England's Lake District


Meeting my mom by the Tower Bridge

I have once again fallen behind in my posts. Fortunately - or perhaps not - it was a rather lackluster winter and I don't have to much to report. I did, however, manage to make it to England to see my mom and brother. Now, usually when I visit England I just stay in London. This is a fine thing, by my reckoning. Why not spend as much time as posible in one of the most exciting, cultured, and historic cities in the world? However, this time I managed to venture beyond London's city limits and took a road trip with my mom and bro up to the very lovely Lake District.


Mom and Matt planning the trip in a pub the night before leaving

Thanks to the time of the year, the sun hung low in the sky from dawn til dusk. As a result, the lighting was phenomenal - great for taking pictures. Additionally, a permanent frost clung to the grass and the trees, giving everything a silvery gleam. Early morning was the most beautiful time, as the lakes remained placid like mirrors reflecting the rolling hills. But throughout the day, the countryside remained lovely and picturesque.





After driving through the lake district for a time, we came upon the famed Hadrian's Wall. this was a massive wall built across England by the Romans to keep out the Scottish horde. Nowadays, the wall is less dramatic than it surely once was. Nevertheless, it remains a significant landmark on England's terrain.






Views of Hadrian's Wall

We also came across a nice stone circle. The legacy of the druids prevails!




Stone Circle

After trekking through nature we drove through Newcastle in the evening. I was impressed by the brown brick architecture and the soaring bridges in the city. Really, a very interesting place.


Newcastle at night

We spent that night in Durham. I went out in the evening to a few of the clubs in town, this being a university town and so buzzing with several bars and clubs. A couple of the places were actually pretty nice, though I was surprised to see that the girls there ventured out on the cold, blustery evening in nothing but the shortest of dresses. Sadly, I was not able to keep any of them warm myself ;) The next morning we wandered about the town, saw one of the last Woolworths in England shut its doors forever, and and were able to see the towering Durham cathedral.


Durham cathedral


Closing Woolworths

Driving back we passed through York and managed to see the cathedral there. the highlight, however, must have surely been the Sunday Roast we enjoyed on the way out of town. Nothing better than a Yorkshire pudding in York!


York cathedral


Sunday roast!

All in all, it was wonderful to experience more of the UK with my family. If you get a chance, experience the placid calm serenity of the Lake District for yourself!