Travel Blog - Western Lake District, Cumbria, UK - my insights....

Travel Blog - Some of my favourite gems in the Western Lake District, Cumbria, UK

Silecroft Caravan /Holiday Park

This park resides just by the Irish Sea under the Black Combe Mountain in the South Western Lake District of Cumbria.  The view from our caravan includes the dramatic and spectacular Black Combe Mountain (which can be seen from the bay sitting room window of the caravan) and the rolling valley as it takes you north over the Coniston Fells deep into the mountainous rolling vales and hills. This is compounded with the sound and breeze of the sea surrounding you with the expanse view of the beach just 100 metres away.

The park itself contains a small indoor heated swimming pool, 2 Jacuzzis, a sauna and a gym.  It also has a small counter shop (part of the reception), hi-speed Wi-Fi access (but you have to be near reception to access it available 24/7) laundry room and all the other camping and caravanning amenities. 

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Silecroft-Holiday-Park/239142429451163?sk=timeline

Local Golf Club - Silecroft

Nearby, there is the local 9 hole links Silecroft golf course, just 200 metres away from our caravan, getting there by taking the old golf course road that runs adjacent to the caravan park.  The quaint clubhouse does food on a Friday evening and Saturday till late.  Prices are good value and food is home-made, they also offer a small bar, but are only open at the weekend, golfing however is available 7 days a week.  More information can be found at 

http://www.silecroftgolfclub.co.uk/

The Beach – Silecroft Bay and surrounding adventures.

This beach expands stretching all the way up and down the coast line offering a variety of functionality.  When the tide is out the stretch is perfect for a long day walk on smooth beige lines of sand.  This is when the local horse riding schools bring up their horses and ponies to gallop and trot around the coastline, lessons and rides are available.  When the tide is in, the beach is apt for pole fishing, the bay is heralded for Sea-bass.  Others however find themselves indulging in a mix of horse riding, kite-surfing or ambling.  Remember though that you can always take inspiration from this unique area at all times–taking in the beauty of the mountains, through cycling, mountain biking or mountain walking, visiting the natural integrated space of blue still water lakes like Coniston and Newby River where canoeing, kayaking and sailing is all the rage.  Exploration is the daily drive forcing you to check out the other gems that this beautiful landscape hides for example;  Beatrix Potters Trust, Coniston, the Swan Hotel in Newby, Ravenglass, Munscastle, just to mention a few. 

The closest Local Pub and Restaurant

Silecroft town is within a mile with a Local Traditional Pub and Restaurant called the Miners Arms.  They serve food seven days a week from 6pm during Monday to Friday and from 12pm Saturday and Sunday.  Full list of food menu can be found on 

http://www.minersarmssilecroft.com/

The nearest Supermarket! Millom

The closest place is Tesco in Millom, a small town not more than 3 ½ miles away from Silecroft.  This is a medium sized store with a good variety of food and household items.  They close between 10pm and midnight depending on trade.  Staff are friendly and very helpful.  Millom town also has a number of additional shops and stores, mainly focused around Pharmacies, Hardware, Bric-a-Brack with an Italian (good reputation), Indian, Chinese, and take away chippy.  This is the only place within a 20 mile radius for a ATM cash machine, Millom has three (no charge).  It is worth noting here that most places have a minimum spend of £10 on card and don’t offer cash back.

Amazing homemade Pasties, Ale brewery and still ciders.

Foxfield village contains a little gem known as the Prince of Wales.  To get to Foxfield you follow the valley road for Broughton in Furness locally known as Broughton, continuing on the main road for 9 miles.  The Prince of Wales is also a specialist local brewery that does a selection of its own traditional ales, still ciders and a vast selection of whiskeys (not there own).  The outstanding thing for me is they do special home-made pasties, each order being individually prepared, fresh pastry takes time to cook so waiting time is a must focusing on simple but delicious.  The only down-side is that food is only served for lunch and late afternoon, but well worth a visit.  

http://princeofwalesfoxfield.co.uk/

This place should be also termed the “Meat House” in Kirkstanton.

This well established Bar/Restaurant has a defining reputation its steaks and ribs, which can reach levels of staggering sizes.  They only do rump-steak which they can cook to perfection with an outstanding ability to impress on Ribs (barbecued and other flavours of note).  They are only open from 6pm onwards, reservation is a must at weekends, I’m assuming you may be luckier during the winter for a walk in.  Kirkstanton is only down the road, about a mile on route to Millom, turning right at the crossroad after Silecroft village.

“The Best Place in Town” – The Blacksmith Arms in Broughton-Mills

This place incorporates all that I love in food, atmosphere, a true spot of indulgence without an expensive price tag.  This is simply a place you have to visit whether for lunch or dinner.  It sits in a valley that moves sweepingly into the mountainous Lake District with glorious views to die for.  Partly in the middle of nowhere, no phone signal available no Wi-Fi just a chance to enjoy an old time solace without modern interferences.  The Black Smith Arms dates back to 1577 in its inception tuning into a beer house in 1748, broken into a hickledy-pickeldy selection of quaint rooms steeped in character.  You can sit outside in the beer garden around lunch or early evening if the weather is in your favour or hug closely inside for a local brew (ale or lager from the Foxfield brewery) or a fine pouring Guinness if it takes your fancy.  The central point here is the food is the domineering factor, offering delicious lamb shank, salmon, and rib-eye steak but to mention a few all flourished together by the Chef-du –Maison Michael – can’t stay away.  Remember if you want to eat in the evening booking is essential.  

http://www.theblacksmithsarms.com/  

Check opening times each day is different.

Local village – well worth a meander – Broughton-in-Furness

This Traditional Village is full of character boasting a very famous award winner real ale pub; the Manor.  A place that sits on the old village square and includes an Arts and Crafts club, a simple cafe and an evening restaurant that as yet I have not had the pleasure.   A duo of high quality wicker basket Food store/Deli  and Butchers (not cheap but if you want quality you have to pay for it), is based on the next street down.  In this part of the village you’ll find the local post office and a small art gallery.  The best way to enjoy it is to sit back and enjoy the movement of people whether, locals, climbers, bikers, walkers or cyclists drifting through.  Broughton is 8 miles from Silecroft on the valley road and on route to Broughton Mills for the infamous Black Smith Arms.

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Caravan for Hire in the Lake District Cumbria £200 pw (£125 w/e Fri, Sat, Sun)

The campsite is located on the Coastal waters of the South Western Lake District, 250 metres from a mile long stretch of sandy beach (check out the pictures) where kite surfing and pole-fishing sea-bass is a standard, or bodyboarding/surfing or just take a long Irish Sea stroll to catch the costal views of this amazing English landscape.

Additionally the campsite sits under the Black Combe Mountain with spectacular views as it stretches into the unique landscape that is hearlded as one of most beautiful spots in England. 

Facilities at the park include a small heated swimming pool, toddler pool, 2 Jacuzzis, a sauna and small gym for those who want exercise indoors and splash about a bit. 

Ideal for mountain/lake district walking and exploration, cycling, mountain bike riding, horse-riding, sea pole-fishing,  river-fishing, or just adventuring into the hidden gems of this wonderful world. 

The caravan sleeps 6; a double room en suite, a twin room, a main bathroom with a small tub and shower, a modern kitchen - gas stove cooker, microwave, toaster with all the amenities and large sitting room/dining room where another double bed is easily pulled out. Fresh bed linen is provided.

For more information about the local area, hidden gems, amenities, restaurants, shops, things to do, places to see like; Coniston lake, Beatrix Potter Trust, Wordsworth Country, Broughton-in-Furness, Raven Glass, Muns Castle, the local Fells, etc please e-mail 

Travel Blog; Egypt, St Catherines, The Burning Bush, Mount Sinai, Transfiguration of Christ, God in Northern Egypt, A travel Log to remember

The Byzantine Monastery of St. Catherine’s, chapel of the Burning Bush, is one of the oldest working monasteries in the world since 381, siting at the base of Mount Sinai, also know as the mount of the Transfiguration of Jesus. This Ancient abode encapsulates tales of angelic transportation, extraordinary miracles, direct communication with God, the largest collection of early icons, scared to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and for me being so close to it, in that I mean 130 miles away, what else would you want as a calling card with a chance to visit and in my way pay homage to this monumental space on our planet.

Of course to add to the military borderlines that encapsulate it, it resides just off the northern tip of Egypt, in North Africa, the right hand side of the parting of the Suez canal, a divisional, that still lies in a political and military juxtaposition. Including the parting of the Red sea, some of the greatest miracles of our time were conducted on this land, it is where the tablets of God were presented but they say also where the burning bush resides. Within these acclamations, it holds great relevance to our human philosophical nature of curiosity and religion and one from me that deserved time to further investigation and give it my personal insight. So as  you can see it has many facets, that play a part in deciding how to approach this ancient fabled land. 

It’s not a typical desert landscape not what I was expecting but you do have these preemptive concepts in one's head. No rolling sand-hills leading into majestic mountains, but more one of large boulders, a land strewn with rocks, stones, encapsulating hills and mountain creviced treacherous climbs. Glad that I was not one of Moses followers, with blistered and bloodied feet, suffering a pilgrimage, a long arduous trek akin to that famous St Patrick's day trek I so often had the duty-ship to climb. (Glad to be in an air-conditioned motorized vehicle having an alternative option of how to travel to it).  Nothing grows here, no vegetation, no illusive palm trees, no cacti, no wiry shrubbery, absolutely nothing.  The only reflective echoing thought was a similarity of marks to Mars omitting the red ochre dust, was the sheer heat, the acrid taste of death in the air, with that a hope that our driver came laden with extra water, enough fuel in the tank not to get caught stranded with vultures circling drooling for their next lunch.

Want to read more let me know...........

TRAVEL BLOG - The Lake District, Mount Helvellyn (the apex of the Eastern Fells) & Windermere

Travelling is just one of those things I love to do. The travel experience falls into simple categories for me, the ones which predominately I try to keep an open mind towards.  

Categories like the surrounding area and facilities, impacting scenery, food it's quality & local passions depending what's on offer and the engaging places that are worshipped, accommodation options if I stay over, price impact, and the climatic atmosphere.  

A trip or a vacation has its impacts small to start, and then as it develops, the experience takes over, giving one a general culminating sense of reward sediment, leaving one with memories both high and low.

So for my first travel blog, the one to kick it all off, I have chosen to write about my Lakeland's experience, in the Lake district of the North West of England. This by the way was my first time entering into this vista of which I was informed is a very "special" place indeed. 

Which is in fact a dangerous statement for me to accept especially if cast in my direction. It automatically ups my expectation levels, and therefore I am actively on the look out for impressions of how this place effects me, what it is truly like and since my friend finds it to be very special then what is that special piece that I would appropriate from this place, myself! 

The Lake District, driving, the options are easy and coming off the main northern bound motorways M61 or M6 from Manchester direction, Sat-Nav predominately controlling the way, and in so doing it is fairly straight forward to be honest to arrive into Cumbria. 

After coming off the main motorways, we drove into developing tempestuous valleys, lifting up into higher rising hills to start and in the distance mountain tops.  Below however at eye level and it's surrounding area's we found ourselves moving constantly towards still sandy reed lakes, crescent-lined and wrapped by windy roadways and pathways, old round stone walls giving the vista a general sense of older times which I must admit I love. 

That possibility of an older world of times gone by, really sets me up for simply the unexpected, which keeps me, if I am truthful on edge, watching for the unexpected, the strange, the unusual, ancient influences, you know the likes, when you turn an unusual corner, a sight can open up right in front of your eyes, such an unexpected delight! 

And that is exactly what happened, wonderfully which gets me all tingly inside, with anticipations building, for we were on our way for six hour mountain walk... 

My expectations generally were in the mountains, as the day was setting itself up to be a beaut! With clear blue skies and sunshine, lotion out, nose peeler just in case. 

On turning, a downhill steeply corner, it was there right in front of us, Windermere, even the name gave me goosebumps and set me riveting back especially when you stretch out the word Win-der-mere. The name of course for me suggests Camelot, the round table, heroic knights, and even the sense of magic caught my imagination with a pure pre-raphaelite induction and feel. 

The areas that surround this name sake is transcending, for example small round towered land lying buildings, low lying cottages, surrounding Windermere with its state lakes that run into mountains. 

A set in time, it's surrounding beauty is breath taking, so I made a serious mental note of it not that you could forget, to make sure we would stop there on our way back! Just to see what delights this hamlet and surrounding town lake lands would hold. Further on we went into the depts of the mountains, moving further into its silence, peaceful natural aspiration, moving further away from its spiraling roads, into a place of untempered national beauty.  

Moving closer to it's heights, we parked around the base line of Helvellyn (such an ancient name, pictured below) and in climbing it, reaching spectacular views, massive openness you just want to keep stretching yourself out to more peaked tops of exploration, with that complete sense of open top freedom you can only find on mountains and pitted crevice walks. 

With round-stone and slate huts, precipices, that jigger me with unexpected heights, all made the experience worthwhile. In reaching our Hellvelyn (the apex of the Eastern fells) three hour trail, we settled down to enjoy a packed lunch all home made of pasta delights, and watched a vibrancy of fellow walking enthusiasts young and old, as them, enjoying the stellar views that encapsulated us all. 

From there we trampled onto Dolly Wagon Pike, and Nethermost Pike, across lined stones paths, grass reed walks, rolling green verges, and cool stone edged deep lake pockets, that warrants jumping in whole (a naked concept) to return to being cooler, breezing the heat quenching stillness. 

Our mountain stroll, finished by waterfalls, of capturing fallen colours, and as we descended back to base camp. We were still in-awed by potential future climbs, that would definitely push endurance to new limits. Jovially deciding which new routes to take, new mountains to climb, and what new hellish names to put on those potential grueling ascents, not for the faint hearted in certain parts but safe. This is what I loved about this place, the need to come back, the magnetic pull of the place to delve further into it's unknowns and play Attenborough. 

Exhausted and now phenomenally hungry, we headed back to the parked car which was paid for, parking ticket that is, to uphold the preserve of the natural resort we had spent our time in.  A great concept I think. Local money for local things.

As cool breezes descended from the Mountains like ourselves, we ventured back towards Windermere.  Found the local village quite quickly. This is where expectations can let one down, I was so in-awed by the natural beauty of the place, I must admit I was expecting the village to transcend that voluptuous essence we had travelled into. Don't get me wrong it is picturesque, but unfortunately I was expecting something more! Onwards we went, food being our central focus, and began to look around.  

I must say on first impressions it did not have much to offer, general pizza and pasta predominated, I was looking for something, local, Mrs Beaton styled grub, but unfortunately nothing seemed to exist.  After passing a number of potential, not exactly warranting venues, we settled for the inner village cafe, sitting on a traffic island so to speak, set with outside tables to enjoy the evening heat.  We took the dive, hunger being a fore runner, we settled inside.  

And from there my wonderful day took full fruit, with plates of garlic buttered langoustines, crab claws, tepid warm crusted bread, juicy olives, slices of local and italian meats, sun-ripened tomatoes, freshly made juices, we gorged ourselves, relaxed and under no pressure with desserts and coffee's to follow, I believe my day came promptly to an fabulous end.  The only down-hearted event was the travel back, to collapse solemnly into bed. The bill came to £35 for two, could not have asked for anything more.

 I will be back.......

This is only one of many articles that I have written about the Lake District and other areas of interest in England.  If you would like to receive more information about these articles and places of interest please leave a comment and I will get information to you as soon as possible.

Thanks for Reading, I have really enjoyed sharing this.