Ambleside and Wordsworth
Our second day of the trip began with an early start. Right after breakfast, we went on a hike. Some of us thought that it would be a "walk" but it ended up being a 7-mile hike. Though it was incredibly tiring, the views were well worth it. We hiked around one of the many lakes in the area, and one of the hills. We started just outside the Wordsworth trust and ended there as well. We broke for lunch at a village called Grasmere which is where the trust is located. They have this world-renowned gingerbread that is the best I've ever had. It's not super sweet, and it's very soft. I'm not the biggest fan of gingerbread but this stuff is worth it. After our long trek, it was a great snack. I loved the feel of a little English village in the country-side. Most of the people were tourists, but tourists from the UK and the majority of them were elderly all decked out in their hiking gear. It was both inspiring and intimidating to see people of that age looking so fit and doing things that I don't have the energy for in my early 20s.
After the hike and lunch, we went to the Wordsworth trust, which takes care of Dove Cottage in Grasmere. This unassuming white stone house is where William Wordsworth lived for the span of 8 years and wrote some of his most famous poetry there. Not only do they preserve his old home, but they also hold most of his poetic manuscripts. They have many of the original items that he used throughout his life. He was well acquainted with other English poets, who often would stay with him in order to be inspired by the natural beauty of the region. So many great authors, poets, and artistic creators of all kinds have come out of England and the UK in general. Each new creator, many classic authors including such as Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, and so many more have been products of the United Kingdom. Each of these people and the many unnamed have left their mark on English literature and western culture as a whole. Specifically looking at Britain, they are each remembered and revered because of their ability to inspire and create. British identity seems to be tied to the greatness of other members of this in group; the achievement of one person becomes the achievement of all, helping to create this idea of amazing ability. The individuals who have achieved great things in the name of Britain have helped to forge this instrumentalist idea of what it means to be British.
I was determined to swim in the lake near the village we stayed in. Growing up, there were a plethora of lakes within close driving distance to my house and we would participate in water sports I was feeling really homesick and with our day and a half at the lakeside, I was determined to go for a swim. There is a lot of boating activity on the lakes here and swimmers use brightly coloured swim caps and tow bags. When I said I wanted to swim to one of the locals, they thought I was crazy. They directed me to the other side of the lake which I could not see clear access too aside from boat. It's not the coldest water that I have jumped into, and I think the cold was exacerbated by the fact that it was a pretty chilly day. It was totally worth it though. The water was so clear and for a moment it felt like I was home.
All in all, it was a pretty great day. Clocking in 10 miles walking and 1 kilometre swimming left me exhausted, but I still felt rested after being away from the bustle of London. I've enjoyed discovering the different regions of the UK. Slowly, the different puzzle pieces this place are coming together.
There are a lot of foxglove plants in the area. While they are beautiful, they are poisonous when consumed, so I would not suggest eat them.
After the hike and lunch, we went to the Wordsworth trust, which takes care of Dove Cottage in Grasmere. This unassuming white stone house is where William Wordsworth lived for the span of 8 years and wrote some of his most famous poetry there. Not only do they preserve his old home, but they also hold most of his poetic manuscripts. They have many of the original items that he used throughout his life. He was well acquainted with other English poets, who often would stay with him in order to be inspired by the natural beauty of the region. So many great authors, poets, and artistic creators of all kinds have come out of England and the UK in general. Each new creator, many classic authors including such as Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, and so many more have been products of the United Kingdom. Each of these people and the many unnamed have left their mark on English literature and western culture as a whole. Specifically looking at Britain, they are each remembered and revered because of their ability to inspire and create. British identity seems to be tied to the greatness of other members of this in group; the achievement of one person becomes the achievement of all, helping to create this idea of amazing ability. The individuals who have achieved great things in the name of Britain have helped to forge this instrumentalist idea of what it means to be British.
I was determined to swim in the lake near the village we stayed in. Growing up, there were a plethora of lakes within close driving distance to my house and we would participate in water sports I was feeling really homesick and with our day and a half at the lakeside, I was determined to go for a swim. There is a lot of boating activity on the lakes here and swimmers use brightly coloured swim caps and tow bags. When I said I wanted to swim to one of the locals, they thought I was crazy. They directed me to the other side of the lake which I could not see clear access too aside from boat. It's not the coldest water that I have jumped into, and I think the cold was exacerbated by the fact that it was a pretty chilly day. It was totally worth it though. The water was so clear and for a moment it felt like I was home.
All in all, it was a pretty great day. Clocking in 10 miles walking and 1 kilometre swimming left me exhausted, but I still felt rested after being away from the bustle of London. I've enjoyed discovering the different regions of the UK. Slowly, the different puzzle pieces this place are coming together.
The picture above is one of the many pictures I took while on ou hike. I have no idea where we hiked but the view was beatiful as we looked over many different lakes.
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