A blog exploring the Lake District's hidden gems and best-kept secrets
The weeks leading up to Christmas are crammed with festive celebrations across the Lake District, including markets, fairs, Santa boat and train rides, charity events, and Christmas light switch ons in several towns and villages. But so far in 2017, I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t made […]
Autumn is well and truly upon us here in the Lake District, and one of my favourite places to photograph the colours is Coniston Water. Last year I took an autumnal tour of Coniston on board Steam Yacht Gondola to find some lovely photographic subjects, and a couple of weeks […]
The Millerbeck Light Railway is a perfect example of the hidden gems I set out to discover when I set up my blog, and most definitely qualifies as a Lake District gem! A non-commercial railway in the private grounds of a house, it opens to visitors for special event days, […]
Have you ever wondered why the recently opened Arts Bar and Grill in Bowness-on-Windermere was previously a restaurant with the name The Spinnery? It turns out there’s an interesting piece of local history behind the name. Blackwell, The Arts and Crafts House, just outside Bowness-on-Windermere, is currently running an exhibition […]
There’s no doubt that the costs of holidaying anywhere in the UK can easily mount up if you take into account admission prices, food and drink, public transport and parking. If you know where to look though, there are a few things you can be doing to save those pennies […]
Today, the Tour of Britain once again passed through the Lake District, this time setting out from Carlisle and finishing in Kendal, and climbing the fearsome ‘Struggle’ up to Kirkstone Pass! It was a shame that once the riders reached the South Lakes they were greeted with rain, but it didn’t stop […]
One of the great things about the Lake District calendar is that there are still a number of traditional events each year which have been taking place for generations, particularly amongst the farming communities. As well as the bigger agricultural shows, you can also look out for smaller gatherings such […]
Last night I went to see the preview of a new arts event taking place at Brockhole near Windermere. It’s called ‘Flight’, and explores our fascination with flying, and a side to the First World War we don’t often talk about: the loss of life in the Royal Flying Corps, […]
Back in March, I wrote a blog post about Go Herdwick, a public art trail made up of 60 life-size, colourfully decorated ewes, which have been sponsored by businesses and organisations around the Lake District to raise money for the Lake District Calvert Trust. The trail has really captured people’s […]
As regular followers of the blog will know, I’m always on the lookout for something a bit different, and a new exhibition planned by two local photographers promises to be just that… Rod Ireland, from Askham, near Penrith, and Jonny Marchant, from Kendal, are currently out and about capturing images […]
The annual Ambleside Rushbearing procession usually takes place on the first Saturday of July. I hadn’t seen it before, so arrived early (drivers are advised by Ambleside Online to avoid the area on that day between 2.30pm and 3.30pm) to experience this little bit of Lakeland tradition. Clearly, the first […]
Yesterday morning was one of those fresh breezy April starts to the day, but still lovely and sunny after the recent good weather we’ve been having. What better way to spend the day then, than to go to the annual Damson Day celebrations in the beautiful Lyth Valley?