The boat that took us around the lake.

After the long hike the previous day, we voted for a quieter activity, opting for the boat ride around Derwentwater, the lake nearest Keswick. Gray clouds filled the sky and even spilled an occasional misty drizzle, but the smooth sailing in the wooden boats offered one gorgeous view after another as we gently cruised the lake.

The boat is not just for touring, but is also a sort of water-based hop-on, hop-off bus with stops at the bases of numerous mountains. Hikers and climbers use it to get to the trails. There had been a lot of rain in the area in the weeks prior to our visit, and water in the lake was high. So high in fact that the boats didn’t go out at all the day before. On the day we went out, they couldn’t make all the normal stops since some of the jetties were still under water.

Lakeside Scenery

That didn’t affect us, however, since we were just enjoying the ride and gawking at the scenery. After a leisurely jaunt around the lake, we came back on land and bought a bit of duck food so the children could feed the flocks of ducks and geese that hung out in the area.

We then did some light shopping in Keswick and had a great lunch/dinner at The Dog and Gun, a fun pub with delicious food. Their Hungarian Ghoulash was very tasty. Afterward we kicked around Keswick a bit, watched climbers scaling an outdoor rock wall, poked into a couple of stores and stopped for an ice cream break.

The kids spent some time playing along the side of the river as we made our way back to the cottage for the evening.

Heading out from the dock in Keswick

Out on the lake

The mountain closest is CatBells. More on that tomorrow.

Steph with Freya and James

Ducks and Geese gather at the shore of the Derwentwater.

Freya and James feed the flocks

Petting the neon sheep in a shop called the Neon Sheep

The Dog and Gun Pub

Keswick

James getting armed to toss rocks in the river.

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