Photos and the City

Tag: travel

  • Ambleside and Castlerigg Stone Circle

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    The next (bigger) village from High Park Farm was Ambleside and on my second (very foggy) morning I stopped for a little walk around town. Based at the head of Windermere, Ambleside is the perfect base for exploring the Lake District by boat, walking, horse or car.

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    Ambleside is bigger than expected, there is a Roman Fort dating from 79 AD and part of the Cumbria University, a cinema, many shops, tea rooms and restaurants.

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    My destination for this day was Buttermere and my Airbnb host Tony helped me in planning a very scenic and beautiful route passing Keswick and (more important) Castlerigg Stone Circle.

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    The view from the circle was simply amazing!

    Castlerigg Stone Circle stands on a superb natural plateau commanding a superb 360 degree view over the surrounding fells. It is composed of 38 free standing stones, some up to 3 metres (10 feet) high. It is one of Britain’s earliest stone circles dating back to the Neolithic period 4000 to 5000 years ago. (Keswig.org)

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    The motives behind the stone circle are still a mystery, it was probably used as a trading and meeting area. But the beauty of its backdrop inspired poets and painters of the 19th-century Romantic movement.

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    A modern-day painter at work.

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  • 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!