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Hi Everyone,
We’re on our way from Carlisle to Edinburgh! Yesterday was a gorgeous, beautiful day with exceptional scenery.
We left our hotel in Leeds in the morning and headed for the Lake District of England. The area became popular during the Industrial Revolution with the emergence of the middle class. For the first time in history, people had excess money to take their family on vacation. The region itself was absolutely gorgeous and the drive had plenty of breathtaking views – rolling hills with stone wall dividers filled with grazing sheep and goats. The towns we drove through we’re just as picturesque.
Our first stop was Lake Windermere, the area that inspired Beatrix Potter to write her many tales including the story of Peter Rabbit. When we arrived at the mere, we boarded a private boat and had a 45 minute tour around the lake. The water was so calm and the people on the lake were so happy. The views were amazing and the weather couldn’t have been better!
After our boat tour, we walked into the town to grab lunch. It was beautiful with just one main steeet. Our tour guide recommended we try something called at pasty at The Cornish Bakery. They were delicious & were essentially empanadas with various types of fillings. I tried the traditional one (beef, onions & other vegetables) and a cheese & onion one.
After lunch, we boarded the bus and headed to the Keswick Outdoor Activity Center where the group had a few options for activities – a high ropes course, archery or a climbing wall. I did archery, something I haven’t done since high school!! I was able to do it standing up instead of needing to sit down & even hit a bullseye or two.
The activity center had breathtaking views of England.
After archery, we drove to our hotel in Carlisle and had dinner at an Australian bar next door. Our Contiki group took over the bar & literally turned it into the biggest party in town. I got the impression from our tour guide that our group had more fun than most in Carlisle!