Lake District

Friday, 12 October 2012

Another University union trip?...not this time.

 

As part of its efforts to provide students on its many MA courses the catalyst to make contact... establish friendships...seal bonds, the School of Education organises two residential trips per academic year to the famed Lake District and Peak District. The first being sometime in October; the second, sometime in May of the following year.

 

Without an iota of hesitation, I put my name down for the first trip to the Lake District...naturally.

 

Located within the county of Cumbria in the North-West, The Lake District National Park is the largest of England's National Parks.

 

The pictures speak for themselves...

 

Castlerigg Manor:
where we stayed. Originally built in the 1840s, the Manor today is a Catholic Youth Service Centre. The staff was most hospitable and the food excellent. My only grouse...the ICY cold toilet seat in the morning.

Skiddaw:
at 931m above sea-level, it is the 4th highest fell (mountain? hill?) of the Lake District.

Derwentwater:
third largest of 14 lakes of the Lake District.

Catbells:
the first two peaks on the left. From here, I thought: "looks quite tame...should be a stroll in the park..."

Catbells:
nearer. "Mmm...it's looks bigger than a while ago... still think it shouldn't pose too much of a problem..."



The Long March:
at the foot of Catbells, just beginning to ascend.
"@#$%*...what did I get myself into? Should've swallowed my ego and opted to sit leisurely by the water's edge and wait..."

Half way up the first peak:
the view was great...but I wasn't quite in the mood to appreciate the scenery. I kept my head down and focussed on putting one foot in front of the other...

On Catbells:
just after the first peak, walking towards the second. "Phew...almost didn't make it up".
It was tough for me...pay back for too much Lays and Ruffles while watching football on telly back home. Lucky for me the trudge up the second peak proved to be a tad easier...

a bit more...

nearly there...
(A rainbow!...you can vaguely see it)



Ta-da! Catbells...the summit.

Breathtaking...

Keswick:
one of several towns within the Lake District. It was a Saturday and hence the market was on.

Grasmere:
another town, home to Williams Wordsworth, the famous English poet. The churchyard is resting place to the Wordsworth family.

The little brook that runs just beside the churchyard...postcard worthy.



"Hey! Will someone tell her to TURN AROUND and take the picture...cos the REAL beauty's RIGHT HERE!!"

Latestest K-Pop duo? Models for toothpaste ad? or MIB...Maidens in Black?

Where's Paly (Patrick aw leong yen)?
My School of Education comrades-in-arms or...partners-in-crime : ) 

To sum up the weekend spent at the Lake District, it was...GREAT!
GREAT company! GREAT fun! GREAT experience!

The scenery was beautiful...but took GREAT effort too. The trouble was, having visited New Zealand, in particular the South Island, it was a case of deja vu...a bit of 'been there, seen that'.

And all I had to do then was...sit on my bum and be driven around.