Friday 10th June

Our accommodation was in an old schoolhouse which was really unusual. After settling into our rooms, we got together for a lovely pizza dinner then watched some TV before getting an early night, tired after today’s very long drive.

Saturday 11th June

After our breakfast we went on a drive through the hills to the World of Beatrix Potter in Windermere. The group enjoyed exploring the attraction with its characters and scenes from these world-famous books, we took lots of great photos! Afterwards, we went for a lovely lunch and spent some time watching boats on the stunning lake Windermere, as well as tucking into ice creams. What a treat!

Sunday 12th June

We started the day with a cooked breakfast before walking to Muncaster Castle. First, we explored the fairy trail which had some magical moments, then we attended an owl show at the hawk and owl centre – Nathan and Jenny ducked as the birds flew just above our heads and James and Dean said they could almost feel their wings! Next, we toured the castle itself, having our packed lunches while enjoying the amazing view over the botanical garden and hills beyond. Finally, we took in a bird of prey show which included vultures and eagles – it was wonderful to see them swooping around. We ended the day with a roast dinner and some TV before bed, what an action-packed day!

Monday 13th June

We set off to Wray Castle near Ambleside today where John especially enjoyed the lake. We stayed in this beautiful area with lunch in Ambleside, after which we visited the Beatrix Potter Gallery – this proved to be Jenny’s favourite part of the day. James said he had loved driving through the stunning hills and countryside more than anything.

Tuesday 14th June

Today we drove to Hill Top house, home of Beatrix Potter. A gorgeous chocolate-box cottage, it has a beautiful garden plus a famous vegetable patch and the group loved exploring there. We had our lunch beneath the apple tree which Beatrix Potter used to sit under to write and illustrate her stories. In the afternoon we went to Keswick where we checked out the shops and Nathan took the opportunity to make friends with the local ducks at the lakeside. We had a great dinner in the comfy Wainwright pub.

Wednesday 15th June

The Lake District Wildlife Park at Coalbeck Farm was our destination today. John had a long chat with employee Richard about how to feed the goats, sheep, and alpaca – everyone joined in with feeding the animals and loved every minute. We also watched a flying display by an owl, kestrel, and vulture. We ate lunch there and had some fun in the afternoon on the swings and racing cars!

Thursday 16th June

Full after our cooked breakfast, we went to take a steam train ride on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, taking the seven-mile journey to Boot – this proved to be a real winner for everyone and was Dean’s favourite part of the day! As always, we loved travelling through the beautiful countryside of Cumbria. We enjoyed dinner in the Ratty Arms in Ravenglass and all agreed that we didn’t want to leave tomorrow!

Friday 17th June

Today it was sadly time to make our way home. We gathered our things and said goodbye to our new friends. We had all enjoyed the amazing natural landscapes of the Lake Districts, and all agreed it had been a fabulous holiday!