Day trip to the Lakes and a decent wander around Ambleside.

In my previous post I mentioned there was just a hint that summer was at last on the way. Without a doubt the recent shift in weather conditions has made it feel like a change for the better.

Last week we decided we would definitely take a drive to The Lake District. Making plans solely based on the weather has become a fool’s errand in recent years.

We tend to take the view that if you wait for the weather then you may well wait for ever.

On Wednesday we headed for the pretty town of Ambleside. We have visited before, on our own and together. Apart from that, as recently as last month we had driven through the town on our journey home from our stay in Scotland.

On that occasion we were travelling on a Saturday and the place was rammed and horribly busy. In contrast, on this occasion probably because we were in advance of school holidays it didn’t feel too busy at all.

It’s a pretty town

Ambleside is a pretty town in the county of Westmorland and sits at the head of Lake Windermere in the Lake District National Park. The roots of the town go back to medieval times and the woollen trade. Wandering round now and you can see it has a real Victorian look and feel to it.

Bridge House

It’s worth a walk down Rydal Road to see Bridge House. It’s a tiny building but has an interesting and quirky history. The small building dates back to the 17th Century.

Apparently the house was first built so that the family who owned it could get to their land on the other side of the river. Initially I think it was built to store apples from surrounding orchards. Building across a river meant that paying tax to the jurisdictions on either side could be avoided.

Over the years it has been used for many things including: a counting house for the mills of Rattle Ghyll; tea-room; weaving shop; cobbler’s; chair maker’s and remarkably at one point a home to a family of eight! You can read more about it at this link.