Lake District, England

[Lady Ice]

March...hmmm - currently we have got good weather. Lake district could be wet on some days regardless of when you go. What do you like doing? are you going with a family? Anyway 8 days, you'll be able to cover a far spread of the place!

Here are some suggestions (and hope you like the outdoor):

Walking/Cycling: so many great walking areas - Great Gable and Langdale Pikes have wonderful scenery........look for the scree faces to run down!!! Waterfalls, grizdale forest park (a fun park with statues that were discovered in 1978)......Guess you should walk up Scafell Pike as it is the largest mountain in England. Get an OS map from the outdoor shops or sometimes from the postoffices. You can get a waterproof one or purchase a map case.

Water: Kayaking/fresh water diving/canyoning (jumping into waterfalls)

Ridges: Sharp edge (great scrammble, knife edge drops, have to have a good head for heights), striding edge (a classic horseshoe with some steep drops and great sites)....although if you have time the best ridge is in North Wales en route to Snowdon

Climbing: Loads of climbing there - get a climbing guide to locate places

Shops: Great outdoor shops in many of the villages (I know Keswick and Kendal) - better to buy out there than in London! Good quality and cheaper.

Science: Then there's the nuclear plant (sella fields). Copper mines in Coniston

Small villages, etc, etc, etc.

Driving - get an OS map that covers the area - there are some awesome gorge by passes. Sorry can't remember what they were called - but very dramatic

Accomodation: Camping (@ 5-7 pounds per night - in a farmer's field - with showers), wild camping is free but is illegal unless you're out in the hills, rent a cottage, or the usual B&B

This should keep you occupied. Have fun

 

[bovine]

March...hmmm - currently we have got good weather. Lake district could be wet on some days regardless of when you go. What do you like doing? are you going with a family? Anyway 8 days, you'll be able to cover a far spread of the place!

Here are some suggestions (and hope you like the outdoor):

Walking/Cycling: so many great walking areas - Great Gable and Langdale Pikes have wonderful scenery........look for the scree faces to run down!!! Waterfalls, grizdale forest park (a fun park with statues that were discovered in 1978)......Guess you should walk up Scafell Pike as it is the largest mountain in England. Get an OS map from the outdoor shops or sometimes from the postoffices. You can get a waterproof one or purchase a map case.

Water: Kayaking/fresh water diving/canyoning (jumping into waterfalls)

Ridges: Sharp edge (great scrammble, knife edge drops, have to have a good head for heights), striding edge (a classic horseshoe with some steep drops and great sites)....although if you have time the best ridge is in North Wales en route to Snowdon

Climbing: Loads of climbing there - get a climbing guide to locate places

Shops: Great outdoor shops in many of the villages (I know Keswick and Kendal) - better to buy out there than in London! Good quality and cheaper.

Science: Then there's the nuclear plant (sella fields). Copper mines in Coniston

Small villages, etc, etc, etc.

Driving - get an OS map that covers the area - there are some awesome gorge by passes. Sorry can't remember what they were called - but very dramatic

Accomodation: Camping (@ 5-7 pounds per night - in a farmer's field - with showers), wild camping is free but is illegal unless you're out in the hills, rent a cottage, or the usual B&B

This should keep you occupied. Have fun

eh...all 8 days just on lake district? :bigeyes: :think:

 

[leejay]

Ah... Student concession... That's a whole lot of difference in pricing...

Anyway, found some good guide website which shows 4 different drive routes... I suppose that would do as well, since I cannot find the previous website with the 5 drive routes...

B&B search to continue...

Car rentals should be available in Manchester city centre. Oxenholme :think: um... nope...

 

[Alpc]

Hey Alps,

i went to a uni which is not far away from lake district. Maybe i can help you with what little memory i have of that place. I suggest you rent a car and drive around, explore the surrounding small roads. That way, u need not rush for the trains. Lake district is an hour drive from Lancaster, about 2 hours away from Liverpool and Manchester. (i think. never drove from both cities) In addition, it is a big lake surrounded by many small towns. Basically, the only town worth going is Windermere. i think kendall is all right though. End march is better than June, cool weather, not too many tourists. :thumbsup:

Well, I am coming in from Edinburgh, so I will be taking the train over to Oxenholme, then the local train to Windermere... I believe there are some car rental there and Kendal... So, yeah.. will be doing more of local driving, rather than inter-county/location/whatever driving...

Got all my research done on the train timing!!! Hopefully it's accurate...

 

[Alpc]

March...hmmm - currently we have got good weather. Lake district could be wet on some days regardless of when you go. What do you like doing? are you going with a family? Anyway 8 days, you'll be able to cover a far spread of the place!

Here are some suggestions (and hope you like the outdoor):

Walking/Cycling: so many great walking areas - Great Gable and Langdale Pikes have wonderful scenery........look for the scree faces to run down!!! Waterfalls, grizdale forest park (a fun park with statues that were discovered in 1978)......Guess you should walk up Scafell Pike as it is the largest mountain in England. Get an OS map from the outdoor shops or sometimes from the postoffices. You can get a waterproof one or purchase a map case.

Water: Kayaking/fresh water diving/canyoning (jumping into waterfalls)

Ridges: Sharp edge (great scrammble, knife edge drops, have to have a good head for heights), striding edge (a classic horseshoe with some steep drops and great sites)....although if you have time the best ridge is in North Wales en route to Snowdon

Climbing: Loads of climbing there - get a climbing guide to locate places

Shops: Great outdoor shops in many of the villages (I know Keswick and Kendal) - better to buy out there than in London! Good quality and cheaper.

Science: Then there's the nuclear plant (sella fields). Copper mines in Coniston

Small villages, etc, etc, etc.

Driving - get an OS map that covers the area - there are some awesome gorge by passes. Sorry can't remember what they were called - but very dramatic

Accomodation: Camping (@ 5-7 pounds per night - in a farmer's field - with showers), wild camping is free but is illegal unless you're out in the hills, rent a cottage, or the usual B&B

This should keep you occupied. Have fun

Wow... Thanks... Don't mind me asking... You staying at Lake District area???

Er, after discussion, it will be only 3 days, four nights stay at Lake District. My coz still wants to make the trip to Edinburgh... I believe my time will be spend on driving around all the different areas and lakes, as well as some local walking in the area... If we are up to it, we will surely walk up Scafell Pike...

OS maps??? I have heard of some websites talking about some surveyor maps, is this the same as OS maps??? Are they those orange maps or something??? I know I will be getting maps (I have this habit of buying maps of all the places I been to... well, except for Cambodia... :sweat: )

Now is to find B&B for Edinburgh and Manchester.... Anyone has good recommendation that is not to ex... like 25 quid per night???

 

[bovine]

Well, I am coming in from Edinburgh, so I will be taking the train over to Oxenholme, then the local train to Windermere... I believe there are some car rental there and Kendal... So, yeah.. will be doing more of local driving, rather than inter-county/location/whatever driving...

Got all my research done on the train timing!!! Hopefully it's accurate...

Doubt Windermere and Kendal have car rental companies as they are small towns. You may want to rent a car from Edinburgh and return it in Manchester. Try National car rental or easyrentacar.com (easy only has Mercs A Class and the longer u rent, the cheaper it will be.) Hope this helps.

 

[Lady Ice]

Hey Alpc - am not staying in Lake District - just explored it quite a bit

Yes the orange OS maps

http://www.britainexpress.com/countryside/Lake_District.htm

...and you might find it beneficial to get a waterproofed version or purchase a map case.

For 3 days (and depending on how fit you are)
1. Scafell Pike - this is an all day trek with steep hills and some very rocky paths
2. One of the ridges (I enjoyed sharp edge for it's knife edge drops!) - this is an all day trek/scrammble
3. An easy day go to grizdale forest (it's fun)

(then there's the rock climbing and potholing if you're into that)

If you can go camping - the National Trust camp sites are in really beautiful locations
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-holidays/w-camp/w-northwest-lakedistrict_camping.htm (£4.50 per head)

If you want indoors instead - for cheap accomodation in Edinburgh/Lake District/Birmingham and other places try the YHA http://www.yha.org.uk/index.aspx

However you might be in a shared room - most people in the national park areas are outdoor people so you should be able to get loads of info from them all. Many YHA's have a cooking area if you want to bring your own food.

For car hire - check if they charge per day or per mile!!

 

[Alpc]

Hey Alpc - am not staying in Lake District - just explored it quite a bit

Yes the orange OS maps

http://www.britainexpress.com/countryside/Lake_District.htm

...and you might find it beneficial to get a waterproofed version or purchase a map case.

For 3 days (and depending on how fit you are)
1. Scafell Pike - this is an all day trek with steep hills and some very rocky paths
2. One of the ridges (I enjoyed sharp edge for it's knife edge drops!) - this is an all day trek/scrammble
3. An easy day go to grizdale forest (it's fun)

(then there's the rock climbing and potholing if you're into that)

If you can go camping - the National Trust camp sites are in really beautiful locations
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-holidays/w-camp/w-northwest-lakedistrict_camping.htm (£4.50 per head)

If you want indoors instead - for cheap accomodation in Edinburgh/Lake District/Birmingham and other places try the YHA http://www.yha.org.uk/index.aspx

However you might be in a shared room - most people in the national park areas are outdoor people so you should be able to get loads of info from them all. Many YHA's have a cooking area if you want to bring your own food.

For car hire - check if they charge per day or per mile!!

OK... Will look out for the orange maps... Thanks. I will have to check with my coz on her ability to trek for the 3 days! :sticktong :sweat:

Wow... You mean they charge by per mile!?!???!?! This is new... Really, I have not heard of such method of charging of car rentals... Will check it out. Thanks for the info... This is really something new... I have rented cars in US and ANZ but have not heard of such method of rental... :sweat: :think:

 

[Lady Ice]

Yeah - they'll have something like first 60 miles per day free and then the rest of the mileage would be charged something like 10p per mile for that day. Not all car rental companies operate in this way - some will do a daily charge a weekend charge and a weekly charge - unlimited mileage

So check with the car rental companies before you hire

 

[Alpc]

Thanks for the info. I will make sure I get them to explain plainly on the charging rates... Erm, do I have to get IDP or can go with Singapore Driving license??? I had no issues in US and ANZ without IDP, not sure about UK though... Anyone?

 

[Lady Ice]

Thanks for the info. I will make sure I get them to explain plainly on the charging rates... Erm, do I have to get IDP or can go with Singapore Driving license??? I had no issues in US and ANZ without IDP, not sure about UK though... Anyone?

Normally you can use yr Singapore license unless you're planning to stay for years! To be sure - email one of the car rental companies.

 

[Alpc]

I asked Hertz (not that I will rent from them, but they happened to be at NATAs fair and I asked), they say Commonwealth, so no need IDP.