Stunning (The Lake District)

   I've been looking forward to writing this post ever since I started snapping these pictures. On September 8th my parents & started back to Cambridge, but we stopped by the Lake District for two days. My parents are going back in about three weeks for their 25th wedding anniversary. Of course I won't be going then, so they kindly gave me these two days so I could get a taste of The Lakes. 

   Our first day was spent shopping & resting in Windermere. It was an overcast day & we were pretty worn out from over a week of traveling. It wasn't until the next day when we got out in the hills that we saw how stunning the Lake District is.

   On the 9th we rode a ferry across lake Windermere to the town of Ambleside. It was gorgeous. There's really no way I can describe the beauty of the mountains, mists & woods to you. So here are some pictures to give you a tiny taste of the beautiful Lake District.

Mostly I just looked around & hummed Misty Mountains to myself. 

Can I have one of these houses, please?

   The tiny town of Ambleside was so cute! We visited St. Mary's Parish Church where Charlotte Mason is buried. She lived during the 19th century & revolutionized education in England. She fostered a love of learning in children in a day where children were punished & ignored most of the time. My mum has always been inspired by her & was really touched to see her grave.

   We then set off through the hills to Wordsworth's house. William Wordsworth was an English Romantic poet who lived during the late 1700s & early 1800s. When I was about eight a Union student named Ashely taught Joshua & me a little poetry class. One of the poems we had to memorize was William Wordsworth's "Daffodils".

I wander'd lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils,

Beside the lake, beneath the trees

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretch'd in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: -

A poet could not but be gay

In such a jocund company!

I gazed - and gazed - but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought.

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills

And dances with the daffodils.

Via

   No, I can't say it from memory any more (sorry Ashley), but I do remember memorizing it. That counts for something, doesn't it?

   As we traipsed up through the hills to his house I remember thinking, "No wonder he was a poet! Anyone could be a poet if they lived here!" It was absolutely stunning. We were blessed with beautiful weather which I'm beyond thankful for. Walking through these hills was the final favorite experience of my top four favorite experiences from this trip.

Photo Credit: Dad

   We did get to see Wordsworth's house, but I couldn't get a very good picture of it. I'll say one thing though, he had a great view.

   The next day we rode the train back to Cambridge. We made some great memories & saw some beautiful sights on this trip & I'm so thankful I got to go! But by the end we were quite ready to be back home in Cambridge. I've settled back into my routine of studying, walking, reading, Skyping, & (of course) blogging! I'm so glad to be back!

P.S. Make sure to check back tomorrow, I've got a treat for you!