This week I began working with Mountain Goat Tours as their newest Sales Executive. I was able to join the Six Lakes Spectacular Tour around the north of the Lake District with one of our highly experienced and knowledgeable guides, Tony. I have lived in the Lake District most of my life and was excited to experience the beauty of the Lakes as a tourist for the day.

 

Tony has been working with Mountain Goat Tours for 15 years and although the weather can cause some disruptions to the area at this time of year, he was able to navigate the icy roads with ease and deliver a fantastic day trip packed with interesting and new to me, facts about the area.

Ambleside Pier

After collection from the Tourist Information Centre in Windermere, we stopped at Ambleside Pier to admire the beauty of Waterhead at the top of Lake Windermere. In the distance we could see the Langdale Pikes peeking over the surrounding fells. This would be our next destination on our tour.

Elterwater Village

As we drove along the winding roads from Ambleside to Elterwater, Tony described the history of the village as we admired the stunning Autumn weather. We then stopped at a viewpoint that looked towards the Langdale Pikes over the village.

We then drove a little further to the heart of the village to see Skelwith Bridge that towers over the River Brathay that runs down into Lake Windermere. We travelled over the bridge to Coniston where we would pass Yew Tree Farm and hear the history of location. This would be the first mention of Beatrix Potter and her legacy within the National Trust and the Lake District.

Coniston

We arrived at the lakeside Bluebird Café to be greeted with the still waters of Coniston and the friendly Swans. I took this opportunity to capture this image of one of the iconic docks and surrounding fells including The Old Man of Coniston. We heard about the history of the mining town and saw some of the old trolleys that were once used to transport coal, now being used as a decorative flower box outside one of the pubs.

Thirlmere

We drove through Rydal towards Thirlmere where we stopped to admire the view of a snowy Helvellyn, where we watched as climbers made their way to the summit. Tony shared his knowledge of how the Reservoir Thirlmere had been created in order to supply the North West with its drinking water. If you decide to go on this tour, ask about the once active villages that rest under the water.

Derwentwater

The views up to this point had been fantastic and were only to get better as we neared the town of Keswick where we were able to view the frosty Blencathera and travel through the festive town towards Derwentwater. It’s here at the frozen water’s edge that we stopped for lunch and to explore the town and marvel at the mammoth summit of Skiddaw.

 

It was time to head over to Grasmere to visit the historic home of William Wordsworth and to visit the popular Gingerbread Shop to enjoy the local treats on offer.

We had a wonderful day exploring the various picturesque locations. It was great to have the opportunity to experience the Lake District as a tourist for the day and I look forward to working with the friendly and passionate Mountain Goat Team.