Last day in the Lakes 5/7/13

Today has been our last full day in the Lake District. We have absolutely loved it! Except for the roads we've had to drive on. Narrow, you wouldn't believe how narrow! Mostly one car wide but they laughingly put white lines down the middle to pretend that there is room for cars to pass each other. A lot of time is spent sitting in small passing bays to allow other cars, buses (like the Mountain Goat), vans, tractors, cyclists, pedestrians and sometimes (most scarily, tour coaches)! Reverse is a gear frequently utilised in these parts. Small cars are a necessity! Some roads, of course, are so narrow that even line marking wouldn't fit.

Yesterday we went to one of the other lakes, Coniston Water. This is the lake Malcolm and later Donald Campbell used to break the speed record. Unfortunately Donald Campbell was killed here in 1967. We went for a cruise on a beautiful steam yacht called The Gondola. It was built in the 1860's and restored by the National Trust in the 1980's. it's a lovely boat and a most enjoyable cruise. Coniston Water is where Arthur Ransome wrote the Swallows and Amazons books.

We had lunch at the Bluebird Cafe, named after the Campbells boats. It was very nice. Coniston Water is a very dog friendly place. There were lots of dogs in the cafe, the water, on boats, on the beach areas and even on the little tourist train. In Coniston they even have an Honest Shop - no shopkeeper or till, just a book where you write down what you bought and a money box to put in your money! Amazing!

 

Today we went for a walk across the fields between us and the lake. The grass was far longer than expected and very, very wet. It looks beautiful but is very hard to walk through. We walked back and changed our shoes then went went for a walk along the roads and the little footpaths around Near Sawrey and Far Sawrey. We walked for an hour or so then came back for the car and drove on more scary roads to Ambleside. We spent a pleasant afternoon in Ambleside and then visited Hawkshead before coming back to the apartment to pack and get organised to leave tomorrow.

Off to Blackpool tomorrow....

 

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