It’s been a surprisingly busy start to the year and I felt like I could do with a break. Wife and daughter had already taken themselves for a weekend in Venice in January (leaving me and son behind). I thought I could do one better ( 😁, well maybe not! ) and headed up to the Lakes last weekend.
The weather forecast wasn’t so great, but I’d booked my B & B and a bit of rain wasn’t going to put me off. I rescheduled a couple of commitments and set off late morning. On the M6 I ran into rain near Preston and it continued to get heavier as I drove north. It eased off as I approached Penrith but it continued to rain on and off along the A66 to Keswick. I drove down Borrowdale and parked up in the Great Wood car park and weighed up my options. It looked fairly miserable up on the fells so decided I’d just take a walk along the lake to Keswick.
First stop was Calf Close Bay, only a short distance from the car park, and the Hundred Year Stone, the monument carved by by Peter Randall-Page, marking the centenary of the National Trust which owns much of the land around the Lake.
I’ve been here in all sorts of weather – it’s almost a traditional stop during a visit to the north Lakes – and photographed these stones many times, sometimes with them partially covered with water when the lake level was high.
It continued to rain on and as I carried on walking along the lake
approaching Keswick
It was quiet when I reached the small town, just a few bedraggled visitors (including me, of course!) wandering the streets. I had a mooch around the walking gear shops and then went for a sit down with a coffee in Java, a favourite cafe on Main Street.
reenergised by a strong coffee I set off back along the lake. The rain had eased off and the fells were becoming visible
I’d dried off by the time I reached Great Wood. I debooted (is that a real word?) and drove back into Keswick, stopping off at Booths to pick up a few supplies, and then on to Braithwaite and the B & B where I would be spending the next two nights. I was looking forward to some walking up on some fells I’d never explored before.
Down by the Dougie 
Back in the Sixties, when I was first being introduced to the Lakes, we only ever visited Keswick when it rained, which was always on the Friday of our week away. Waterproofs, shops and thin-sliced bread-and-butter and tea in some cafe in the morning, picnic by the Derwent in the afternoon after it stopped raining, reading an Armada paperback I’d been allowed to select. Isn’t it amazing how precise memories can be?
Quite a few common factors with my day!!
What a lovely walk (even in the rain)!
It is – even nicer in the sunshine, but the cloud creates a moody atmosphere
A walk along Derwentwater shore is always refreshing, even in the rain! And Java coffee is a favourite of ours as well.
Yes, Derwent always a good bet whatever the conditions.
And a great little cafe – much quieter than usual!
Well, to be perfectly honest, I’d rather go to the Lake District than Venice any time!
Very familiar scenes. I do like a Derwent water walk. And if you walk all the way around there are so many bits and bobs to see. Have walked past Java coffee but never been in. Looks very cosy. 🙂
Good coffee and cakes in Java 🙂 and a comfortable little lounge upstairs – quite small, though
Sounds good on a quiet day.
Sometimes you just need to be out walking regardless of the weather