Windermere 13 - 16 Mar 17

The next stage of our journey took us around the north end of Coniston Water and through some narrow twisty roads heading towards Windermere. However, with our crazy system of camp sites in this country, we couldn't book into our next stop at Bowness on Windermere until 1300hrs so we had a bit of time to kill. Accordingly, we stopped in Ambleside to have a quick mooch around the many outdoor shops. After lunch we headed down more narrow roads to our next stop at Braithwaite Fold Camping and Caravanning Club site.  This is a small site that looks like a car park because the shed-draggers leave their tugs all over the place! Anyway, after settling in we wandered into the touristy spot of Bowness, had an ice cream, then sat in a pub overlooking Windermere. Suddenly we were plunged into darkness in a  power cut. Luckily the hand drawn ale pumps don't need electricity so we were able to continue supping in the dark.

On Tuesday the plan was to get a bus pass for the day and explore, but the fantastic bus service (one bus an hour) didn't work, so we took the boat to Ambleside, had a great lunch, even better hot cross buns, mooched about and came back by boat.

The following day we managed to get the bus, changed at Ambleside and then went on to Grasmere. We bought some gingerbread from the famous shop there, saw Wordsworth's tomb, wandered around and then got the bus back. The bus pass seems a good idea at first glance, but when there is only one bus an hour the distance that can be travelled is very limited, thus they are not particularly viable. Arriving back at Bowness we took the chain ferry across the water, visited the viewing platform and then set out towards Beatrix Potter's house, but ran out of daylight. We should have taken the scooter!

Wordsworth's grave