Day 3. The rain does not stop. I think we will stay in the hotel for the rest of the trip.. naaahh just kidding. Well, it was raining for the rest of our lovely Lake District break but that did not stop us from enjoying and exploring the Cumbrian lands. For safety reasons we scrapped the Helvellyn trip and decided to have a look around Keswick and Derwent Water Lake.
If you are interested in history, especially the Bronze Age period, then you can make a small detour and visit the Castlerigg Stone Circle, which is an atmospheric stone circle monument, built around 3000BC. One of around 1,300 stone circles in Britain, it was constructed as a part of a megalithic tradition that lasted from 3,300 to 900 BC, during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages.
On the road to the shores of Derwent Water we drove through the lovely town of Keswick. This is a typical tourist-oriented area with lots of hotels, bars and restaurants. If you are travelling with kids, this destination should satisfy the whole family. A large network of footpaths in the woods and hills surrounding the lake offers a chance for everyone to enjoy the nature.
Also, if you wish to see the lake but don’t have a car you can just take the bus. The Borrowdale road runs along the eastern shore of the lake and carries a regular bus service.
If you visit http://www.keswick.org/what-to-do/walking-routes/derwentwaterwalk you can download a very useful leaflet that will guide you around the lake and shows where you can find the main attractions, restaurants, WC’s, café’s and viewpoints. Here it is worth mentionng that the Lake District is one of the few areas in Britain where you can still spot a red squirrel.
Maps of other interesting walks can be found at http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/placestogo/explorederwentwater/thingstododerwentwater/walkingderwentwater.
On the lake there are several islands. The 4 main ones are the Lord’s Island, Derwent Island, St Herbert’s Island, and Rampsholme Island. There are seven lakeside marinas, the most popular stops being Keswick, Portinscale and the Lodore Falls, from which boats may be hired. A regular passenger launch operates on the lake, taking passengers between various landing stages. The launch stops at Ashness Gate, Lodore, High Brandlehow, Low Brandlehow, Hawes End and Nichol End.
Also it is worth to know that one of the scenes for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens was filmed at Derwent Water! It was the scene "Approach to Maz Kantana's Castle, Takodana", where the Millennium Falcon flies over the waters of the Derwent Water.
So, here, at the end, there is only one thing left to say.. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.
