Loving life in the Lake District
Stunning scenery and plenty to do in the Lake District - Emma Hills reports back on a fabulous holiday
In the Summer of 2022, I went to the Lake District with my family. Despite it raining for the majority of our time away, the views were still breathtaking and incredibly beautiful through all the mist and drizzle. If you haven’t been to the Lake District, I would highly recommend it especially if you need the opportunity to reconnect with nature and the great outdoors.
We stayed in a cosy holiday home that was about a 20 minute drive from the town of Windermere. There were pubs, restaurants, shops and markets to explore and one of my favourite things was the World of Beatrix Potter, who is famous for the creation of Peter Rabbit and all of his friends. Despite the World of Beatrix Potter being aimed at young families and children, my mum and I still wanted to reminisce on a part of my childhood, and we decided to go and stand in the queue with all of the children and their families. It was very lovely and a nice reminder of the books I used to love. My favourite part was the charming little garden and most definitely the gift shop. I managed to leave with a keyring and a small cuddly Flopsy bunny. I would suggest a trip to the World of Beatrix Potter no matter how old you are.
Another breathtaking feature of the Lake District was of course the lakes. Until you are faced with the sheer capacity of water, you underestimate how big they really are. Stretching for miles, the lakes really are stunning and are sure to amaze you. We went on an electric boat, which I had the opportunity to drive. Even though it was a little bit scary driving a boat, it was massively enjoyable and a very tranquil experience until my sister had her turn to drive the boat. As well as electric and rowing boats being available for hiring, there is cruise ships, car ferries and pedestrian ferries. When travelling afar, we traveled on the car ferry but when exploring another side of the lake, the pedestrian ferry was our go to.
Going back to Beatrix Potter, we also visited her house which is now owned by the National Trust. Hill Top house was the inspiration for Potter’s beloved books, and it was a lovely experience and definitely worth the visit. Just down the road was Wray Castle in Ambleside, Cumbria. Despite the inside being under construction, the architecture was still impressive and very interestingly, Beatrix Potter visited Wray Castle for a summer holiday which sparked her love for the Lake District. Something about Wray Castle which I found very cool was that you could see it from the other side of the lake but of course it was very minuscule and looked more like a doll’s house than a castle.
There are lots of things to do in the Lake District and there is something for everyone. In Ambleside, there was a crazy golf course that was very entertaining, a rock shop, cafes and food places, a waterfall, little shops and lots of other things. We visited a beach that was near to where we were staying and very helpfully, there was an Aldi very close to where we were staying as well. We also had a delicious meal out. Despite not actually going myself, my sister and dad went to the Lakeland Motor Museum which was apparently very interesting and a good experience for those who are interested in the history of motors.
Overall, my family holiday in the Lake District was very enjoyable and I would highly recommend this beautiful and stunning gem of the UK, unless you are frightened of the water!
Emma Hills, Year 11
In the Summer of 2022, I went to the Lake District with my family. Despite it raining for the majority of our time away, the views were still breathtaking and incredibly beautiful through all the mist and drizzle. If you haven’t been to the Lake District, I would highly recommend it especially if you need the opportunity to reconnect with nature and the great outdoors.
We stayed in a cosy holiday home that was about a 20 minute drive from the town of Windermere. There were pubs, restaurants, shops and markets to explore and one of my favourite things was the World of Beatrix Potter, who is famous for the creation of Peter Rabbit and all of his friends. Despite the World of Beatrix Potter being aimed at young families and children, my mum and I still wanted to reminisce on a part of my childhood, and we decided to go and stand in the queue with all of the children and their families. It was very lovely and a nice reminder of the books I used to love. My favourite part was the charming little garden and most definitely the gift shop. I managed to leave with a keyring and a small cuddly Flopsy bunny. I would suggest a trip to the World of Beatrix Potter no matter how old you are.
Another breathtaking feature of the Lake District was of course the lakes. Until you are faced with the sheer capacity of water, you underestimate how big they really are. Stretching for miles, the lakes really are stunning and are sure to amaze you. We went on an electric boat, which I had the opportunity to drive. Even though it was a little bit scary driving a boat, it was massively enjoyable and a very tranquil experience until my sister had her turn to drive the boat. As well as electric and rowing boats being available for hiring, there is cruise ships, car ferries and pedestrian ferries. When travelling afar, we traveled on the car ferry but when exploring another side of the lake, the pedestrian ferry was our go to.
Going back to Beatrix Potter, we also visited her house which is now owned by the National Trust. Hill Top house was the inspiration for Potter’s beloved books, and it was a lovely experience and definitely worth the visit. Just down the road was Wray Castle in Ambleside, Cumbria. Despite the inside being under construction, the architecture was still impressive and very interestingly, Beatrix Potter visited Wray Castle for a summer holiday which sparked her love for the Lake District. Something about Wray Castle which I found very cool was that you could see it from the other side of the lake but of course it was very minuscule and looked more like a doll’s house than a castle.
There are lots of things to do in the Lake District and there is something for everyone. In Ambleside, there was a crazy golf course that was very entertaining, a rock shop, cafes and food places, a waterfall, little shops and lots of other things. We visited a beach that was near to where we were staying and very helpfully, there was an Aldi very close to where we were staying as well. We also had a delicious meal out. Despite not actually going myself, my sister and dad went to the Lakeland Motor Museum which was apparently very interesting and a good experience for those who are interested in the history of motors.
Overall, my family holiday in the Lake District was very enjoyable and I would highly recommend this beautiful and stunning gem of the UK, unless you are frightened of the water!
Emma Hills, Year 11