Clarke's Hotel & Brasserie Barrow-in-Furness

Sunday dawned grey and misty, a complete contrast from the previous day. The rain pattered intermittently as we packed our stuff and locked up the cottage. The hardier hikers were heading off for another day's rambling, but Donny and I had other plans.

We drove down to Ambleside on the northern point of Lake Windermere. Windermere is ten miles long and a mile wide at its widest point. It is the largest ...

... many exciting things just the beautiful English rain, tons of physics homework, and this very odd sport called netball. I have a few new pictures- taken on the bus home from the city centre with my flat mate Aggie, today. They aren't the best, but to explain we learn if we take the long way home we can see the Irish Sea from the top of the hills of the Lancaster countryside. I will have to sit on the other side of the bus ...

... boggy slopes, crossed a stream by hopping from rock to stone and staggered gratefully back to the sanctuary of the cottage. Donny, in particular had done remarkably well, being only nine. The walk had taken eight hours and was probably less than eight miles long as the crow flies or even as the wolf runs, for that matter. It had been rather up and down though. We'd ascended and descended over 1000 feet, if you add up all the highs and lows.

... and behold, it had materialised under a rock. We let ourselves in and dragged our sleeping bags out of the car. It's a nice hut, as mountaineering huts go. There are hot showers and a lounge. The kitchen is a decent size and there are three bedrooms full of bunks to choose from, which allows a certain amount of privacy. We were nearly asleep by the time the rest of the party made their way back from the pub.

Preface: Sorry it is so long (that's what she said... no?), had to much to talk about! Will try to update weekly from now on!

Hey Everyone,

So I'm trying to figure out this whole system, as I imagine you are too. Apparently, you can add yourselves to a mailing list that sends you an update every time I write a blog.

I think most of you have probably been well updated on my arrival by my parents, so you can skip this. For those of you that ...

Once we had left Blackpool we made our way to Windermere in the Lake District.

Windermere is the home of Beatrix Potter and is one of the most scenic places I have ever seen. The place is surrounded by grassy peaks giving way to heavily vegetated slate quarries and lush walking trails. There are huge ridges interspersed with glassy lakes.

We spent a few days here ...

... rides, all kind of fairground style.

Meanwhile, Mark took a visit to the casino. He is not a fan at all of Blackpool! Apparently too many "lower socio-economic" people around. Admittedly, there were a few skanks, but hey, if we were all the same then life would be very boring, right!? Anyway, he managed to win back the money we lost over the wrong accommodation booking (Marky factor).

Of course we had to have fish and chips with mushy ...

... having a very, very cold dip in the Tarn (lake) on the hillside, and searching for a few more Geocaches. Also played on a disused quarry, and if my young cousins are reading this - Don't play in a disused Quarry. They are dangerous, and only people with little to live for should go near them!

With the rest of the afternoon free, and the weather perfect, we went for a nice long drive, ending up on the east cost of the Irish Sea. Nothing ...

... for hours. Amazing how little things can really please you. We spent a few hours with our feet in the stream at High Force, bathing in the rare UK summer sunshine, before getting back in the car and going to Thirlmere water. It was here that we went for a couple of short walks, all in aid of finding a small plastic box. Yes, we went geocaching for the rest of the afternoon, before hitting the campsite again.

We left Kent three days later, having had to sort out some holiday from work commitments. Knowing we wanted to see the UK, we went West, hitting the M25, then eventually ending up on the M40, towards Oxford, Birmingham and the North. Driving is a lot more fun when you have no destination, no time restraints and a comfortable car. Stopping off to sample some of the midlands best motorway service station food (and grab some ...