For a weekend of walking, wild landscapes and complete down-time, the Lake District is perfect. After a jam-packed summer of catching up with friends, finding new things to do in London and trips to the coast, a back-to-basics break was so welcome.
Top of the agenda was hiking, afterall you can’t really come to the lakes without doing a bit of walking. Although we were based near Scafell Pike, this was quickly ruled out as being too much of a challenge in the rainy weather and with none of us being ~avid hikers~. Instead, we planned to do the Old Man of Coniston loop which was steep enough to be challenging without being arduous and promised excellent views. Our views on the way up were stunning but the top rewarded us with driving rain and thick mist. A slightly sketchy scramble across the exposed peak meant we decided to save the loop for another time and descended the same way we’d come up, all in all it took around three hours with lots of stops to admire the scenery (and sheep!).
Grasmere is a great option for a wander, with stops of coffee and red squirrel spotting at Allan Bank. We even stumbled upon an art exhibition which was a real treat and a nice way to see the area through locals’ eyes. Grasmere is famous for its gingerbread but ~ dare I say it ~ I have too much of a sweet tooth to fully appreciate it! If you’re looking to tick off a Wainwright, the village is also the starting point for Helm Crag, a steep but maneagable walk with sweeping views over Grasmere and beyond.
A last day treat was a morning of paddleboarding on Wastwater, England’s deepest lake. The drive along the water’s edge is overwhelmingly beautiful, with each turn resulting in a whispered ‘wow’. Gliding through the mist on the still water was a really magical experience. To thaw out on the way home we stopped at the Sawmill cafe which was the perfect spot for brunch and we sat outside on the deck watching the leaves fall and listening to snippets of conversation about wild camping and planned hikes. We left knowing that there was still so much to explore and other adventures waiting…
