Clarity – The Lake District – UK

Wandering memories do not always have to be from an exotic country, half the world away, but can happen any time in any location.

Numerous of mine are all centred on a location, a couple hours from where I now live, the Lake District. As a child my parents used to take me and my sister to the Lakes, as I believe their parents did with them. I used to hate it! It wasn’t America, it wasn’t exciting, it wasn’t glitzy, it wasn’t on TV, it just didn’t interest me. As I am now older and a lot more mature (don’t ask my wife that), I love the district of northern England that has plagued my childhood. The area is vast, full of green fells, luscious moors, hidden waterfalls, a variety of crystal clear lakes and wildlife galore, its beauty is simply inescapable. Mixed in with that beauty are small windy roads, miles of slate stone fences, areas of shear inaccessibility, quaint and quintessential villages and of course the traditional English pub.

I have been exploring the Lake District for many years since returning from traveling, and have found locations that rival the mountains of New Zealand, the beauty of the fields of Europe, and even the tranquillity of Patagonian plains. It’s a district of wonder and natural beauty. I stay at the wonderful Hollywood guest house in Windermere, the quintessential of English towns and the perfect base of exploration.

The majority of my blogs thus far have been with my wife, however this one was just me alone with my thoughts in 2006. As I faced a cross roads in decisions and choices, I desired an escape from day to day monotony, I thought where better to hide away with my thoughts than the Lakes. I relished the tranquility, it allowed my thoughts to run wild, my imagination to reach its potential. It made me realise my true choices were nothing but great opportunities and this was pivotal in my decision making. It gave me clarity.

The Lake District is also home to England’s highest peak, Scarfell Pike. Granted it’s no K2 or Mt Kilimanjaro, but for hiking it takes discipline and dedication. I felt this was my next adventure, after all there’s no better way to air ones thoughts than hiking in the wilderness. The beauty of this peak is that it starts low in the valley, miles away from any true cities or even towns. The whole journey up to the cloud coated peak was surrounded my magnificent scenery, from Wast water lake in the valley to the distant Helvellyn‎ range. It may sound funny, but the air just felt clearer, as if breathing was more pure than usual.

Standing on that summit, I felt a real sense of achievement, enjoyment, magnificence, and actually a relaisation of how small I really was. What really prevailed in this amazing area was the sense of self with only Mother Nature to speak with. Surrounded by nothing but the wandering hills, the green pastures and of course the amass of roaming sheep, I had let my mind get confused and wound up with all of the modern day problems, that were not truly problems at all. In that moment my choices were clear, and I never faulted from them again after this moment.

I am now even further into my love affair with the Lake District, returning at least once a year, and even choosing to get married there. The area offers different experiences throughout the seasons, from snow-capped rugged mountains capes and misty lakes in winter to green pastures and beautiful sunsets in summer.  Its Inspirational at best, no wonder famed authors such as Beatrix Potter and Alfred Wainwright owed much of their success and notoriety to the area.

I hope you get a true sense of what the Lake District has to offer any traveler, and hope you will visit one day. I will continue to write about its splendor in other future posts, so stay tuned and if you like what you have read, feel free to comment, share or like the blog using the below icons.

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