GETAWAY
WOODLAND WONDERS
Janette Sykes renews her romance with the Lake District on a walking break exploring its peaceful and picturesque south-eastern fringe
Long-time caravanner Janette Sykes is a regular contributor
A (p18) Staveley is surrounded by gorgeous countryside
‘You’re close to lots of hiking routes through ancient woods, past tumbling waterfalls and across open fields’
MY LOVE AFFAIR with the Lake District began back in the long, hot summer of 1976. I had just started work as a cub reporter and money was tight, but I managed to escape for a long weekend at Waterhead, on the northern tip of Lake Windermere.
The area’s legendary lushness had been crisped to a cinder by months of blazing sunshine and the total lack of rain, but even so, I was bewitched by its beauty and the liberating feeling of being far removed from the cares of everyday life.
Over the years, I’ve been back to the Lakes more times than I can remember, and I still feel that frisson of excitement every time I leave the M6 to refresh the relationship. When my husband and I head there for a long weekend away, there’s only one small quibble that mars our enjoyment – the traffic congestion that clogs up the region’s towns and main roads, even in low season.
So hush: don’t tell anyone, but I think that I might have found the answer if you only have a few precious days to spare for your break, and you don’t want to waste them crawling along in heavy traffic.
Just a stone’s throw from Junction 36 (or J37, if you’re heading south) of the motorway, you’ll find The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Windermere site, off the A591 and not far from the bustling village of Staveley.