This walk was an unexpected joy. The weekend was a last minute decision, we had no plans to visit the lakes, then I decided to rent a room in a guest house at the last minute.
It was by chance we arrived at this particular guest house, it was recommended by the Cedar Manor Hotel who were booked up solid that weekend. What a fabulous surprise we had though finding Annesdale House.
The room was beautifully furnished, and included a gigantic bed, the most comfortable we had ever slept in. It had underfloor heating in each room, a remote controlled log fire; Flat screen TV; IPod dock; tea and coffee which included a choice of over 30 different teas in an exquisite box set.
The bathroom was top class and also included underfloor heating which was so warm you felt like staying in there after a shower. We even had our own small garden outside which included a breakfast table and two chairs.
After getting over the shock of the room we had a quick scout in Windemere for which restaurant we would go to for our evening meal. After careful consideration we decided on an Italian which turned out to be very average in my opinion but Jacqueline liked it.
Next day we purchased a few walking guides round Windemere and considered the options while we had breakfast in our suite.
Finally I suggested a walk around the hills near Troutbeck, a difficult walk for us but one that would hopefully offer views over the lake that would reward us for the effort in the climb.
The walk started off with a gentle climb into the foothills east of the lake, weather was glorious, and visibility was perfect. In hindsight we would have brought a day rucksack, as we missed our binoculars and a place to store camera, phones etc. (Note to self for the future always bring a day bag).
The gentle ascent soon turned into a steep climb, which left us both out of breath, we both realize fitness is not our strongest asset so we took breaks every five to ten minutes to recover.
The effort to climb the roads was worth it though as the views were fantastic, we could see down into Windemere, the valley stretched out before us, and the Lake reflected sunlight which dazzled from over two miles away.
We passed cottages which looked like they had been built from the stones lying around on the round, and probably were! Everyone we passed said hello, something we have both noticed since we started walking this year is that people in the countryside are more friendly, even if in the towns they maybe like us and hardly say boo to a goose.
After a short rest for our dinner and one more series of photographs we headed off down towards Troutbeck itself.
Troutbeck can be found between Windermere and Ambleside, just off the Kirkstone Pass. The village of Troutbeck is spread along a hillside which runs from Town End to Town Head. The houses, cottages and farms can be found spread along a narrow lane bordered by dry-stone walls. Most of the buildings can be found or centred around springs or wells.
Troutbeck is designated a Conservation Area, with a number of buildings which date from the 17th to the 19th Centuries. Some of the buildings have retained the original features such as mullioned windows, heavy cylindrical chimneys and a rare example of an exposed spinning gallery can be seen. One of the oldest properties is Townend situated at the southern end of the village. Townend is a farmhouse with whitewashed walls and stone mullioned windows and was built in 1623 by George Browne and remained in the family until 1943 and now is the hands of the National Trust. Inside this fine 17th Century Yeoman's house you will discover low ceilings. Original home carved oak panelling and furniture and stone flagged floors.
The church and the former school can be found in the valley which was rebuilt in the 18th Century has an east window created in 1873 by William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones and Ford Madox Brown. At the northern end of the village is a 17th Century inn "Mortal Man" and a delightful Clock Cottage with farms and cottages that cluster around the buildings.
Passing through Troutbeck led us to the old Church which was well maintained and thoughtfully cared for. It had the most amazing Stained Glass windows for a Church of its size and congregation. I checked the records and found it had an average of only 34 people attending on a Sunday.
After visiting the Church we moved on and passed over the bridge crossing Troutbeck. We then turned back into the hills, crossed an excellent section of the Troutbeck where two more bridges spanned a series of man made amateur dams, the like of which I used to build as a child.
To our surprise we then began another steep climb back into the hills and after a few short rests we leveled out and began the final mile descent towards the Brockhole visitors centre where we started.
I must have a little moan here as I was forced to pay £5.00 for 4 hours to park my car, and considering the idea that visitors should be rewarded for choosing the lakes as a break I think charging to park the car before heading out to sample the free delights of the area is a bit unfair.
Overall the walk was very rewarding, at times it was even breathtaking. We will be back to try more of the Windemere walks, next time maybe a slightly less inclined route would suit us better.
