I stepped off the last bus from Penrith to Keswick in 2019 with a backpack full of belongings and zero expectations, unaware of the beautiful, incredible adventure about to unfold. As idyllic as it sounds, I wasn’t in the happiest of places at the time. I was recently back from a 3-month backpacking trip in […]
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From Beatrix Potter to Arthur Ransome, John Ruskin, Wordsworth, Coleridge and the Romantics, the Lake District has long been the source of inspiration for authors, writers and poets. There is something quite wonderful about visiting a bookshop in an unfamiliar area – browsing the local authors, picking up a map, a specific guide to an […]
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Heading out into the hills is one of the best ways to soak in and experience the beauty and drama of the Lake District. But what do you need to pack to make sure you have an enjoyable and safe day walk in the Lake District? After almost three years of living in the Lake […]
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This week I’m giving you the longer, unedited version of my recent Q&A with fell runner and orienteerer Nathan Lawson, taken from my monthly newsletter, Letters from the Lake District. Each month I interview a different person with a strong connection to the Lake District – from artists to runners, writers to photographers. We dive […]
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The quiet days of January with fleeting daylight, unpredictable weather and the land still in its winter slumber. I stand on the shorelines of Derwentwater in Crow Park at 3 pm and watch the sun begin to drift from the horizon, a fizzing of excitement to be heading out on my first overnight adventure of […]
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I love spending a little time towards the end of December to recall memories from the past year, reflecting on the good and the times when life has felt a little harder but more often than not taught me valuable lessons. I remember making goals just before New Year’s Eve in 2020, dreams of 40 […]
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After the bright and busy days of summer comes the soft coolness of autumn in the Lake District. With the crowds easing and the days shortening, it’s one of my favourite times of the year here. Wrapping up in chunky jumpers, kicking through the autumn leaves and returning home to steaming mugs of tea when […]
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This week I’m introducing a new series on the blog: Tiny Walks in the Lake District. These are my go-to walks when you still want that little hit of Lake District magic but without the big adventure. You want a walk with a view, to give you a taste of Lake District life. Perhaps you’ve […]
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Stretched out in the garden on a sunny evening in June, I was craving a big new adventure. That previous morning, I had woken up in a midge invested patch of bracken in my tiny tent with my friend Amy on the side of Holme Fell near Coniston. We took a bracing, morning dip in […]
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