Photos and the City

Category: Nature

  • Lakeside

    After a boat trip is before another one. Even better when combined with a little train ridelakeside, steam train, Haverthwaite, railway, boat trip, steamer, lake district, national park, england, uk, travel, photos and the city

    Today the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway only runs for about 3 miles as a heritage railway from Lakeside to Haverthwaite and back. It is the remaining route of the Furness Railway, opened on 1 June 1869 and closed in 1965. Only this little part was saved by a group of railway-enthusiasts.

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    Back in Lakeside my next ride was already waiting for me for another little cruise on Windermere.

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    View of the picnic site from last time and again, as soon as Bowness-on-Windermere came closer, it started raining – again!

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  • Coniston Water

    When I mentioned to my Airbnb-hosts Tony and Wendy that I would love to do some walking and a little boat tour on this lovely morning, they recommended to go to Coniston Water and do a trip with Victorian Steam Yacht Gondola. And to watch out for the typical Coniston sheep!

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    It was just a short drive from High Park Farm to Coniston and so I had enough time to explore the lakeshore a little bit (and have some coffee at the Bluebird Café) before getting in queue for the gondola.

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    The Victorian Steam Yacht Gondola was rebuilt and is operated by the National Trust.

    Originally launched in 1859, she was built for the steamer service carrying passengers from the Furness Railway and from the Coniston Railway. She was in commercial service until 1936 when she was retired, being converted to a houseboat in 1946. In 1979, by now derelict, she was given a new hull, engine, boiler and most of the superstructure. She is back in service as a passenger boat, still powered by steam… (Wikipedia)

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    The Gondola glides quietly over the water  – a quite special experience. And the views were just amazing!

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    The boat stops at Brantwood, John Ruskin’s house and gardens, now a museum dedicated to the art critic of the Victorian era.

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    Victorian Boathouses along the Lake. In 1847 the Windermere Train line opened the Lake District to the world – something Ruskin strongly fought, thinking that a huge number of visitors would destroy the calmness and beauty of the area. He influenced the creation of the National Trust in 1895. Today the National Trust owns a lot of land in the District.

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    While waiting to get off the Gondola I took a peek inside – looks cosy enough!

  • Slaters Bridge

    A bus brought me from Liverpool to Manchester Airport where I picked up my travel companion for the next weeks. Together we started our road trip to the Lake District. After some hours of driving, we arrived at High Park Farm, my home for the next days. Situated in the lovely valley of Little Langdale a little evening stroll just had to be done!

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    My lovely hosts Tony and Wendy had pointed out some places of interests but to be honest, it was just gorgeous in any direction! A lot of the area and the cottages are owned by the National Trust, often having been gifted by Beatrix Potter. Little Langdale used to be an intersection of packhorse routes around the Lake District. In 2012 the picturesque valley was used for filming “Snow White and the Huntsman”.

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    It´s almost hard to believe that the area has been heavily mined and quarried over the last centuries, in particular for copper and slate.

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    First view of Slater´s Bridge – an ancient, handmade footbridge (and maybe small packhorses) crossing river Brathay. Probably used by the mine workers to get to the mines and quarries.

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    On my way back I came across this tree with coins in it, something I already saw in the last view days. But even my hosts didn´t know why people do it and how this tradition started. Is it for luck? If you know, let me know!

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