Lake District - a rest from walking

The Lake District is not just about outdoor pursuits, such as walking, climbing, cycling and boating.   Although these activities feature strongly as the reason why people visit the area.    And the number of outdoor shops certainly support this reason.  However, I did see plenty of people who came to enjoy a little bit of relaxation, to party, and to eat in the numerous restaurants and pubs.  

There were only a few boats around, but from the pictures leisurely sailing is a very popular activity on the lakes.  Not quite the Mediterranean but still busy in summer.

 These two swans are so elegant.  

 The Lakes District Visitor Centre.   A very imposing building, once a grand house and gardens, and an excellent display of photographs inside the building.

We visited the Lakeland Pencil Museum in Keswick, on the edge of Derwent Water. Surprisingly, a very interesting museum, small, but full of information about the making of pencils.   What started off as a home industry two hundred years ago, is now a thriving commercial industry, that produces a wide range of high quality pencils.   The graphite for the early pencils came from a mine in Borrowdale, and the wood from cedar trees which were imported from America.   And I learnt the letters HB on the end of the pencils means Hard Black.   Obvious, but not really.   

Oh how I remember the tins of Derwent pencils.   Very precious, and I took great care of  my small tin of coloured pencils with its picture of Derwent Water and the fells on the lid.

Derwent watercolour pencils were used to illustrate the pictures for the film 'The Snowman'.

And of course there is the world's longest pencil on display.    As it is long and thin, I could not photograph the whole pencil so had to make do with the sign.

A stroll along the waters edge of Lake Windermere in order to get the best photographs.

The opposites.   Two people working hard in a kayak, while the people in the sailing boat are using an engine, and relaxing as they cruise along on the water.

This is not Holland, where everything is pristine.   These two milk trucks are rusting happily at the back of the dairy.    I love them.

A Victorian glasshouse?  No!  It is a very modern garden centre in Ambleside.   We went and had a look inside of course.   Very smart.

And so this ends our visit to the Lake District.    A beautiful area, well worth visiting.   And one that we shall return to, in the not too distant future, I hope.   Maybe to climb higher and reach the top of some of the peaks.  And to look at some of the historical sites that abound in the area.   But no walking on deadly ridges planned, not for us.   I do not want to tumble over the edge.   Not yet anyway.