Sunshine and snow-covered peaks make the Lake District a truly breathtaking sight
The winter is a particularly magical time in the Lake District, this year’s snowfalls from the end of January still linger on the mountain peaks as pale sunlight reflects from sparkling lakes.
The sky is clear, wisps of cloud moving gently on the wind, a contrast to the blizzards which turned our county white a few weeks ago which left blankets of fluffy snow across the rolling fields and fells of the Lakes.
A family of five, a couple and me, a solo traveller, boarded the full kitted Mercedes Sprinter Mountain Goat Tours bus for our tour and headed to our first stop, Bowness Pier.
After a short drive through the lakeside town we jumped on a boat with Windermere Lake Cruises and spent nearly an hour sailing towards Ambleside over the glistening water of Windermere, surrounded by wildlife with views of glacial valleys at every turn.
The boat docked at Waterhead Pier, we disembarked and jumped back on the Mountain Goat mini-bus to follow a meandering road on the way to Coniston, the dramatic backdrop of the Langdale Pikes filled the view ahead. One of the most breathtaking scenes on Mountain Goat’s Winter Southern Highlights Tour.
We stopped near Elterwater, a quaint village in the heart of the valley, here we were treated to a view of the dramatic mountains and winding passes that take you to Wrynose pass. Meryll, our driver guide provided an interesting and informative monologue about the area’s history throughout.
Our tour continued from Langdale passing through Yewdale, named after a line of yew trees planted by a family of farmers to signify the birth of each new child, before we arrived at the shores of the beautiful Coniston Water.
The view from the Bluebird café, named after the speed boat used by Donald Campbell to set the water speed record in the sixties, was stunning.
Our group watched a little fishing boat trundling through the water as we sat sipping coffee enjoying the weather and a historical talk about Coniston and its links to Campbell, his career and ultimately his death.
The Lake District is steeped in rich history, from romantic poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge to authors like Arthur Ransome and Beatrix Potter, the incredible landscapes inspiring some of England’s most famous literary minds.
Our Mountain Goat driver guide Meryll was very knowledgeable, she managed to keep us entertained throughout the whole tour.
After visiting beauty spots such as Tarn Hows our final stop was the medieval village of Hawkshead, a scenic town nestled near the shore of Esthwaite Water.
The village was full of traditional English pubs, delightful cafés and shops stocking local produce.
Hawskhead Relish, perhaps one of the more famous Lake District businesses, stood in the heart of the village. With a table full of yummy treats to taste and shelves stocked with their delicious jams, pickles and sauces it was without a doubt one of the highlights of our trip, especially for a foodie like myself.
All round the tour was a highly enjoyable experience and even having lived in the Lakes all my life I found myself marvelling at the area’s beauty and learned something new