# Questions about The Lake District - early Sept



## klpca (Jan 8, 2018)

I just confirmed (instant exchange) a week at The Lakelands in Ambleside for a week in late August/early Sept. I have 24 hours to cancel and a few questions. First of all, I cannot find any reviews on The Lakelands, but the photos look good. http://the-lakelands.com/ Does anyone have any comments on the resort, or the location (Ambleside)? Also, I know that weather is a crapshoot, but any comments on weather in late August? We would hopefully be able to hike and hit the pubs in the evening. I'm not sure if we will have a car - Ambleside seems to have good access to public transportation, but if anyone has thoughts on that I would appreciate those as well. Thanks in advance.


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## klpca (Jan 8, 2018)

One more question - I would like to add another week on to this trip. Cotswolds? Wales? It doesn't have to be a timeshare. Any suggestions are welcome.


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## w879jr1 (Jan 8, 2018)

klpca said:


> I just confirmed (instant exchange) a week at The Lakelands in Ambleside for a week in late August/early Sept. I have 24 hours to cancel and a few questions. First of all, I cannot find any reviews on The Lakelands, but the photos look good. http://the-lakelands.com/ Does anyone have any comments on the resort, or the location (Ambleside)? Also, I know that weather is a crapshoot, but any comments on weather in late August? We would hopefully be able to hike and hit the pubs in the evening. I'm not sure if we will have a car - Ambleside seems to have good access to public transportation, but if anyone has thoughts on that I would appreciate those as well. Thanks in advance.



The last weekend in August is a national holiday period, so Ambleside will be very busy. However, this need not spoil a trip when you are aware of it and plan accordingly. Public transport is available in Ambleside but it doesn't directly access the best parts of the Lake District, so renting a car would be better and allow you the freedom to avoid the crowds. In general the Lake District south and east of Ambleside, more accessible from the M6 motorway, will be very busy in the holiday period. Travelling north from Ambleside (and this is possible by bus number 505 to Keswick) will take you away from the crowds. Even better, by going north-west by car you will reach the quieter walking areas on the fells (i.e. mountains). Parking may be difficult at popular sights, but the Lake District beauty is available to view at many quieter locations.

On the Tuesday after the holiday weekend Ambleside returns to being a much more pleasant area. This is most notably seen in the friendlier attitude of your local hosts, who will be much less stressed.

After the Lake District, a trip to Wales (particularly north Wales) would provide scenery very similar to the Lake District, with walking trails of similar standards. The weather will also be much the same, so the risk of rain is just as high.

The Cotswolds would provide a complete contrast, with gentler walking (although longer walks will be just as tiring). The villages, and their pubs appear more frequently and there is some chance that September weather could be warmer and drier.

If you enjoy hiking, eating in public houses, and meeting friendly locals then your vacation hopes will be met in all these places. Remember that the British can be at their best when the conditions are less than perfect.


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## klpca (Jan 9, 2018)

w879jr1 said:


> The last weekend in August is a national holiday period, so Ambleside will be very busy. However, this need not spoil a trip when you are aware of it and plan accordingly. Public transport is available in Ambleside but it doesn't directly access the best parts of the Lake District, so renting a car would be better and allow you the freedom to avoid the crowds. In general the Lake District south and east of Ambleside, more accessible from the M6 motorway, will be very busy in the holiday period. Travelling north from Ambleside (and this is possible by bus number 505 to Keswick) will take you away from the crowds. Even better, by going north-west by car you will reach the quieter walking areas on the fells (i.e. mountains). Parking may be difficult at popular sights, but the Lake District beauty is available to view at many quieter locations.
> 
> On the Tuesday after the holiday weekend Ambleside returns to being a much more pleasant area. This is most notably seen in the friendlier attitude of your local hosts, who will be much less stressed.
> 
> ...


Wow! What a thorough and enlightening response! Thank you! I think that we will try to add some time in and around the Cotswolds for some contrast.


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## w879jr1 (Jan 10, 2018)

I am pleased to be of some help. I hope that you live some distance from areas of forest fires or mudslides.

There are interesting events that take place near Ambleside in the August Bank Holiday Weekend. Though these are attended by a lot of people they provide great entertainment. Unusual sports events (that is, to ANYONE from outside the Lake District) take place in Grasmere on the Sunday. One sport is wrestling, but the competitors wear clothing which is odd-looking to modern eyes. Keswick agricultural show occurs on the following day. Here you will see breeds of animals typical of the area and there are 'One Man (or Woman) and their Dog' sheep driving trials. Both Grasmere and Keswick can be reached by public transport from Ambleside.

Most of the extra visitors to the area at this time do not venture far from the car parks. So if you go hiking, the further and higher you go the smaller the population density. There are footpaths which start very close to the Lakelands (see the Ordnance Survey Map OL7) which will take you away from the bustle of the town. Remember that they will be less-used after the holiday weekend though. If you do not plan to rent a car, Mountain Goat Tours (www.mountain-goat.co.uk ) provide an excellent means of seeing areas further from Ambleside, which is one of their pick-up points.

An area in Wales which provides the greatest contrast from the Lake District for walking is the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park which is in the south-west of the country. The views from the coastal paths are superb. The UK's smallest city St. Davids is in the area (and there are timeshares - look at DialanExchange). Nearby is Tenby, a typically old-fashioned seaside holiday resort.

Have a great trip.


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## Bunk (Jan 10, 2018)

Thanks kipca and w879jri.  I checked this out and it looks really good.  We may book a unit at the end of August, 2019.  

If we wanted to extend the trip for a few more days (but not a full week),  might it make sense to visit York for a few nights either before or after the trip. Or is there another place you would recommend

w879jri:  We've been watching the Hinterland detective series.  It shows such a bleak, depressing image of Wales.  How accurate is that?


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## silentg (Jan 10, 2018)

Sounds like a great trip Kit!


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## Laurie (Jan 11, 2018)

w879jr1 said:


> An area in Wales which provides the greatest contrast from the Lake District for walking is the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park which is in the south-west of the country. The views from the coastal paths are superb. The UK's smallest city St. Davids is in the area (and there are timeshares - look at DialanExchange). Nearby is Tenby, a typically old-fashioned seaside holiday resort.


Agreed! I thought about posting this last night, but it was too late.    We exchanged into St David's Vacation Club in the past, and liked the area so much, we're returning later this year to the RCI resort in Little Haven, for a slightly different spot on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path.

Loved Ambleside and the Lake District in general, especially the more northern parts. We exchanged in, after a drive thru on our way to Wales from Scotland. You'll have a great trip.

We once drove thru parts of the Cotswolds one day and it was pretty, but IMO less spectacular than either Lake District or Pembrokeshire, and I wasn't personally inspired to return.


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## w879jr1 (Jan 12, 2018)

Bunk said:


> Thanks kipca and w879jri.  I checked this out and it looks really good.  We may book a unit at the end of August, 2019.
> 
> If we wanted to extend the trip for a few more days (but not a full week),  might it make sense to visit York for a few nights either before or after the trip. Or is there another place you would recommend
> 
> w879jri:  We've been watching the Hinterland detective series.  It shows such a bleak, depressing image of Wales.  How accurate is that?



York would be an excellent place to visit. There is history in abundance. It is the location of the National Railway Museum, if that is of interest to you. Include a trip to Harrogate in your itinerary. It is an elegant and refined town with good hotels, shops and restaurants (Betty's Tea Room is world famous).

Poor old Wales! I haven't seen any of the Hinterland series, but I can make a guess at what impression it will give.

Historically, because of the horrors associated with living through the 19th century Industrial Revolution in the colliery areas of Wales, literature has focussed on the bleakness of the lives of its low-paid working people. Generally the only joy may be that people survive the existence. The tradition to emphasise dourness of the Welsh character is maintained to this day.

There are lots of beautiful places in Wales where the people are more contented, but equally there are also many places in the rest of the UK (and the USA?) where life is still very hard.


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## beejaybeeohio (Jan 13, 2018)

We had a week at Sutton Hall in Thirsk Yorkshire followed by a week at Whitbarrow Village in the northern part of the Lake District in May 2015. We found plenty to occupy us in Yorkshire- loved Fountains Abbey & Castle Howard and spent a day taking the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to/from Whitby on the coast.  Also ventured north to Hadrian's Wall as we made our way over to Whitbarrow.

Our Lake District week was marred by a tyre blowout on a Sunday evening as we followed a rugged driving route recommended by Rick Steves. No spare, just a repair kit that didn't fix our gash, and no cell service either!  Thank God for a lovely couple who took me to their home so that I could arrange for help. Because it was a bank holiday week, it took until Tuesday before we received a replacement car from Enterprise!  When we were underway again, we ventured to the southern part of the district and it was very crowded with families enjoying the week off.  Definitely, get gingerbread in Grasmere at Sarah Nelsons!  And for a tranquil lake cruise go to Ullswater: https://www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk/. You can hop on/off to take various walks and hikes.


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## hvsteve1 (Jan 28, 2018)

We had a long stay in U.K. last summer. We used two timeshares in England and AirBnB in Wales (Snowdonia) and Cotswalds and were very pleased.


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## w879jr1 (Aug 14, 2018)

klpca said:


> I just confirmed (instant exchange) a week at The Lakelands in Ambleside for a week in late August/early Sept. I have 24 hours to cancel and a few questions. First of all, I cannot find any reviews on The Lakelands, but the photos look good. http://the-lakelands.com/ Does anyone have any comments on the resort, or the location (Ambleside)? Also, I know that weather is a crapshoot, but any comments on weather in late August? We would hopefully be able to hike and hit the pubs in the evening. I'm not sure if we will have a car - Ambleside seems to have good access to public transportation, but if anyone has thoughts on that I would appreciate those as well. Thanks in advance.





klpca said:


> I just confirmed (instant exchange) a week at The Lakelands in Ambleside for a week in late August/early Sept. I have 24 hours to cancel and a few questions. First of all, I cannot find any reviews on The Lakelands, but the photos look good. http://the-lakelands.com/ Does anyone have any comments on the resort, or the location (Ambleside)? Also, I know that weather is a crapshoot, but any comments on weather in late August? We would hopefully be able to hike and hit the pubs in the evening. I'm not sure if we will have a car - Ambleside seems to have good access to public transportation, but if anyone has thoughts on that I would appreciate those as well. Thanks in advance.



I hope that you have a wonderful time.


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## Bunk (Oct 14, 2018)

Hi Kipca.  I'm wondering whether you visited Lakelands and if so whether you enjoyed it.  (We're going at the end of August, 2019).

Thank you.


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