It’s that time of the year when deciduous flora begin to take on the burnished brilliance of Autumn. The high fells of Lakeland, many of which overlook pretty waters of the Lake District National Park, stand proud as stunning backdrops to these same oases. Last week, Hubby and I and our faithful hound managed to take time out to go a-wandering by Thirlmere, a 3.5-mile long reservoir just an easy ride from Blenheim Lodge Bed and Breakfast.
Our outing was the result of a last minute decision, planned only because we had to drive our beloved Pyrenean Mountain Dog to the vets in Keswick for a check up. Each morning, over the past couple of months, we had noticed blood stains on his bedding where his mouth was when sleeping. Keswick is about 45 minutes’ drive from Blenheim Lodge, and the easiest route north is via the A591, widely touted as England’s most beautiful motorway. Thirlmere is slightly more than half way between Blenheim Lodge in Bowness-on-Windermere and Keswick town.
The A591 is dotted with waters and fells along the way. One of these waters, Thirlmere, is actually a reservoir created during the Victorian era to provide water to Manchester residents by drowning a couple of villages, Armboth and Wythburn. The church at Wythburn remains the only building standing after their submersion.
We drove along a little winding road that leads off the A591 along the quieter side of Thirlmere. This pretty lane, lined by farmland on one side and the sloping hillside leading to the shores of Thirlmere on the other, is served by several passing places, which is just as well especially when vehicles come from the opposite direction. Our destination was Armboth, where we would stop for a little walk before taking our gentle giant, Zack, to the vets.
I hope you have enjoyed seeing the photos in this post. For guests who come by public transport to stay with us at Blenheim Lodge, there are regular buses that ply the A591 from Bowness to Keswick which pass Thirlmere and also the popular town of Ambleside and villages of Rydal and Grasmere. If a day on the buses touring this part of the Lakes sounds like a good idea, then a day ticket allowing one to hop on and off at various stopping points along its route might be just the ticket for a fabulous day out!
Why not also take advantage of our Autumn and Winter Special Offers at Blenheim Lodge and make it YOUR amazing break away?
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.’