A beautiful view of Lake Windermere and its surrounding mountains from The Attic room at Blenheim Lodge. Admire spectacular scenery from your room and enjoy the Lake close up on Windermere Cruise ferry which you can board just 7 minutes’ walk from Blenheim Lodge.

Today is one of those soft Spring days in Windermere so beloved of visitors to the English Lakes. The sky started out this morning looking a little moody, a few drops of rain spattered on the windows near elevenses time, but by lunch time, all was brightening up and at 3 pm, the sun tried its hardest to shine – and succeeded! I particularly remember 3 pm because I was standing in the lounge at that moment with a newly arrived guest who asked me what the weather would be like tomorrow. As those of you who read my posts will know, I very seldom consult the weather forecast as my philosophy is that the weather will do what it will do. So the long and short answer to our new guest was an apologetic ‘I don’t know.’

Over the past weeks, however, guests have regaled us with tales of awful weather where they live and have shown amazement that we are having such good weather in the Lakes. Cumbria is generally known for its high rainfall, yet remarkably we have been experiencing decent temperatures and dry weather while the rest of Britain seems to be wallowing in showers of rain. I am therefore very glad that our visitors have had a chance to enjoy clement weather while they have been visiting the Lakes, as perhaps this will change their perception of our Cumbrian climate for the better.

The May Bank Holiday long weekend is coming up next weekend, and one can only hope that the weather cooperates. If so, this would be an excellent weekend to enjoy outdoor activities as the temperatures will not be too hot or too cold. Blenheim Lodge offers 2 free fishing permits for fly and coarse fishing in several lakes near our B&B, and I know my husband enjoys a little angling on Ratherheath, a coarse fishing lake 4 miles distant.

Ratherheath Tarn is WADAA’s most popular coarse water and holds excellent stocks of carp, roach, bream, tench and perch. The tarn enjoys a private and secluded woodland setting just a couple of miles from Kendal and offers 40 well spaced pegs. The fishing is at its best from March through to October. (Photo and text courtesy of https://www.lakedistrictfishing.co.uk.) 

I remember taking a book with me to read while Hubby tried to catch some fish to no avail. However, it didn’t matter; all Hubby wanted was to sit quietly, listening to the calls of songbirds, and relax. He always comes back refreshed from such an outing.

Many anglers fish exclusively for Ratherheath’s substantial head of carp. These fish currently top out around the twenty pound mark but there are large numbers in the low to mid teens. During the warmer months Ratherheath carp are invariably on the surface and stalking with floating baits is a favourite and often very successful tactic. At times catches of up to ten fish in a session are not uncommon. At other times location is the key to success and weather conditions play a large part in where the bulk of the fish will be found. (Photo and text courtesy of www.lakedistrictfishing.net/component/option,com_mtree/Itemid,8/fishery,86/link_id,86/task,viewlink.)

Walking is a favourite pastime with many of our guests, many of whom come from large cities. They come to the Lakes to wander meandering trails in the hills or trek by the numerous lakes and up mountains. At the back of Blenheim Lodge is the long distance Dales Way Footpath stretching from Ilkley in the Yorkshire Dales to Bowness-on-Windermere, where the path ends a minute’s walk from our front door, our B&B being the first guest accommodation to be found in Bowness off the Dales Way. The Dales Way is an excellent starter trail for guests who are not used to walking but who want to enjoy an easy-ish amble amidst beautiful countryside with stunning views.

woodlands behind blenheim lodge
The Dales Way Footpath as seen from our back garden and a guest bedroom, also called ‘The Dalesway’.

Good weather is great for mountain biking, where the trails do not get bogged down in mud. Grizedale Forest, a mere 20 minutes from Blenheim Lodge across the water on the other side of Lake Windermere has biking trails and bikes to hire too. An activity called GoApe is particularly popular, where intrepid adventurers take part in a treetop walk that includes a zip wire ride. (As for me, I am afraid of heights, and would rather keep my two feet on the ground.)

Grizedale Forest is a fantastic for biking. The North Face single track route gives experienced mountain bikers an adrenaline rush while the forest roads and bridleways have a range of safe, off-road routes for different abilities. There are 5 waymarked cycle trails of different lengths. (Photo and caption courtesy of http://visitlakelandforests.co.uk/index.php/your-forests/grizedale/biking.)

It is a marvel how much good weather can contribute to a day’s outing. Horse riding, walking with the llamas, canoeing, sailing, etc. all benefit from bright sunshine and temperate climes. So far this Spring, Windermere has enjoyed an enormous share of clement weather. Hopefully it will continue into the May Bank Holiday long weekend starting on 4th May, so that guests will get the benefit of it. And long may it last!

‘Blenheim Lodge . . . panoramic Lake views, peace and tranquillity, nestled against acres of beautiful fields and woodlands, in the heart of the English Lake District National Park.’

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