Derwentwater and Keswick
I had heard about Derwentwater when I read Linda Lear's biography of Beatrix Potter. The Lake and the Lake District in general, had a profound influence on her life. For those only familiar with Beatrix Potter as the author of Peter Rabbit and other children's books, she was also an amateur scientist, a farmer, and was influential in protecting thousands of acres of the Lake District from overdevelopment. So with Beatrix in mind, we drove south to Keswick to take the launch around Derwentwater.
The boats (launches) are wooden and were bult between 1926 and 1932 with one exception, the Lakeland Mist, which was built in 1962. Our launch, the Lady Derwentwater was built in 1926. The launch stops at a number of places around the lake for passengers to get off and explore.
We enjoyed the scenery and chose to disembark at Lodore. There's a beautiful hotel and spa there and lots of people stop there for coffee or a meal.
We stopped there to buy a bottle of water before we walked to Lodore Falls.
There had been lots of rain over the past week so the walk was quite muddy and slippery, but we made it.
Leaving the falls we walked along the road for a while till we could get to the lakeside trail.
We enjoyed the lakeside scenery
then came to an area that the National Trust has been working to restore to its original state. Prior human intervention had rerouted the River Derwent to make it more accomodating to agriculture. As climate change brings more rain there has been lots of flooding in the area so the Trust removed 60 meters of embankment allowing the water to return to a more natural state, flowing out across the fields and forming a natural alluvial fan. They added elevated walkways so that walkers could still walk around the lake.
We walked as far as the path went, then hopped back on to a launch for the trip back to Keswick.
We were there on a Saturday which is a market day in Keswick. Around 60 local vendors are there selling everything from hot sauce to sausages to craft items to cheap trinkets.
There are also food stands which compete with the local restaurants, coffee shops and pubs.
It's incredibly popular and crowded. It was a great place to walk around and people watch.
As crowded as it was today I can just imagine what it's like in the summer season.
Derwentwater and Keswick are lovely places to visit and one day I hope to return.
Comments