The Lake District – Feb 2006

February 2006. After dropping Hannah back at St. Andrews for the Spring Semester, we decided to split the drive home with a weekend break in the Lake District. A hunt on the internet provided us with a few pointers and we settled on the Sawrey House Hotel, Near Sawrey. It’s on the less popular west side of Windemere. We had two days there…dinner, bed and breakfast.

Arriving early afternoon Saturday we dumped the bags in the room, put our walking boots on and headed off in search of a pub (as you do). The first we tried was just closing but they pointed us in the right direction for one that would be open all afternoon. After a short walk across the fields we found our pub. Set in an old stables and serving the local brews it was perfect. After a couple of drinks we headed back to ready ourselves for dinner. The food at the hotel was some of the best I have EVER had – that’s really all I need to say.

Next morning was dank and misty but we decided to go for a walk anyway in the vain hope it may clear later. We headed up a bridleway that would take us to the slopes overlooking Lake Windemere. The route we followed took us back to the pub we’d been to the previous day, just in time for lunch. After a ploughman’s washed down with a couple of pints of Black Sheep we headed back across the fields to the hotel to spend the rest of the afternoon reading and resting in the lounge.

After a 4.30am start we were in St.Andrews at 12.30 including a stop for breakfast. We dropped Hannah’s stuff off
at her hall before parking up in the beach cp. Took a wander around town to stretch and loosen up a bit. After a
coffee we said our goodbyes and headed off. Stayed the first night in Aberdour just outside Burntisland, then headed
for the Lakes the following day.
From the drive of the hotel.
The area was nice and quiet, unlike Keswick which we’d passed through on the way.
Tucked away, the hotel was the perfect weekend retreat.
Having arrived at the Sawrey House Hotel, we dumped the bags and headed off across the fields in search of a pub.
The hamlet of Near Sawrey.
Late afternoon sun.
Somewhere over there, there’s a pub that stays open Saturday afternoons.
Cold, but a pleasant afternoon for a short walk.
Far Sawrey.
Karon.
Next morning we decided to walk the fells above Windermere, hoping for views over the lake… if the mist cleared.
See Gollum anywhere?
As quite often happens if we walk or ride for any length of time, Karon’s blood sugar dropped, forcing an unscheduled stop so that she could take on some
carbs and water.
We called in to the pub again and after a ploughman’s wandered back to the hotel across the fields.
Far Sawrey – the white building is the pub.