“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” — Confucius
The Lake District was the first place my husband and I went on holiday together. We stayed in a small log cabin in Ulverston, so it wasn’t technically the Lake District, but it was all we could afford.
By night, we snuggled up underneath a blanket in front of the TV to keep warm. By day, we drove up to Ambleside, taking our first tentative steps into the world of walking.
We didn’t have a clue about anything: walking gear, backpacks, food, water — nada. We bought the cheapest rucksack we could find and a small book from the tourist information centre, ‘Walks around Ambleside. 10 Walks Each Under 6 Miles’.
Lush green hillsides and deep blue waters.
It did what it said on the tin and helped us on our way to exploring the great outdoors.
This book is now dog-eared and torn, sellotaped back together too many times to mention. Although it hasn’t been used for many years, it sits on the bookshelf — a reminder of how far we’ve come.
I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve visited the Lakes, but I see something new in the familiar each time we do. I’ve watched the landscape change throughout the seasons, from hazy golden sunshine dancing across the mountains to autumn leaves falling from the trees.
We’ve abandoned walks due to walls of thick white fog across the hillsides, seen floods render roads and fields impassable, and snow so deep we’ve been unable to leave our cottage. But come rain or shine, wind or snow, its beauty enchants me every time.
For over two decades, the Lake District has held a place in my heart that’s difficult to explain. From the moment I set foot on its mountainous landscape — I was smitten. With its lush green hillsides, deep blue waters, and damp earthy woodlands, it set up camp in my heart and never left.
From Helvellyn to the Fairfield Horseshoe, Derwent Water to the Rothay Circuit, and many more walks in between, adventure has welcomed us at every turn. It was my first real taste of the great outdoors and the first place I felt complete.
The Lake District is my sanctuary.
I’ve walked, climbed, biked, run, and driven, yet I know there’s still so much more to explore.
It’s where I studied, found the courage I thought I’d lost and developed skills I’d only ever dreamed of. It inspired, rejuvenated and healed me, helping me forge a new path I never thought possible.
From racing across mountaintops to hammering pennies into wishing trees, my memories are spread far and wide. I’ve shed tears of laughter, grief, sorrow and joy and spent time recovering from surgery and illness because nowhere else could heal me.
The Lake District is my sanctuary — my retreat and my safe haven. It nourishes my soul and helps me make sense of this thing called life. It’s where I can breathe, refocus, and slow down; it fills my heart with joy.
As I sit here thinking about the 20+ years gone by, I wonder what the next 20 have in store. From birthdays and anniversaries to days out and weeklong adventures — the Lake District is where I want to be.
A place so embedded in my soul, someday, I look forward to calling it home.
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