The Wanderer Returns……

…..to the Lake District that is 🙂 ! Finally!!

It seems to have been such a long time in the coming, probably two years or more since we booked our trip but finally we got there a few weeks ago, and it was wonderful……apart from one small thing. But more of that later.

With Covid, lockdowns, some health issues and other circumstances, the horns became drawn in as they say. Holidays and backpacking trips have had to be cancelled, local walks became the latest thing, isolation was the buzzword we all had to live by…..or so it seemed. Sometimes it felt like you couldn’t go out, so don’t even look out of the window because you’ll just be frustrated. It wasn’t all bad at all, I enjoyed the garden, photographing the the wildlife, local walks, the creativity of drawing and painting, having our daughter staying with us because of travel restrictions and so many other things, but I did miss the mountains and hills.

With the release of lockdown earlier this year, freedom came, but it took a while for that freedom to work its way into my head which was still in local mindset, partly forced by health issues. These are now resolved, and my mind has woken up again, and my passion for the greater outdoors has reawakened with it.

Two years after booking our accommodation, my son and I were finally ready for the off, for the return to one of our favourite places, The Langdale Valley in the Lake District. Better just check the accommodation……we are not booked in even though they have had our money for two years! Because of so many people staycationing, there was nothing available anywhere at such short notice, but fortunately, at the last minute, a lovely lady called Doreen came to our rescue and allowed us to use her cottage.

So, off we went, and we had an amazing week……apart from that one thing I mentioned earlier! The restrictions over recent years had taken their toll on my fitness and the mountains seemed oh so much higher than they did when we last went 🙂 ! I think that’s the problem with getting older; I am now coming up towards mid seventies and muscle wastage and loss of fitness seems to kick in much more quickly than it used to. Take just a few weeks off from any serious walking or cycling and it feels like you have to start all over again to build your fitness up.

Anyway, a week in the Lake District mountains started that process in earnest and even though it might have taken longer, I got to all the tops that we planned, and it was amazing. We are already booked in again for next year and my target is to make sure I am fitter and stronger by then so that the mountains will shrink again 🙂 !

I’ll post more from our trip, but for now, just enjoy the view of Great Langdale from the Langdale Pikes – it was the only main route we took as, because of the crowds that have flocked to the Lakes this year, we decided to spend the rest of the week going more off the beaten track 🙂 !

Stay safe, and thanks for stopping by.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler

If you would like to contact me, my email address is terry.yarrow@gmail.com – comments and feedback are always welcomed.

All words and pictures in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and may not be reproduced without permission.