Weekend Getaway: The Lake District
If you live in a city dubbed “The Granite City”, you’re probably used to the feeling of craving some weekend getaways every now and then. Sometimes you don’t even need to go very far to get a change of scenery and to go on new adventures, whether you do it on your own or with a loved one.
This little getaway was in the Lake District in Cumbria. Some background information: The Lake District is famous for its lakes (surprise, surprise), forests, and mountains and it is one of the 12 national parks in England. It is one of the most populated national parks (according to Wikipedia) and some of the towns include Keswick, Windermere, and Ambleside. Having only three days (so one full day and two half days) meant that we couldn’t explore as much as we would have wanted, but it also meant we had plenty to do and never ran out of beautiful sights.
It is a popular destination in the summer, but we had a great time going there in the autumn. The trees were pretty in all of their colours and the air was crisp. There was not a shortage of people, but I can imagine there would be many more in the summer months. It takes about five and a half hours to drive from Aberdeen (we stayed in Glasgow for food both ways).
Grasmere
We stayed just next to the lake Grasmere, and there is also a little village called Grasmere which is well worth a visit. It’s one of the most popular villages in the Lake District (because of the poet William Wordsworth). It is very touristy in the sense that there are plenty of restaurants and gift shops, but it is still a lovely village to walk through and it’s a short walk from the lake.
On our full day we decided to focus on views over walks since we had a car. This is really a personal preference, some people would probably prioritise hiking whilst in the lake district, but we wanted to see as many beautiful places we could in one day. Given the time of the year we had limited daylight to utilise already.
Ashness Bridge and the Surprise view
The first place we wanted to go to was the Surprise View which is located south of Keswick. Only a couple of minutes before the Surprise View there is a beautiful place called the Ashness Bridge. There is a car park just next to it. The Ashness Bridge is one of the most sought-after photo opportunities in the lake district. You can either walk to the Surprise View from the car park, or you can keep driving as there is another car park there. This place gives you an amazing view of the Derwentwater, Keswik, and beyond to Bassenthwaite Lake.
Ashness Bridge
The Surprise View
Aira Force and Ullswater
Aira Force (located in Ullswater) provided us the most beautiful view of some majestic waterfalls and beautiful surroundings. We parked near the main Aira Force car park where there was a tea room (hi coffee and bathroom break!). From there we followed the path to the main force waterfall, which falls 70 feet from below a stone footbridge (can be seen in the photo below). It was an easy and quick hike that I recommend to everyone.
All in all, it was a lovely getaway destination without a dull moment.
Happy exploring!
All Images are Linn’s Own