We ended our week in Scotland, and our whole UK trip, with a few days in Edinburgh, one of my favorite cities of the world. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to climb Arthur’s Seat, but we did enjoy walking dozens of miles throughout the city. Here are a few random photos to share before I take a break and prepare for my next adventure…
Continue reading “UK 2022 – Edinburgh, and future adventures…”Galleries
UK 2022 -Isle of Skye and beyond…
After reminiscing in Stirling and driving through the Highlands, we made our way onto the beautiful Isle of Skye for a few days of R&R. It dawned on me that our little B&B in Carbost was the first solid roof I’d had over my head in all my journeys to the island. As a poor student, I was always in a tent…
UK 2022 -A long overdue return to a former home
It’s been 11 years since I was last in Scotland and 45 years since I called it home as a teenage exchange student at the University of Stirling – I was anxious to share some of my favorite spots with Joanie on her first visit to the country. These photos aren’t representative of all we saw and did, but will give you some idea.
UK 2022 -For the Foodies: a Special Meal at L’Enclume Aulis
After almost three weeks in England’s Lake District, our time had now come to an end. Our focus was primarily on trekking, so the meals were usually limited by time or location: mostly traditional English breakfasts and a lot of pub food. To celebrate the trip, we treated ourselves to a 15-course experience at Aulis, the Chef’s Table at the famous L’Enclume restaurant in Cartmel, in the southern part of the Lakes. Our experience, exclusively for the two of us and one other couple on this day, took most of four leisurely hours as we watched Chef Jake work his culinary and artistic magic. It was unlike any meal we’d ever had before – so this post is unlike any I’ve ever written before. It’s possible that these photos and videos will appeal only to the foodies out there, but I am hoping that the many unique dishes – truly works of art – will intrigue everyone at least a little bit.
Continue reading “UK 2022 -For the Foodies: a Special Meal at L’Enclume Aulis”UK 2022 -The Langdale Pikes
When I began my research about a trekking holiday in the Lake District, a full 18 months before our trip (extended, of course, by Covid), the first location I studied was Great Langdale. Thus, I thought it would be fitting finale as our last hiking base. Alfred Wainwright’s descriptions of the nearby Langdale Pikes made it sound like a Disneyland for fell walkers. It involved a lot of climbing over a fairly short distance, but the weather gods were supportive and we were not disappointed with bagging four Wainwright peaks in one day!
Continue reading “UK 2022 -The Langdale Pikes”UK 2022 -Mickledon Valley and Side Pike
It was again time to drive, this time from Coniston to our next base, our seventh and final stopping point in the Lake District: Great Langdale. Like on our other travel days, we enjoyed some tourist stops along the way but couldn’t wait to get back on the trails, if the weather cooperated.
Continue reading “UK 2022 -Mickledon Valley and Side Pike”UK 2022 -The Old Man of Coniston
We got lucky with the weather on the day we made one of the biggest hikes of our trip: to the summit of the Old Man of Coniston, also known as Coniston Old Man or simply The Old Man, England’s 12th highest peak and a popular destination with its many routes up, spectacular terrain, and extensive views in all directions. It was a day we reached five peaks and bagged three Wainwrights!
Continue reading “UK 2022 -The Old Man of Coniston”UK 2022 -Another Travel Day, to Coniston
After our fill of Buttermere, it was time to load up the car and drive again. Just as we had done a few days before, we took a route out of the Lake District National Park and played tourists as we drove to our next base back in the Park at Coniston Village, alongside Coniston Water. We had some fun along the way at a castle, watching birds of prey, and getting over a couple of white knuckle mountain passes in our rental car obviously not designed for those conditions.
Continue reading “UK 2022 -Another Travel Day, to Coniston”UK 2022 -Rannerdale Knotts Circular
For many years, it has been our practice and preference to start our hikes in the morning – it’s usually cooler, with fewer people on the trails, and it allows us time later in the day to take care of our other tasks. This routine didn’t always serve us well in the Lake District – but it was a hard habit to break. It was particularly tough when we awoke to this views like this…
UK 2022 -Wasdale Head and Loweswater
Having decided not to backpack to our next base, we loaded up the car and drove instead via a much longer route that took us out of the national park, then back in, to reach remote and rugged Wast Water. This lake and area have many claims to fame: the deepest lake in England, surrounded by some of the highest fells and spectacular crags in England (Scafell Pike – the highest, Scafell – the second highest, Great Gable, Kirk Fell, Lingmell, and Pillar), the 2,000-foot Screes, the smallest church in England, and the self-proclaimed historical center of British mountaineering.
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