The Lake District is the symbol of the idealized British pastoral life that we read about in classic novels. If you’ve ever seen a BBC period drama, you probably know the scene: idyllic green fields dotted with sheep, dignified manor houses enfolded by trees, gravel walks lined with rustic fences. Our trip on Saturday to Windermere and Ambleside certainly fit this description, but it’s maybe not all I’d ever imagined the Lake District to be.
Maybe it’s because I’m taking Romantic Lit at the moment, but I was expecting Wordsworth and Coleridge’s land of the sublime-- there are mountains looming over Lake Windermere, definitely, but they were sunny and seemed far away. The B&B-saturated towns, meanwhile, are full of tourist-pleasing sights and products, most notably everything Beatrix Potter. Even Paddington Bear and Rupert Bear get into the mix.
Having said that, the area is quite beautiful. The drive from Leeds is gorgeous; the highway runs through the Yorkshire Dales, a stunning, wide-open area of rolling hills and farmland. Once you get to the Lake District, the road becomes winding again and you descend into little forests and further, little lakes.
After we arrived and had tea with scones and cream, we took a boat tour around Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake. Its largest island is also privately owned, surprisingly; there were a few houses here and there along its shore. Although it was cold and rainy, we stayed on top of the ship to take in the pretty view.
Later on, we wandered through Windermere and its immediate, sheep-populated surroundings and visited a couple of cafes, sweet shops, and gift shops until we boarded the bus again to drive to Ambleside, about 20 minutes away.
Ambleside’s biggest attraction is its Stock Ghyll Force, a rockin’ name for a 70 foot waterfall just outside of town. We managed to find the route to it and picked our way up the slope for about five minutes to get a better view. It’s a lovely, quiet little place. We then stopped in a café cutely called The Apple Pie for a quick roll before heading back to the bus and the three hour ride home.
It struck me when we were there that in first year at UWO I had lived on Windermere Road, which, after crossing the Thames, connects to Ambleside Drive. I guess I unknowingly lived in a mini-Lake District. All we were missing was the black-cloaked, furiously ranting figure of Coleridge wandering o’er the Saugeen moors, composing poetic masterpieces and drinking a bit too heavily. Although, maybe some tipsy first-year Philosophy students filled that void, come to think of it…
I think that when I remember visiting the district I’m not going to remember the rain and the shops, but rather the feeling of seeing the landscape that inspired Potter to create her books-- imagining Peter Rabbit’s garden and Jemima Puddle-duck’s pond is easy when you see the source. And everyone who read her books as a child like we did (I can picture Pete’s little, well-worn Peter Rabbit stuffed animal as I write this) and who saw Rupert cartoons and loved Paddington Bear will always carry that vision of these characters with them.
P.S. Thank you, Virginia, for your lovely comments! I appreciate it so much that you read my blog! I'm hoping to one day become as well-travelled as you are :).
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