Just a Little Walk on the Lite Side: Holiday Review of the Lake District

Of the Lake District, England

Just a little walk on the lite side is my presentation of the Lake District following our most wonderful holiday there. My presentation isn't exhaustive by any means as the Lake District covers a large mountainous area with numerous lakes, the largest of which is Lake Windermere.

This article is based on my video of the same name and includes some of the great places worthy of a visit when holidaying in the Lake District, England.

First on the agenda is the famous Garden and Family home of William Wordsworth in Cockermouth where he lived during his childhood from 1770 to 1783, and in the same village, 'The River Cocker'. On one of our day trips while on a weeks holiday in the Lake District, after seeing the famous Wordsworth home and the river in Cockermouth we headed towards and explored the 'The Osprey Project', Dodd Wood, Keswick to watch Twitchers in action at Bassenthwaite Lake lower viewpoint.

As mentioned above by far the best and largest lake in the Lake District is Lake Windermere, which is where we headed for after watching the Twitchers at Bassenthwaite Lake. Between Bassenthwaite Lake and Lake Windermere we stumbled across the 'Little Folk' at Low Sizergh Barn; a stopping point where you can enjoy a quiet walk in the countryside and at Sizergh farm break for a snack and some souvenir shopping before continuing on your journey in the Lake District and enjoying a most wonderful holiday.

A Little Walk in the Lake District, England

below is a short lighthearted films with a little touch of humour, following the adventures of two people on their visit in the Lake District, England.

Born in Cockermouth, Lake District, England

William Wordsworth (Britain's Poet Laureate from 1843 until his death in 1850) was a famous English Romantic poet; 'words-worth' being a very apt name for such a famous writer of words.

He was the second of five children born to John Wordsworth and Ann Cookson, and was born in the Wordsworth House, Cockermouth, Cumberland, in the Lake District, Northwest England; and his sister Dorothy Wordsworth (also a poet, and diarist) was born the following year.

They had little contact with their father, a legal representative of James Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale, but in the little time they spent together William's father did teach him poetry and introduced him to the works of Milton, Shakespeare and Spenser, and William had access to his father's library.

After their mother's death in 1778 their father sent William to Hawkshead Grammar School, Lancashire and Dorothy to live with relatives in Yorkshire.

In 1787 Wordsworth made his debut as a writer with the publication of a sonnet in The European Magazine; in the same year went to St John's College, Cambridge, graduating in 1791.

Dodd Wood, Keswick in the Lake District

The Osprey Project at Dodd Wood, Keswick in the Lake District, England is a partnership between the Forestry Commission, Lake District National Park and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), with great support from volunteers.

The aims of the project are to:-

1. Ensure the continued success of breeding ospreys at Bassenthwaite
2. Assist with natural colonisation of Osprey in other parts of the Lake District, and
3. Provide visitors with an opportunity to see and learn more about ospreys in the Lake District

The Ospreys return to Bassenthwaite Lake in 2001 was the result of many years hard work in encouraging them to breed.

With the increase sightings of migrating birds to the Lake District in the late 1990s the idea that Ospreys may once again breed there was the foundation of the Osprey Project; and why in 2001 a nest platform was built in Wythop Woods overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake. All the hard work paid off when, for the first time in over 150 a pair of ospreys nested and successfully reared a chick; and since then the Ospreys have returned each year, using a different nest site in Dodd Wood, to successfully raised one or two chicks.

Sizergh Farm and Barn

Sizergh derives from a Norse word meaning 'Summer Pasture' and cows have been reared there in the 13th Century, originally to produce milk for the local castle.

The Dairy Farm continues to this day, and for visitors to the Lake District provides a farm shop with a tea room and craft galleries. Visitors can also learn about the wood chip boiler, using local timber as fuel, for heating and hot water in the barn; see the reed bed showing a natural waste treatment system in action.

The more adventurous are invited to follow the farm trail, past 'The Little Folk' sign for about two miles to see the natural beauty of a rural farm, countryside, woodland and pond

The Largest Lake in the Lake District

Spend all day exploring Lake Windermere by cruises on the lake in the Lake District.

In the Lake District

Near Lake Windermere the museum of the famous Beatrix Potter is a must see. We had a most enjoyable afternoon there, with plenty to see; the sample photos we took, shown below is just a fraction of models and props (in their setting) of what’s on offer at this most wonderful museum.

My favourite has to be the greenhouse and garden, but it was all a great experience.

All photos were taken by me.