Talking Point: Getting family motivation to adventure The final leg of our winter walk across The Lake District takes us from Thirlmere to Keswick, via an ancient stone circle. And as we eat our celebration fish and chips, we reflect on the power of a challenge to generate family motivation and keep us all going, whatever [...]

Sculpted by nature or shaped by man? Day 6 of our winter walk across The Lake District takes us from the wilds of Dunmail Raise on a route that traces the eastern line of Thirlmere. And while everything here looks natural and beautiful, looks can be deceptive and everything is not necessarily what it seems. Which [...]

Grasmere walk: A walk to the wild side Day 5 of our winter walk across The Lake District and we find ourselves leaving behind the towns and villages to walk into a wilder place. A mile or so beyond Grasmere, we cross a fell gate and enter another Lake District. This place looks different, feels different [...]

Rydal to Grasmere: A walk through Lake District history We know we are in Central Lakeland when our winter walk across The Lake District veers into another age and becomes a walk through Lake District history. While on the inside hotel decor and restaurant menus might have moved with the times, on the outside the landscape [...]

Walking in the Footsteps of Poets To walk in the footsteps of the poets, you don’t have to do a marathon. Not if you come to Cumbria. A toddler could comfortably tackle this part of  our winter walk across The Central Lakes; stomping through the haunts of Wordsworth and his missus, and playing hide and [...]

Really Seeing The Lakes: Walk to Ambleside How many times have you driven to your nearest town or village? I couldn’t begin to count the number of times I’ve driven to Kendal in the ten years I’ve lived in The Lakes. Or to Windermere. Or beyond. Hundreds, maybe a thousand? I do it without thinking. [...]

Talking Point 14: Where do you start an adventure? The front door slams shut and the house is still. School’s back, Kirstie’s gone out and I have the place to myself. Outside I hear the now familiar chug of the 555, idling at the bus stop in the Square. I can just see it through [...]

What? No Car? A Lake District Family Walking Tour Is it possible to explore the English Lake District without a car?  Go Lakes Travel says it is, and it’s encouraging visitors to ‘drive less, see more’ by bus, bike, boat and boot. But the land that inspired world famous poets, artists and climbers is a rather [...]

Are you a muddy boots kind of person? What do you do when the weather gets grim? Consistently grim. And the forecast too. You know when the weather is not so bad you can’t go out at all, but it’s bad enough to make you feel like you don’t really want to.  Not today, nor [...]

Shortly after our ship departs from Newcastle for Amsterdam, we are escorted up to the bridge. But not because we are in trouble. We have been invited up to see the view and to find out a little about life upstairs and what’s involved in captaining a modern cruise ferry.    View from the Bridge [...]