I was very lucky to stay here back in October 2015. I had always been intrigued to what the most photographed boathouse in the lakes looked like inside. I was completely blown away by its beautiful interior and of course that view. https://adventuresofcumbrianblondie.co.uk/2015/10/20/staycation/
I never take for granted living in the Lake District. So glad my ex made me run away to the lakes all those years ago. It’s nice staying away for the night so near to home, playing tourist in your home county.
I was lucky to have an offer to stay a night at The Duke of Portland Boathouse on the shores of Ullswater. I have driven past it many times and stopped to take its pic. I was intrigued to see what it was like inside.
It originally belonged to the 3rd Duke of Portland (1738-1809), but he became involved in a nine-year legal battle with Sir James Lowther over lands in Carlisle they both claimed, and had to sell his Cumbrian assets to save himself from bankruptcy.
Ullswater is my favourite lake, so tranquil and not as busy as its cousins. Wordsworth called Ullswater “the happiest combination of beauty and grandeur, which any of the lakes affords”. He was right.
The boathouse has been beautifully renovated. I loved the deep Japanese teak wooden bath, when filled with bubbles I needed a life buoy!
No better view from the bedroom window.
Amazing view to wake up to.
Luckily I did the naked shot before the hoards of photographers were on the shore at dawn to photograph the house. If you can’t beat them, join them!
A truly wonderful stay, thank you David from Lake District Holidays for letting me stay at this wonderful property. http://www.lakescottageholiday.co.uk/property/boathouse-duke-of-portland-pooley-bridge-nr-ullswater-21859.htm
A few more snaps, then back to reality to adult day care.
Let the obsession continue……When we were out with Paul and Sian on the 10 in 10, he mentioned that our mutual friends Paul and Karen were coming to the lakes to walk and go to the famous Staveley Beer hall summer beer festival. So we gate crashed and had the day off work and joined them. I did make the request to do the Kentmere horseshoe as the Far Eastern fells were next on the list. The weather was not looking favourable at the start of the week but by Thursday was only a slight chance of a shower so decided to go for it. Continue reading Plan B
On the Saturday other members of the family joined us and before we had our very own Lakeland afternoon tea by the lake. We headed off to Aira Force. It had been raining alot so the force was pretty impressive. I had forgotten what a lovely stroll it is up there. After a family photo shoot it was back for tea and yes there were Brownies. My nieces would not forgive me if I didn’t bring Brownies!
Sundays plan was to do Place Fell, for me never done this walk. The weather was a bit mixed when we sent off. So managed to get parked on the roadside before heading up past Side Farm to start the walk.
We headed up to Boredale hause, this was a steady climb up. Up Steel Edge to Round How onto the Summit of Place Fell. As we ascended the wind got stronger and could hardly stand up on the top. A quick photo or two and it was time to find a sheltered bit to wait for the others to catch up. The views down Ullswater are spectacular and for a relatively small hill was quite a slog up.
Then descended The knight onto Mortar Crag, round the edge of Sleet Fell to Garth’s Heads in the bottom of the valley.
The walk along the Boredale Valley seem to go on forever but in front could see the Boredale Head we had to climb. By now the legs were feeling a little tired and the climb up Boredale Head seem to take an age. Once on the top it was down Hause Crag, down Boredale Hause and back to Side Farm.
Decided to go and have a walkers reward pint in The Patterdale Hotel, bad move!! The staff there are so rude and it is just horrid in there. Why do people think that if you put up some fancy wallpaper and some leather tub chairs makes you contemporary !! The rest of the place looks like it’s in a time warp!!
