After 4.5 years of living in England, I finally stopped spending all my weekends away on the continent and made a trip within the UK.

The weather was fabulous so I may have a slightly skewed impression, but the Lake District is gorgeous! The landscape of Lake Windermere against the panorama of lush green rolling hills and mountains is breathtaking.

We spent the weekend in a town nestled in the valley, just off of Lake Windermere: Ambleside.  This cosy town is filled with bookshops, outdoor equipment shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs.  Aside from exploring the town, we managed to get in a couple walks as well as some time on the Lake.

Lake Windermere is 10.5 miles long and is England’s largest lake.  There are plenty of boats that go along the lake, both in terms of commuting between towns as well as just rowing or paddling about.

There are also plenty of walks, of all lengths and difficulties, which can be enjoyed in the area. We did a trip from Ambleside to Troutbeck via Wansfell, which was 5.8 miles, and provided a nice mix of views of the lake, charming towns, and generally great scenery, especially from the top!