The Lake District

Warning: Very long, picture heavy and possibly boring post! My advice is just to scan the pretty pictures!


Well, we had an amazing holiday in the Lake District. We stayed in my family's time share, which has an attached pool, sauna, hot tub, steam room and spa. Although you have to pay for spa treatments, the rest are entirely free to use if you are staying there. I have to say, we went every single day and it was so relaxing!

Obviously I couldn't take a picture of the pool, but I found this one on the timeshare website.

The view out of the cottage was amazing. The back garden backed on to the River Leven and it was so tranquil. Plus there is a steam train which runs along the opposite bank.

The cottages are attached to the Whitewater hotel, which is an old cotton mill and blue mill, and the grounds are dotted with old mill machinery

And you can sit outside of the bar on the banks of the river, which is a gorgeous place to relax.

On Sunday we went to the Lakeland Motor Museum, which is literally 30 seconds walk up the road from the cottage, and has some amazing cars

They have cars and bikes from every evolution of mechanical transport, and even a special exhibition on the bluebird cars and boats which broke the land and water speed records.


Then on Monday, we tried to go to the supermarket, but accidentally drove the wrong way down the road and ended up in Kendal! Not that I minded, because it had a yarn store I wanted to visit. I promise it wasn't deliberate...

I got this gorgeous locally hand-dyed sock yarn from William's Wools, which looks like an amazing place to sit and knit. Then we went to the chocolate house, which has about 25 different types of hot chocolate, as well as doing chocolate, cakes and ice cream sundaes

We did actually then manage to find the supermarket, and visited the nearby crystal factory, where you could watch them make wineglasses.


On Tuesday we went on the steam train! I was like a small child.

It took us to Lake Windermere, where we went for a walk round the lake and into Great Knott Wood

On Wednesday we had a day in the spa. We had a Turkish Mud Rasul, which was hilarious. Me and the boy were covered from head to toe in white, red and green mud, and sitting in a fake Turkish bath which was also a steam room. I wish I could have got photos! But it was very relaxing, and left our skin very soft, and then we sat in the outdoor hot tub for an hour or so, which was even more relaxing.



On Thursday, we went on a historical walk around Ambleside, which is a beautiful little village.

The last one is of a bridge house, built over the river to store apples, and then home to a carpenter, his wife, 6 children and his workshop! It's tiny.
Then we drove up to Grasmere, just to buy the most amazing gingerbread in the world. I seriously could eat it for every meal.

I also got this amazing new knitting bag.


On Friday we went for a long, long drive attempting to find The Wool Clip in Caldbeck. Although we got very lost, there was some beautiful scenery on the way.

When we finally found the shop, it was so worth it. It's definitely my new favourite shop, and I wish it was near enough for me to visit every week!

They had decorated the entire area outside their shop for Woolfest/their 10th birthday, and it looked amazing. And I did some decent shopping

Some local, undyed 50% Blue Faced Leicester/50% Mohair to make a jumper for my mum, which she's been asking for for a while

And some Young Goat Mohair, which I need to find the perfect pattern for. At the moment I'm just enjoying picking it up and squishing it! We actually tried to visit this farm, which has a farm shop, and see the goats, but it was closed, so I was really glad to find this in the Wool Clip.


Then we indulged out childish side and went to Eden Ostrich World, and fed the animals.

I have never heard anyone snore as loudly as this pig!


And we played on the kiddy playground.

I also got some amazing pictures of wildlife I couldn't fit anywhere but wanted to show off!

So yes, that was my holiday. Congratulations if you got this far!