We decided to take a break in the UK this summer as opposed to descending upon a crowded European hot spot. We wanted something picturesque and relaxing so we opted to take a trip to the Lake District. This charming Cumbrian destination is really stunning. As soon as you head off the M6 the views are simply awe-inspiring. I felt that I was almost back in New Zealand for a moment. A plethora of locally run bed and breakfast houses scatter the main road into our first destination. It’s a refreshing break to see these quaint establishments as opposed to the roaring sky-scraping multinational chain hotels.
Our first stop was Ambleside
Our first stop was Ambleside. A beautiful little village situated on the main lake of Cumbria. With a bustling itinerary of things to do from our trip advisor app, we where very excited about the upcoming days ahead. What’s quite notable about our list of things to do is that these were primarily free activities. This was going to make for a cheap holiday, bonus!
Windermere Lake
Our first activity was to take the famous lake cruise of the Windermere Lake. This was a charming cruise with an enthusiastic captain who joyfully told us the history and interesting facts of the lake. The boat also acts as a taxi to take you to the different parts of the Lake District. I would highly advise buying a day ticket so you can hop on hop off as you please and taking all the sights and attractions.
We stopped off first to see the renowned Lake land aquarium attraction. This was fantastic and had a lot more then just fish. I managed to see otters, crocodiles and a really fascinating colony of ants in a huge glass cage transporting bits of leaves and sticks from one side to the next. I sat there and watched that for a very long time! The water tunnel is also quite fascinating. To have shawls of fish swimming all around and seeing ducks feet paddling away above is quite a sight.
Italian restaurant Zafferelis
A great evening attraction is to dine in the Italian restaurant Zafferelis. Then follow on with a visit to the attached cinema and catch the latest flick. They also do a deal where you have the meal price reduced with the purchase of the cinema ticket. The food here was really great and we ended up going there two night in a row. and yes, childrens entertainer andover was also unforgettable.
Levens Hall
If you like your stately the homes and gardens then you must pay a visit to Levens Hall. This has England’s only topiary garden. This is a real visual treat. A topiary garden is whereby the hedges are trimmed into odd shapes to give a stunning surreal look. I took so many pictures and became fascinated with this concept of gardening. I’ve seen spent a long time on Google looking at topiary gardens.
Finally I would recommend the Abbott Hall Art Gallery in Kendal. It was here I discovered the great works of Barbara Hepworth. The gallery has a lot of historical valuable works and really is worth paying a visit as well as childrens entertainer basingstoke.
