Ambleside and Windemere (UK Lakes District)

plinko · #1 Posted **Feb 28, 2021, 6:25 AM**

Some time in the beforetime the wife and I ventured to the UK for what was supposed to be a 4 day stopover in London on our way to Norway. Due to me being a dumbass American, I had a passport issue at Gatwick trying to leave for Norway and was given the choice to either stay in the UK or go home. We chose to stay. After much drinking in an airport hotel, we decided to rent a car and drive around the UK. My wife had lived in London before and done some exploring around Britain. I'd actually never even been to London. Since we had just spent 4 days in the city, we headed north.

After a few days in Wales (which I will put in another thread), my wife really wanted to go to the Lakes District. For me, I wasn't terribly interested, I mean I've seen lots of lakes, how interesting could it be?

I was quite wrong. We drove to Ambleside, which is at the northern end of Lake Windemere and the gateway to the tallest mountain range on the island (about 1/2 the size of mountains I see daily, but nonetheless). The lakes, the landscape, the architecture, and quaintness was absolutely stunning. Since it was October, the seasons were changing, there was a chill in the air, and everything was still open.

Ambleside is a charming little town with lots of outdoorsy retail and some great restaurants. We also ventured to down to Windemere by boat (about an hour), a ride that also stops at a few large estates and their incredible boat houses.

Windemere is a bit more upscale and touristy, original home to Beatrix Potter. The architecture is a bit more gingerbread. We preferred Ambleside.

Add in staying in a farmhouse on a sheep farm and it had all the makings of a perfect random trip.

And of course...I took pictures...

Enjoy...

181018-1027 UK 1294 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1296 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1299 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1301 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1306 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1309 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1310 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1311 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1312 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1317 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1319 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1325 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1328 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1337 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1339 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1340 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1342 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1343 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1346 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1348 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1360 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1361 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1362 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1363 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1367 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1369 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1371 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1376 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1377 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1378 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1382 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1383 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1386 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1387 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1389 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1392 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1394 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1398 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1401 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1403 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1406 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1409 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1413 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1423 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1431 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

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181018-1027 UK 1470 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

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181018-1027 UK 1503 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1509 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1510 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1525 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1530 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

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181018-1027 UK 1554 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1570 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

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181018-1027 UK 1581 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1595 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1603 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1609 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1611 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1623 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

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181018-1027 UK 1631 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1632 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

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181018-1027 UK 1638 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1640 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1654 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

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181018-1027 UK 1659 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

181018-1027 UK 1660 by Michael Stroh, on Flickr

Pedestrian · #2 Posted **Feb 28, 2021, 6:51 AM**

Probably the most famous of the Lake Poets, William Wordsworth, penned a bit of a tribute to his life in Grasmere in the Lake District:

Quote:

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

IMBY · #3 Posted **Feb 28, 2021, 11:24 AM**

Thanks so very much for sharing this!

OhioGuy · #4 Posted **Feb 28, 2021, 11:20 PM**

Love the English countryside and those little villages look so quaint!

sopas ej · #5 Posted **Feb 28, 2021, 11:29 PM**

Looks lovely! Thanks for posting.

DetroitSky · #6 Posted **Mar 1, 2021, 1:47 AM**

I think this is what most people think of rural UK: rolling hills, gray skies, old gray stone buildings, twisty streets. I Love it. Looking forward to the rest.

Pedestrian · #7 Posted **Mar 1, 2021, 7:53 AM**

Just watched a tragically sad movie with 2 great actors (Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci) called "Supernova" on iTunes. The scenery in the movie looked very much like this so I'm assuming it was filmed somewhere in or near the Lake District. One of the interesting things was the scenes inside one of these old stone houses--it looked really quite modernized. Not sure if that's typical or not, of course.

JMKeynes · #8 Posted **Mar 1, 2021, 12:50 PM**

VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL!!!

fern · #9 Posted **Mar 1, 2021, 1:55 PM**

Great photos
You picked a good time of year to visit as the Lake District National park receives over 15 million visitors per year.
On a sunny summer's day in August it can feel like they have all come at once.