Thursday we planned a walk around Derwentwater but it turned very cold and grey so a trip to Windermere replaced our walk. We found Windermere but it is not on the lake so after a coffee we went onto Bowness where we did a tour of the lake by boat.
Lunch was followed by a trip to Rydal Water and Caves. This exceptionally pretty walk around the tranquil waters of Rydal Water is the inspiration for so much of the poetry of William Wordsworth and the words in the diary of his sister Dorothy. It is very easy to see why – Rydal Water itself is tightly enclosed between the steep slopes of Loughrigg Fell and the Fairfield Horseshoe creating the landscape of trees, lake and mountain which so inspired them.
Much of the walk is through lovely woodland, which clings tightly to the shores of the lake but is not thick enough to cut off the views across the lake. However we were there to visit Rydal Cave, a large man made amphitheatre of slate complete with resident fish!
glendon1954 