During this year I shall be posting photographs from places around the UK, many of which have not been published before. Where I have previously blogged about a location I will provide a link to the post, though you won’t be able to comment on it as I restrict comments to six months.
U is for Ullswater
Ullswater is the second largest lake in the Lake District and stretches over 8 miles from Pooley Bridge in the north to Glenridding. We arrived there from Patterdale after driving over the Kirkstone Pass.
The lake is shaped like a crooked finger, with high fells surrounding the Glenridding end and rolling farmland to the north.
Ullswater was described by William Wordsworth as “the happiest combination of beauty and grandeur which any of the Lakes afford.”
And it is here in 1802 that he wrote his most famous poem “Daffodils” after a walk through Gowbarrow Park with his sister Dorothy.
Aira Force is on the north side of the lake, a 20m multiple waterfall with viewing bridges above and below to get close to the thundering water safely. It was the inspiration for three other Wordsworth poems, including the “Somnambulist”.
As you can expect the area is popular with fell walkers with many water activities available such as sailing, canoeing and kayaking. There are also steamers around the lake on either a full return or one way cruise departing from Glenridding or Pooley Bridge (takes 1 hour). You can hop on and off at any of the four piers around the lake.
TRAVEL WORDS 