal rowing barge is based at the Dock and kept in pristine working order ready to make an appearance on the river at the drop of a hat. And, in the summer months, Gloriana sometimes sails up and down the Thames albeit powered by its onboard motors.

The Royal rowing barge, Gloriana
The Royal rowing barge, Gloriana

Wapping

Further along from the Dock, we pass stately Georgian and Edwardian homes sitting on the banks of River then enter the narrower paths. This is Wapping.

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A passageway leads us to the old stairs leading down to the River at the rear of the Town of Ramsgate pub, one of the oldest pubs in London. Julia recounts stories from the past of east London while we sit on the stairs to admire the views up, down and across the River.

Town of Ramsgate Pub by the Old Stairs, Wapping

Wapping was once a pretty rough part of town. This is where ships arrived from all parts of the world to unload their cargo and thieves and petty criminals hung hoping for a bit of luck. Most were unlucky ending up at the gallows for their efforts. The area is known for its Execution Dock, where these thieves and criminals along with mutineers and pirates met their end. One of the most famous in history is Scottish Captain William Kidd, whose life and times are now portrayed in literature, film and music.

There is more to see. Walking further along, there are memories of the past all around us that we would not have noticed had our attention not been drawn to them. Many of the old warehouses which used to store tobacco, rice and wine have now been converted into upmarket apartments and houses or eating establishments and cafes. Their facades still hold remnants of their historic past lives.

St Johns Old School with its two distinctive statues standing above the doorways indicating separate entrances into the school for boys and girls stands opposite the old St John’s Churchyard. The school building dates back to the mid-1700s. Little remains of the churchyard today. Instead, it has given way to become a leafy garden with park benches on which to sit and appreciate the school building. The building is no longer used for the purpose it was built for. It is now a private residence and the two statues are replicas with the originals stored safely away.

The statues above the entrance of Old St John School

Wapping was and is home to many old pubs and one of them, Turner’s Old Star, has a story behind it. The pub was originally two homes inherited by the artist Joseph William Turner (William Turner). He converted them into a tavern named The Old Star and ensconced one of his mistresses in there to run it. To ensure his anonymity he went as far as assuming her surname “Booth” and soon became known in the area as “Puggy Booth” because of his short height and plumpness. The “Old Star” was refurbished in 1987 and renamed “Turner’s Old Star” in Turner’s honour.

A beautiful stroll along the Ornamental Canal leads us back to where it all started past the picturesque Dickens Inn to finally stop at the two elephants which stand on the pillars of the gate outside the only original warehouse standing in St Katharine Dock, Ivory House and convey our gratitude and say our goodbyes to Julia.

The Dickens Inn, St Katharine Dock

We turn back to re-enter the Dock. It’s lunchtime and there are a myriad of cafes, restaurants and pubs to choose from.

 

The “Old Man of Coniston”

29/01/2018 / / 1 Comment

Last year, we were a little anxious about escaping our winter. Our normal plan is to take some time out in a warmer part of the northern hemisphere. Summer in England is always a little bit of a gamble and even more so if you are planning to spend time in the Lake District.

One of our favourite English TV programs, Last of the Summer Wine has left us with a desire to amble through the English countryside. We’ll take a gamble to fulfil our dream of visiting the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. We are warned not to expect perfect weather. It rains a lot in the Lake District at any time of the year!

The Lake District is made up of a number of villages and towns around a series of lakes. The English and tourists alike flock to this area in the summer to enjoy a myriad of activities on land and water.

We are joining them! We plan a balance of sightseeing, outdoor activity and relaxation. The amount of time we spend on each will be determined by the weather!

It’s raining gently as we start our drive north over the rolling hills and lush green pastures. It clears as we get closer to our destination revealing quaint villages with window boxes and hanging pots filled with colourful flowering annuals. We are in our element, exactly how we pictured the English countryside.

We have decided to stay in the country town of Kendal. It’s the perfect town to stay in if you want to visit both the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales in one visit.

Sailing

As a child, I grew up reading the Swallows and Amazons series of books by English author Arthur Ransome. Ransome’s stories are based on the outdoor activities and adventures of the children of two families around Lake Coniston. How exciting to be here having our own little adventure!

It is a beautiful sunny afternoon as we drive the winding lakeside roads to Lake Coniston after a spending the morning on Lake Windermere. Our intention is to hike up the “Old Man of Coniston”, the highest point in the area to take in the views.

We park in the pretty little Coniston village to start our walk. We have heard the walk is a little steep so are not surprised at the vertical roadside climb we are immediately confronted with. Reaching the top of the shady road, the terrain flattens out and we meander through country lanes, past pastures and fields lined with brambles and blackberry bushes. What a pretty walk!

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We are surprised to reach another carpark. Obviously, this is the lookout. That was an easy hike. Nowhere near as long and nothing like our walk over the green countryside from Ambleside to Grassmere a couple of days ago. All these people have missed a lovely amble through along country roads by just driving their cars up to the lookout.

But no. A closer look at the sign tells us that this is the start of the walk to the summit lookout. We carry on upwards. Initially, we trek through greenery surrounded by rolling farmland with sheep before it slowly changes to a rough steep hillside covered in slate.  The Old Man was the site of a number of quarries operating as early as the 1500’s and we see relics of past mining activity on our way up.

We stop at Low Water to take in the breathtaking view of Lake Coniston and surrounds. However, the track is popular and it has taken longer than we expected partially hindered by the number of people taking the same journey but also because we have walked up in our trainers instead of hiking boots. Other climbers tell us the summit is not far, however, the signage has not been accurate so we decide that it is time to turn back.

Lake Coniston

On the way down we pass other enthusiastic hikers making their way up. I’m not sure how some of them will deal with the slippery slate track, especially the young Japanese couple who we see at the beginning of the route up. The girl is wearing heels!

By the time we reach the village, it’s time for dinner. Time to sit back and enjoy a cold beer with a meal in one of the two village pubs and catch a bit of local banter. A perfect end to a summer day by a lake in the English countryside.

We’ll be back to conquer the summit!

 

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