Spirit Trail Day 8 - Local support

One slightly sad thing we've noticed on our

journey so far is how few bars and off licences sell local gins and vodkas. Obviously there are noteable exceptions like Windermere Wines who stock a good range, but they're the exception rather than the rule.

As I understand it, it's to do with the lack of independents - those tied to big breweries or chains can only stock what they're told they can and, sadly, that seems to be at the expense of the small local producers.  Perhaps if when we go in we could all ask for a local drink things may change.

Anyway, back to the hike! Today's journey took us out of Ambleside, up and over Loughrigg and down into Grasmere. We basically left the excellent Brathay Hall and headed uphill for a couple of hours.

I adore the views along Windermere from that side of the fell and we were both pretty excited that it was sunny for a change.

I promise we didnt drink them up there!

Today we chatted about things we'd learned on the hike & I think one thing that Karen learned today was not to trust me with the route planning.  Karen's more of a "main routes are main routes for a reason" kind of person whereas I'm definitely from the "ooohh look, no-one's walked along here for ages, let's have an adventure" school.  We basically paddled off the top of Loughrigg and Karen was very pleased when we found the hard track again at Rydal Cave.

Spot Karen racing to the hard track. 😀

We soon raced down into Grasmere with the sun on our backs where I got to introduce Karen to the adorable Herdy.  I have loved Herdy for many years and there is nothing finer than a beautiful Herdy mug full of hot tea at the end of a long hike. (Plus Herdy are HUGE supporters of all things local - click the link below the photo to visit their webpage &, when you've finished ooohing & aaahhing over all their lovely goodies, have a read about their Herdy Fund activities.)

Click here to visit Herdy website

Tonight we're cosy in Grasmere YHA preparing for a long hike to Keswick tomorrow. By preparing I mean eating loads, sampling gin and falling asleep by 10pm. Yes, we are THAT rock & roll! 😀

As the theme of today's blog is supporting local businesses PLEASE spare a moment to "like" and "follow" our supporters.  Sorry I can't but fancy links in here but I will do a full list at the end of our journey.  Thank you.

5 Wonderful Winter Walks in Cumbria

Tis the season to go on cold wintery hikes then get warm again in snug cozy pubs and tea rooms.  Here are 5 of our favourite wintery walks, all offering spectacular views and many of them with good food at the end.

1.  Arnside Knott

Arnside is tucked away right in the south of the county but Arnside Knott offers some of the best views of the fells.  There are plenty of routes up either from Arnside village or from the campsites in Silverdale - you can also drive half way up if you're not feeling too energetic.  From the top you can enjoy glorious panoramic views of the Kent Estuary, Morecambe Bay and the snowy Lake District fells away in the distance.  Once you're done there are a number of excellent pubs in the village or the superb village chippy - honestly, what more do you want from a walk?

 

2. Wetherlam

Granted this one is more of a hike, but there are some sensible paths up here in snowy weather though do please always ensure you're properly kitted out before you head up there in winter.  The thing with snow is that the paths vanish and the snow drifts so you have to rely more on your wits and map reading skills.  That said it's fantastic fun if somewhat exhausting to wade through the snow - plus a snow slope seems to bring out the inner child in most of us.

3. Grasmere & Loughrigg

OK, back to something more gentle, but with the option to be more ambitious if the mood takes you.  From Grasmere village there's a lovely route around the lake, though some of it does run along a pavement beside the road.  Once you're on the far side you can either follow the lakeside path back around to the village or venture up the paths onto Loughrigg.  The paths up onto Loughrigg Terrace are well trodden and easy to follow and the views are definitely worth the effort.

4.  Smardale Gill

I know this is an old favourite of ours and, if you're a regular reader of the blog you're probably tutting at me mentioning it again, but it is a perfect winter walk - lots of broad level paths and stunning views.  If you walk in from Newbiggin-on-Lune it adds a bit more to the hike but means there's a lovely pub waiting for you when you're finished.  There's tons of history there too - but if you want to know more about that you'll need to buy our book.  (Shameless plug, I know!)

5.  Duddon Valley

Oh I am going to be in BIG trouble with some folks for mentioning this one - it's one of the best kept secrets in Cumbria and is a SUPERB place for a hike any time of year, but, for me, the colours in the winter make it just perfect.  You can reach it from just south of Torver and it's a valley full of secrets.  My only complaint is that the excellent pub en route is just a bit too cosy making it hard work to tear ourselves away for the second half of the hike.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Once you're done with all the walking, what better than to curl up with a good book - or 3!  Click on the photo below to find out more about our books & how to order them.

Click HERE to learn more

Cumbria has something to suit every mood.

"Hi ho, Hi ho, it's off to hike we go..."  Well, not necessarily.  There's an assumption that a trip to Cumbria means hiking and the outdoors, but that doesn't have to be the case.  Whatever your mood, Cumbria has something to offer to suit you perfectly.

Grumpy?

From 26 - 28 August 2016 Lakes Alive will have something to cheer even the grumpiest of souls with its new annual free family friendly festival - it's centred around Kendal (growing from the ashes of the awesome Mintfest).  There are lessons in drone flying, creating clay murmurations and the chance to experience a virtual bird hide - c'mon, admit it, you want to have a go don't you?  The full line-up of events and activities is here - what are you waiting for?

If it's big name comedy you're after then check out places like the Brewery Arts Centre and the Sands Centre in Carlisle, both of which attract the very biggest names in comedy so there's bound to be something to tickle your funny bone.

Throughout the year Taste Cumbria run a series of fabulous food festivals, and who doesn't love good food?  You can check out their events right here, and if you're still feeling grumpy after all that then fear not - there are usually plenty of amazing local microbrewers at the food festivals so you can drown your sorrows if that works better for you.

Happy?

"The hills are alive..." and where better to dance for joy than right on the top of one of the many fells?  You don't have to hike Scafell Pike for the best views; if you fancy something a little lower then try Gummer's How for spectacular views of Windermere, Hampsfell for glorious views of Morecambe Bay or Loughrigg for a hike with a decent pint at the end of it.

Sleepy?

Just not in the mood to do anything much?  Then hop on a boat and let someone else do all the hard work for you.  There are excellent boat trips to be had along Coniston, Ullswater and Windermere all of which will allow you to chill out and drift through the landscape, usually with a drink in your hand.  But don't doze off or you might miss something important!

Sneezy?

Hayfever suffer?  Then worry not; the Cumbria Coastal Way stretches for 182 miles taking you from Lancashire to Carlisle the long way around.  There are dunes, cliff walks and plenty of paddling to be had and, most importantly, the fresh sea breeze is a little easier on the symptoms than the pollen laden inland routes.  The coastal railway is perfect for returning you to base if you fancy a linear walk, or you could stop along the way to explore seaside towns like Grange-over-Sands or Whitehaven.

Doc

There are so many outdoors pursuits in Cumbria that your health will improve without you even noticing it: walking, cycling, swimming etc. etc. etc.  We all know that exercise if great for our heart, lungs, joints, bones and pretty much every other part of our anatomy, plus physical activity is also great for your mental health so get out there and get active!  Exercise is also important for helping burn off some of the calories from the excellent Cumbrian food provided by the many artisan cafes, restaurants and delis.

Bashful?

Not a fan of crowds?  Me neither.  Sometimes it can be hard to find peace and quiet, especially on some of the more popular fells so here's a couple of tips for escaping the crowds.  Firstly find an unusual route; Helvellyn from Thirlmere is a much quieter route than the routes from Glenridding (for example) and secondly start out later in the day.  Come 4pm the fells are pretty much deserted even in the middle of summer when it doesn't get dark until 10pm; we're rarely on the fells much before 11am and by the early evening we have the place to ourselves. Bliss.

Dopey?

There are plenty of museums in Cumbria where you can learn about the county and its wonderfully varied history: Barrow Dock Museum will tell you about the industrial past and has some amazing models of ships.  The Ruskin Museum covers the story of Coniston including all you'll ever need to know about Ruskin & Campbell while The Museum of Lakeland Life fills in any gaps that might be remaining.  Lastly my personal favourite, The Pencil Museum in Keswick.  I absolutely LOVE this place; the name completely undersells it and it merits far more than a "oh it's raining so we may as well go there" kind of visit.  Just go, trust me, it's quirky, informative and downright fabulous! (They were sadly badly flooded during Storm Desmond and are still waiting for the building work to finish, but watch this space, for they will be back soon!)

Romantic?

If you're looking for a romantic break without the kids then this is definitely the place to be.  You're spoiled for choice when it comes to romantic getaways but those nice folks at Trip Advisor have listed the top 10 most romantic hotels in Cumbria for us.  Of course there are dozens more, most of which will offer you breathtaking views, a truly personal service and wonderful locally sourced food that's hard to fault.