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The Lakes

Started by TrenterPercenter, August 04, 2021, 10:35:14 AM

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TrenterPercenter

Sorry for making a thread but going to find myself up in the Lakes next month (Coniston) and wondered if anyone had any good suggestions for things to do and places to eat.  Got my eye on going to Whitehaven as have actually never been to the Cumbrian coast.  Worth a punt? Any ideas gladly welcome?

The Ombudsman

This wont be a helpful post as I've never been there, but planning to sometime soon. I'd be interested in what it's like. My grandfather was from around that way so always felt like I should make a trip to see where abouts he grew up.

Off to Scotland soon, was contemplating going that way just for a look out the window.

Cloud

Plenty of hills to climb!

Keswick is nice
Ambleside popular (if you don't mind "extremely crowded") and a lot find eating places there
Boot/Eskdale have some nice pubs if those are your thing
Could do worse than drop into Ulverston which is a few miles south of the Lake District border (but typically considers itself to be "in the lakes") especially if Laurel and Hardy is of any interest.

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: TrenterPercenter on August 04, 2021, 10:35:14 AM
Sorry for making a thread but going to find myself up in the Lakes next month (Coniston) and wondered if anyone had any good suggestions for things to do and places to eat.  Got my eye on going to Whitehaven as have actually never been to the Cumbrian coast.  Worth a punt? Any ideas gladly welcome?
I'm from Whitehaven and can say there's not really much there to keep you entertained for any length of time. Sadly, the town has been slowly dying on it's arse for decades. Michael Moon's bookstore is somehow still going, so there's that, and you can admire the grid road design that (we like to perhaps falsely boast) was what gave the idea of the people planning out New York.

The harbour is nice and if the weather is suitable, the walk between there and St Bees up on the cliff tops is great, but takes a few hours.

TrenterPercenter

That is great we are just looking for nice places to eat and walk around; I've been to the Lakes quite a lot in the past but mainly around Keswick so was thinking about branching out. 

Interesting about Whitehaven I had heard a few thing about it suffering a bit in recent time but the grid design thing as pique my nerdy interests!

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: TrenterPercenter on August 04, 2021, 10:59:14 AMInteresting about Whitehaven I had heard a few thing about it suffering a bit in recent time but the grid design thing as pique my nerdy interests!
Back in the late 18th/early 19th centuries, it was quite a prominent port* (third busiest in England at one point, behind London and Bristol) thanks to the tobacco/slave trades, so it is possible the place was known to town planners over in America . The town itself has been on the decline since the mines began shutting down post-WW2: Sellafield is the only thing propping it up at all. When I was a kid, the only other place you were likely to get a job was the Marchon chemical works up on the cliffs, but that's been gone about 20 years now.

*if you want added history stuff, I believe the last invasion of mainland Britain by enemy troops was when John-Paul Jones** led some sailors ashore to cause a ruckus during the American War of Independence.

** not the Led Zep fellow, the founder of the US Navy. He knew Whitehaven from sailing out of there during his youth. 

Icehaven

If it's clear go up Hellvellyn (the short route if you don't want to make a whole day of it), it's great.
For something a bit less energetic the Gingerbread bakery/shop in Grasmere is good and there's some decent walks round the lake too. If you fancy a break from the lakes the Hardknott Roman fort is definitely worth a visit, although if you're driving there Hardknott pass is terrifyingly steep so be careful. Ravenglass and Eskdale miniature railway is alright too, if the weather's good.
Re; the coast; don't do what we did and go to Maryport, it's grim, although we did see a man riding a horse on the beach and he fell off, which was hilarious. He probably won't be there now though. We also stopped at Grange-Over-Sands on the way home and was similarly unimpressed, the sea was so far out we couldn't see it.


Buelligan

Scafell Pike, Great Gable, take proper kit and your Wainwright.

Norton Canes

The challenge with the Lakes is always finding somewhere that's not over-run by tourists, especially in this year of the staycation, so heading out west seems a good bet. As Cloud and icehaven mention, Eskdale valley through to Boot and Eskdale village itself is a good bet - if you don't feel up to driving over the pass (it really is pretty vertiginous) then drop down to Broughton-in-Furness and go back up via Ulpha. The character of the landscape really changes in the Western Lakes - the colours become gentler, less grey, and it just seems... I don't know, calmer. Obviously groups of tourists will permeate through from the hell-holes of Windermere but there should still be plenty of deserted places to stop, admire the scenery and breathe.

Oh, yes, just remembered - try the road up from Ulpha to Cockley Beck if you want to see the elevated valley between the passes of Hardknott and Wrynose (which is barely a scintilla less intimidating than its cousin to the west) without feeling like you're in an episode of World's Most Dangerous Roads. It's only a couple of km long but its relative inaccessibility via the better known routes makes it feel like you've discovered somewhere that's been locked away for centuries. Although again, that will depend if the masses have descended.

Also there's a nice beck that runs alongside most of the Ulpha-Cockley Beck road (Googles: the river Duddon), last time I was there I think I saw people plunge-pooling but I was on my bike so didn't stop.

Norton Canes

With the Lakes, if you're not there for either the tourist attractions or serious days walking/cycling etc., the nicest thing to do is just go to the middle of nowhere and enjoy the space.

Norton Canes

Only ever been to the Cumbrian coast a couple of times, ages ago - don't think it rivals the Yorkshire or Northumbrian coasts for spectacle but it was nice. You at least get to see the sunset over the sea.

popcorn

you could visit my gran.

Icehaven

I seem to remember Thirlmere being pretty quiet and having some decent and easy walks, but it's been at least a decade since I was there so it might be different now.

Endicott

Another vote for Hellvellyn, and Ullswater. The steamer is nice.

If you're there during school time don't do Hardknott pass. It's one of my favourite roads but in season it's impassable. It's a one car wide, queues going both ways nightmare. Out of season and on a weekday, it can be a delight. Good walks around the fort too.

Buelligan

Unless you're on a bicycle, heheh.

Though, even then, when it's busy, it's not fun.

Icehaven

Quote from: Endicott on August 04, 2021, 11:58:52 AM
Another vote for Hellvellyn, and Ullswater. The steamer is nice.

If you're there during school time don't do Hardknott pass. It's one of my favourite roads but in season it's impassable. It's a one car wide, queues going both ways nightmare. Out of season and on a weekday, it can be a delight. Good walks around the fort too.

Both times I've been there it was virtually deserted, but it was probably a weekday.

Shoulders?-Stomach!

Quote from: Norton Canes on August 04, 2021, 11:43:28 AM
With the Lakes, if you're not there for either the tourist attractions or serious days walking/cycling etc., the nicest thing to do is just go to the middle of nowhere and enjoy the space.

I highly recommend the North Pennines or Northumberland for that. Sure, nothing in England beats climbing one of those hills and looking down at the lakes below, but there's still some impressive rugged stuff and hardly any tourists even on good summer days.

Somewhere like Cold Fell or Whiteburnshank for solitude.

For Yorkies, north Nidderdale can be surprisingly deserted at the height of summer too.


QuoteBoot/Eskdale have some nice pubs if those are your thing

Ravenglass and L'al Ratty are fun.

Whitehaven has, I think, precisely enough to do that you can do it between trains going through. Just sitting on the train from Carlisle to Barrow is a nice enough way to idle a day. If in Barrow, maybe Piel Island.

Old Thrashbarg

The climb up Catbells is a lovely walk. Multiple potential routes, each with stunning views, particularly on the side facing Derwentwater. But it's a very popular walk, so can be quite busy. Although until you get near the summit there's enough detours you can take that you should be able to find some quieter paths. The Swinside Inn near the base to the north is a decent place to eat as well, but can also be busy.

touchingcloth

A day trip to Huron is a must, though you'll need to have a car with you to reach it.

TrenterPercenter

Quote from: touchingcloth on August 04, 2021, 03:57:12 PM
A day trip to Huron is a must, though you'll need to have a car with you to reach it.

Huron? never heard of it.


Cheers all

Das Reboot

If you're heading west then Wastwater has to be top of your list. It's my favourite place and is magnificent whatever the weather. The pub at the end of the valley - Wasdale Head Inn - is worth a visit too. Aside from the usual routes up Great Gable and Scafell Pike, you can also take a walk over to Burnmoor Tarn with its eerie hunting lodge and then push on to Eskdale as recommended above.

My favourite walk in the Lakes is climbing Haystacks from Buttermere, it's bliss even on the most average of days. I can understand why Wainwright chose to have his ashes scattered up there. As an added bonus, the glorious heather is usually in full bloom around the beginning of September. The Kirkstile Inn further up the road at Loweswater is a Lakeland classic with great food.

Coniston is nice - I spent many happy days cycling along the eastern shore road - but suffers from tourist twat overspill from Windermere.

Another vote for Ulverston, it's like a smaller Kendal with a massive chip on its shoulder that it's not Kendal. Gillam's Tearoom is a delight, as is the short but rewarding walk up Hoad to look at the lighthouse that isn't a lighthouse.

Quote from: Norton Canes on August 04, 2021, 11:38:53 AM
Oh, yes, just remembered - try the road up from Ulpha to Cockley Beck if you want to see the elevated valley between the passes of Hardknott and Wrynose (which is barely a scintilla less intimidating than its cousin to the west) without feeling like you're in an episode of World's Most Dangerous Roads. It's only a couple of km long but its relative inaccessibility via the better known routes makes it feel like you've discovered somewhere that's been locked away for centuries. Although again, that will depend if the masses have descended.

Also there's a nice beck that runs alongside most of the Ulpha-Cockley Beck road (Googles: the river Duddon), last time I was there I think I saw people plunge-pooling but I was on my bike so didn't stop.

This. It's a nice spot away from the masses, as is the Birker Fell road.

I'll also go with the view that the Cumbrian coastline is quite bleak and has nothing over Northumberland/North Yorkshire. There's a reason why they built Sellafield there. St Bees is as good as it gets. Whitehaven's saving grace is that it's not Workington.

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: Das Reboot on August 04, 2021, 04:24:40 PM
I'll also go with the view that the Cumbrian coastline is quite bleak and has nothing over Northumberland/North Yorkshire. There's a reason why they built Sellafield there. St Bees is as good as it gets. Whitehaven's saving grace is that it's not Workington.
That's a little harsh - Sellafield is a bit blotto on the landscape to say the least, but the rest of the train ride from there South to Lancaster is pretty nice, Barrow excepted.

touchingcloth


Norton Canes

Yeah try to avoid Barrow, man

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: Norton Canes on August 04, 2021, 05:27:19 PM
Yeah try to avoid Barrow, man
To give some context, it's the place mothers in Whitehaven used to threaten their kids with being sent to: "if you don't behave, we'll pack you off to Barra!"

Cuntbeaks

Waves of in-bred misery and hopelessness was my overriding memory of Whitehaven.

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: Cuntbeaks on August 04, 2021, 05:33:42 PM
Waves of in-bred misery and hopelessness was my overriding memory of Whitehaven.
I suspect it's a reason the place went Tory in 2017: they voted Labour in for decades and fuck all happened that was much help. Jack Cunningham was a particularly useless MP who my dad said was "well in BNFL's pocket".

On the plus side, the harbour is considerably improved from how it was in the 80s, when it was an absolute stinking shit-tip. Wish the train station wasn't so glum looking, though, it doesn't provide much of a good first impression.

Tony Tony Tony

Don't forget yer Kendall Mint Cake.

A couple of chunks from a bar and you will be ready for anything.

Sir Edmund Hillary and his team carried Romney's Kendal Mint Cake with them on the first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953.

Cuntbeaks

Quote from: The Culture Bunker on August 04, 2021, 05:40:13 PM
I suspect it's a reason the place went Tory in 2017: they voted Labour in for decades and fuck all happened that was much help. Jack Cunningham was a particularly useless MP who my dad said was "well in BNFL's pocket".

On the plus side, the harbour is considerably improved from how it was in the 80s, when it was an absolute stinking shit-tip. Wish the train station wasn't so glum looking, though, it doesn't provide much of a good first impression.

Yeah, i was there about 15 years ago. I could see they'd made an effort with the harbour, and it was decent. But all paths away from there led to Desolation.