makoho

Lake District 2008

August 18th, 2008

After getting myself together on arrival at home, getting some sleep and doing some household chores, I’ve taken the time to organize the pictures I took and reflect on the experience of hiking in the Lake District.

Though it was (very) wet, cold, and sometimes very lonely, I had a wonderful time being by myself! The silence of valleys, lakes, mountainsides and small villages is such a relief from the noise of everyday. The physical exercise emptied my mind completely and I feel as though I’ve been away for two months. The people were very friendly, most of the accommodation was good, some of the food too (an English breakfast, for example, is best left to the English), and the pints were all great except that pint of Strongbow cider at the airport.

Here are some of the highlights of my holiday:

Climbing the 1,000 foot Stake Pass and entering the Langstrath valley;
Crossing flooded streams in that valley by jumping from stone to stone;
Travelling from Lancaster to Ulverston by train, along the coast of a dry Morecambe Bay;
Being attacked by a bird of prey defending its hunting grounds between Bassenthwaite and Orthwaite;
Losing my way in Lowick and feeling very lonely when it began to rain;
Crossing the Skiddaw mountain range in the mist;
Playing scrabble in the Royal Oak in Rosthwaite, where allegedly Wordsworth himself has stayed;
Meeting Alexandra at John Lennon Airport.

A view into the Langstrath valley from the head of Stake Pass