Derwent water
We’ve just spent a week in the Lake District. This time we abandoned our usual haunt in Rydal and ventured on to pastures new, with the dogs.
We stayed in a cottage in St John’s in the Vale, around six miles outside Keswick. It was utterly isolated given there were only a few cottages dotted around and a church on the top of a hill; not a shop or pub in sight.
Our cottage nestled in a valley completely surrounded by brooding mountains capped with mist. Given the rain we were having, it was somewhat unnerving reading that the cottage had previously been destroyed by flooding.
We didn’t see a soul until we drove out to the nearby towns. On the sixth day hubs and I almost had a heart attack when we saw a woman standing outside the cottage next door! How quickly you adjust to not seeing people!
She was the only person we saw, locally, the entire week and she didn’t say a word to us!
It was all very, Wuthering Hieghts, and of course it absolutely poured down and blew a gale the entire week. Each evening, the darkness was complete and impenetrable.
Words like desolate, moody, atmospheric, brooding, bleak, grim and ethereal often came to mind.
Yet, there is also serenity, along with solace, and it’s wonderfully soothing for the soul; it’s also rather liberating not being a part of humanity for a while.
I felt far more connected to nature, especially while listening to the wind, howling and wailing through the mountains, and then echoing back and shrieking around the cottage.
The haunting calls of the owls each evening took on almost sinister qualities, amplifying our complete isolation.
The dogs didn’t help, given they insisted on staring at things unseen, in unison and following them around with their eyes.
I slept on a blow-up bed downstairs with the dogs, as they were not permitted in the bedrooms.
I swear I heard a gruff male voice telling me to “get up off the floor” one night, and another, I heard a muffled, long drawn out call of…
“Mummmmmm” echoing/vibrating through a wall. I tried to convince myself that it was only the wind!
We climbed a mountain hill to see St John’s church, goodness, it almost killed us getting there. Talk about wheezing and gasping for breath. Having a heavy cold was certainly a disadvantage!
Even when it wasn’t raining it felt damp.
It was astonishing how quickly the mist engulfed the mountains!
We drove to Borrowdale and were surprised to see people wading through the water. It took us a while to realize that the footpaths were completely flooded.
As each new hiker arrived they contemplated their predicament before sighing and reluctantly removing their boots.
Geese were everywhere, how melancholy their calls are.
Sheep often blocked the roads.
Even the lakes seemed pretty deserted.
And Finally….
The lakes are so dog friendly, not a single pub turned us away. Here, I’m enjoying a vegan breakfast in Kat’s Kitchen, a lovely, cosy vegan cafe.
We love the Lake District … but tend to visit in the summer months … even then you can get rain!
Your photographs were lovely to see, and definitely wonderfully atmospheric (as many others have also said).
We have had a lot of wind and rain recently, but then it is October.
Have a good week ahead.
All the best Jan
Yes, you can never predict dry weather in the Lakes! Such a beautiful place though, we are drawn back repeatedly! Thanks Jan.xxx
Wonderful atmospheric photos. What a shame that you had such awful weather but that’s the Lake District for you. I love solitude and communing with nature too but then my maiden name is Wordsworth.
Well, who knew you were a Wordsworth??? That explains a lot! Any distant relation to the great man himself??? I think hubs and I accepted years ago that the Lakes and rain go hand in hand. Thanks Chloris. xxx
Judy and I love to stay in remote areas – as long as we can sleep in a cabin and not a tent. I appreciate the quiet and isolation. We’ve had a very wet year here as well – Lake Michigan is at almost a record depth.
Peace and quiet is always welcome with us too, and like you two we don’t do tents! We all seem to be washed out! Thanks Jason.xxx
It was a really wet week last week here in the Lakes, and it has carried on this week too, so I expect that footpath is still under water! I love St Johns in the Vale it is beautiful and remote place although not that far from the busyness of Keswick and the A66. If you are after solitude then there are still places you can find it in the Lake District but it is getting harder.
Goodness, poor you getting another week of that rain, it’s been similar here too. We loved St John’s in the vale too, as you say, there are plenty of nearby towns as long as you have a car. xxx
I’m more the solitary sort, so your sojourn seems utterly wonderful to me. I have just the right mix: solitary at work and at home, with occasional forays into more social activities, but I still prefer holidays of the more solitary sort. Not for me the cruise or the organized tour. I’ll give my spot to someone else.
I’m trying to remember why Derwentwater rings such a bell. It must be that one of the Lake poets referred to the place. I’ll have to have a look. It certainly did have that misty, moody look when you were there — but I would have liked that, too!
And I’m glad you could take the dogs. It’s even better that they were accepted as you visited around.
I couldn’t imagine anything worse than a cruise or organized tour! Ahhhh yes, I’m quite sure one of the Lakes poets have referred to Derwent water, a beautiful spot! Thanks Linda.xxx
Apparently a mountain is a hill without grass at the top, so if there was no grass it was totally a mountain 👍
The Lake District is where my grandparents met, my Gran lived in a remote cottage with Blencathra in the front yard and Saddleback in the back yard, lol. Beautiful area of the world.
Why do dogs ‘have to’ stand in the middle of any puddle, stream, river,etc, lol.
If a mountain has no grass on the top then we were surrounded by mountains! I haven’t heard that before. How fascinating to have a house in two different areas!!! Indeedy….why on earth do dogs stand in the middle of anything water???? Thanks AnneMarie.xxx
It looks like bliss (wet bliss, to be sure). And what a treat to be able to bring the dogs into pubs with you. I imagine they had a wonderful time.
Thanks Brenda. The dogs absolutely loved being there, it’s a dog paradise! It is great to be able to go into pubs with the dogs, it makes life easier as they can’t be left in the cottage on their own.xxx
A very descriptive piece of writing Dina, I felt as if I was there! Your story made me think of a night we spent in a tiny cottage (falling down) in Ireland. The rain was relentless, and we both felt as if we were being swept away by the water. ..the next day things didn’t look too bad all things considered…I guess coming from Australia, we are easily intimated by rain!
Glad you and hubs and the dogs managed to get out to a pub!
Thanks Gerrie. I was a little concerned our cottage might flood given the torrential rain pouring down those mountains surrounding us. xxx
I should think that with your busy lives the time away from it all was just what was needed. Good to have the dogs with you for company even when their sensitive natures meant they sensed otherworldly vibes which must have been unnerving in the evenings. Nice that you found dog friendly pubs too. I think you need those times of being among people. Personally I wouldn’t want to be totally isolated, but would get used to the peace and quiet for a short break. Did you manage to get into the church after climbing up the hill? hugs and love, xx
A little solitude is more than welcome, especially in such a delightful spot! The dogs loved being there. I think almost all the pubs in The Lakes welcome dogs, that certainly makes life easy. We did go into the church,it was very small and simple, nothing ornate. I wonder who goes there! Thanks Linda, love and hugs. xxx
It sounds the perfect place to stay for a (long) time, away from all types of troubles… The cottage is really cute <3
With the many commitments of the last weeks, I'm exhausted.
Now, we are up to the referendum against the changing of the hunting law. Near to Ticino, they are planning to kill four wolfs… guilty of the killing of several sheep in an unprotected place. The wolfs are members of a pack and the killing will bring severely damage at the supremacy balance inside the pack. in two weeks there will also be the federal government elections. I need vacations and my husband too.
Hugs and love :-)c
It’s such a beautiful spot. Oh no, those poor wolves….that is absolutely awful. I hope you two get a break from it all. Love and hugs to you all. Thanks Claudine.xxx
Gosh, poor things, it does sound so very wet! But you’ve got some amazing and very atmospheric pictures. I love solitude but I think if I had so much of it, and so wet, it might get a leeetle much … hugs xx
It certainly was wet!!! The views were worth it though, simply stunning. I doubt I could cope with a long hard winter there. Thanks Gill.xxx
I LOVE these photos; my idea of heaven, no matter what the weather, but I do love mist and rain and the owl!s hoot. (Our coyotes were out last night, keening away.)
I would not have wanted to leave.
Thank you for the glorious, vicarious adventures and the delicious-looking idea for my dinner tonight! 😘
I love the atmosphere created by rain and wind, it’s utterly magical! So are owls….you can’t beat listening to them while cozy and warm at night. Thanks Kitty, love and hugs to onexand all.xxx
Your splendid atmospheric pictures really do support your descriptions. As beautiful as The Lake District is, as sparkling as it can be in fine weather, I cannot be enamoured by high level isolation. I understand why people from busy. noisy, urban places may want to recharge their batteries, commune with nature and find some peace within themselves. The temporary nature of it does makes it desirable. I hanker after the opposite.
Where to next?
Xxxx
Thanks Menhir. I do agree with you, if you live in an isolated spot you would gravitate to something more lively. I don’t think I could live in a place like that long term, but it was just stunning and beautiful.xxx
We stayed in a cottage in Cumbria once that was definitely haunted. The ‘happenings’ actually convinced, Martyn who is or rather was a sceptic when it came to ghosts. We didn’t read the visitors’ book until the day we were leaving and apparently our experiences were echoed by other guests. Our dog did the looking at nothing thing too.
Goodness!!! These ancient cottages do have a history and many an odd presence. I tried to convince myself it was just the wind! I think watching the dogs looking at unseen things is the worst! Thanks Jo.xxx
I do love places like that. Nothing beats solitude for getting back in touch with yourself and thoroughly de-stressing. But well done for coping with the weather. If it’s any consolation, you’d have had much the same treatment had you chosen Devon! I feel like I’m living in a swamp.
It certainly is a wonderful spot for solitude! It’s been lashing down here too. Thanks Jess.xxx
Well that’s certainly a ‘get away from it all’ holiday. I bet the dogs thoroughly enjoyed themselves with all that space to run around. We’re only just into autumn, just imagine what it’s like in winter, I bet they get cut off regularly being so out of the way. Nice to be able to recharge your batteries though, it’s good to leave life behind for a while sometimes.
It is such a remote area, you’d have to have a car if you lived there. It was lovely spending a week there as it was all so atmospheric. I can’t imagine what it would be like there if snowed in though. Thanks Jo.xxx
Ooh, that vegan breakfast! Yummy! Golly, your holiday does indeed sound atmospheric. Loving a good ghost story, I was fascinated by the voices you heard – although I think I may have abandoned the dogs and rushed upstairs to Hubs! Not sure if I would have been brave enough to take my walking boots off either – I suppose if there was no alternative and it was further to go back! Hope your cold is better now. xx
I really do hope those voices were the wind, it was MOST unnerving given it happened at night on both occasions! I would have been reluctant to shed my boots too as those paths are pretty rocky to walk with bare feet. Thanks Veggiemummy.xxx