back from the lakes

We got back from the Lake District yesterday evening, and we really had a great week. Lots of biking, lots of walking, lots of countryside, and lots of pretty views. I've decided to sum up a day of the vacation each day of my new blog entries, because I have lots of pictures and lots to say, and I thought that one enormous entry would be a bit overwhelming.

Where to start...

Monday morning we finished packing all of our clothes, towels and sheets into 4 panniers and set off for London Euston Station. After wheeling onboard we took up our seats for the journey to Oxenholme/Lake District and then another short train ride to Windermere in Cumbria.


After arriving in Windermere we rolled our bikes off the train and set off to first attempt to find somewhere to get a phone charger (to no avail) and then to set off biking to Chapel Stile, the site of our cottage for the week. We arrived there after 8 miles of biking, 1 hour up and down extremely hilly roads, but through the most beautiful countryside and mountain views. The main villages (not big enough to call towns) that we passed though were Ambleside and Elterwater.

A. Windermere, B. Chapel Stile

Lake Windermere is the largest natural lake in England and has been one of the most popular destination for holidays 

and summer homes since 1847. 

'Windermere' comes from the Old Norse name Vinandr and Old English mere, meaning lake.  

Lake Windermere itself is 10.5 miles long and is 1 mile at its widest.

Photo taken during a break from the bike riding, around Elterwater.

Same location, tractor included.

After arriving and resting our weary spaghetti-legs we decided to go on a walk exploring the area surrounding Chapel Stile.  Chapel Stile is a Langdale quarry village.  The area was known for its green slate and in the 19th century slate homes were built for quarrymen.  It has a large green slate church, which was constructed in 1857 on the site of an earlier church that Wordsworth called his 'sequestered and simple place of worship.'

Some of the cottages in Chapel Stile.  

The village itself was probably less than a mile long, 

but boasted a church, a pub, and a small grocery store.

SJ walking down a lane, sheep ahead on the hill (the first of many).

Typical slate fences and slate walled homes.

There are many slate quarries in this part of the Lake District.

In fact, a lot was made of the readily-available resource.

Hillside with mountains in the background.

River flowing through the village.

The water was very, very cold.

One of the many quarries I mentioned before.

This one was guarded by a small dog who seemed cute from afar, but once I called him to come over so I could pet him, he turned into a very loud alarm dog.

Pretending to fall into a great slate abyss.

The local lawn bowling team in Elterwater.

After our walk we had dinner at the local pub (fish and chips for me) and made plans for the next day...

... to be continued...