The view from the village pub
I am back!
As most of you will know, we spent the Easter break walking in the Lake District (UK). The Lake District is in the region of Cumbria and shares its borders with Scotland. It is a stunning part of the UK with breathtaking views of the lakes and mountains. It is approximately a 5-hour drive from London.
It’s an ideal place to visit if you enjoy the great outdoors, walking, hiking and cycling. The Lake District is also famous for such literary figures as William Wordsworth, John Ruskin and Beatrix Potter. The region is the perfect depiction of the English countryside with green pastures, rolling hills, grazing animals and welcoming country pubs.
The view from our car
In today’s post, I’d like to share with you the necessary ingredients you need to truly enjoy a walking holiday in the English countryside. I want you to imagine that you’re a British tourist about to embark on this exciting trip to the Lake District.
Preparing for the holiday
Most British holidaymakers drive to their destination if they are holidaying in this country. Many families book self-catering accommodation like cottages rather than hotels. The self-catering option is cheaper and ideal for most families. We decided to choose a self-catering apartment that could accommodate two people and one dog!
Which one shall I have for dinner?
Food: Before heading off on your journey, you decide what to take with you in terms of food. You want to make sure that you have everything you need for your breakfast such as cereals, bread, jam, marmalade, milk, coffee or tea.
On a walking holiday, you will probably have more picnic lunches so you will want to have all the ingredients for them like bread, cold meats, salad, relishes.
Let’s not forget the dog food (dried) and the dog treats for when Buster resists killing a lamb!
Equipment: No self-respecting British tourist would go on a walking holiday in the English countryside without taking the following things: a pair of wellington boots (wellies), a waterproof jacket, a couple of fleeces (even in the summer), walking or hiking boots, walking sticks, a rucksack or backpack, a hat, an Ordnance Survey map of the different walks and sometimes a compass.
Once the car is loaded up, you’re ready to set off. The motorways in the UK are toll-free and like all motorways fairly boring. On a five-hour journey, you might stop a couple of times at the motorway service stations for a comfort break and to stretch your legs.
On holiday
When you arrive at your destination, you need to fetch the keys to your cottage from the holiday rental company. Once you’ve settled in the cottage and unpacked, it’s time to visit the town or village and look for the nearest pub.
The first thing you should order is a pint of the local brew. This could be an ale, bitter or lager. My husband tried a local brew called Bluebird and judged it to be absolutely delicious. Sometimes when it is so good and he is thirsty, he says that the drink “didn’t touch the sides” meaning it went straight into his tummy.
Enjoying those cruises
The rest of the holiday is spent walking in the hills (or fells as they are known in the Lake District), taking in the breathtaking views of the lakes and mountains, walking along the lake shore, crossing farmland being careful of the sheep and lambs (particularly during the lambing season), enjoying the lake cruises, visiting lovely villages and their pubs. All country pubs are dog-friendly and there is always a warm welcome that awaits you.
Of course, you cannot ignore the great British weather. No holiday in the Lake District or the UK would be complete without the rain and wind!!! For this reason, a good waterproof jacket and wellies are essential as is a lovely, soggy dog after his daily walk!
Goodbye, Lake District
The British weather was very kind to us last week. We had some lovely, dry weather which made our walking holiday simply blissful. We will certainly return to the Lake District.
Our next holiday will be on the island of Barbados though, so a totally different experience to look forward to.
Have you ever had a holiday in the English countryside? How was it?
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Ciao for now
Shanthi
