It is a long way up to the Lake District but luckily Mrs Keen had borrowed a new car for the holiday. Sophie settled into the back - "Hey, this is better than your car Mrs Keen. It's much bigger and more comfortable...".

 

After driving for many hours they arrived. Mrs Keen carried all the picnic food down to the grass and Sophie sat down quickly hunting through it! "Where's the sweets?" asked greedy Sophie. "We've got sandwiches first" replied Mrs Keen. They watched lots of people in the lake swimming and splashing about. Sophie had her swimming costume on but didn't want to go in.

When the food was finished Mrs Keen got her book out to read in the sun. Sophie took a look but wasn't impressed. "Too many words and not enough pictures" she said.

Mrs Keen loaded the picnic things back into the car. Sophie didn't help much - she just sat on the car! "Sophie, are you going to help?" shouted Mrs Keen. "Do I have to?". What a lazy bear!

They met Sophie's grandma and went for a little walk by a small lake - called a Tarn.

They saw some ducks swimming around. One was diving down and waving his bottom in the air! Sophie pretended to be a duck by waving her bottom in the air.

Next they saw a field of sheep. Sophie wanted to chase them but Mrs Keen told her off. "You might scare them - that looks like a Mummy sheep and her lamb."

Near the end of the walk they came to a big waterfall. This is where the river drops over a lot of rocks. It was very loud with all the water gushing over and hitting the bottom.

Finally it was time to go home. Sophie got back into the car. They zoomed down the motorway. Sophie counted the cars they went past but found she couldn't count that high!

Halfway home they stopped at a motorway service station because Sophie needed the toilet and Mrs Keen wanted to stretch her legs.

They were soon home.

 

Sophie visited a few places in the Lakes. Firstly, Fell Foot Park. It's a National Trust country park / gardens. You can sit by the lake and swim (if you're brave enough). They have parking (pay + display), a shop, cafe and toilets.

Then Sophie went for a walk around Loughrigg Tarn. This is reachable as a longer walk from many places but a quiet afternoon / evening amble around the tarn is pleasant. You can find it north of the Ambleside - Coniston road at Skelwith Bridge. (Easiest access is up the "Access Only" road on the bend just before Skelwith Bridge - though naturally that would be against the highway code to drive.). Then park anywhere at the top of this and follow the footpath to your right around the back of the farm and upto the tarn. A circular walk brings you back to the car.

You've also then got the walk up to Skelwith Force. This runs up the Brathay from Skelwith Bridge at the Kirkstone Quarries shop / restaurant. (Very nice but not cheap). It runs up the Brathay past Skelwith Bridge into Elterwater in the Langdales. It's a fairly flat walk, the later part of which is OK for buggies etc... There's an NT car park near Skelwith Force and another in Elterwater itself.

Finally, Sophie also has to visit the gingerbread shop in Grasmere. There's only one of these which is the little old building on the corner next to the church. The ideal way to enjoy it is warmed for 10 secs in the microwave and with Ice Cream!