England's jewel : the Lake District

I could not wait any longer before writing this article. In april 2014, I went to the Lakes with fellow assistants, and it still is the most stunning place I have seen in the UK so far. If you love outdoor activities, hiking, being surrounded by nature, wonderful and photogenic landscapes, quiet places to escape buzzing cities, this is exactly the place where you must go. The Lake District is the biggest National Park in England, where you can also find the highest English mountain : Scaffel Pike (978m). The Lake District is also associated with English literature, especially with the poet William Wordsworth and the children's author, Beatrix Potter. 

The first night, we stayed in Ambleside, in a good, practical and clean youth hostel : Ambleside Backpackers. Ideally situated in Ambleside, close to all commodities : Tesco for self-catering and several pubs such as the White Lion which we tested twice. They have daily special offers, for instance, on tuesdays, burgers cost £5 instead of £8. The owner of the youth hostel gave us a warm welcome. And we had booked a 4-bed dorm but a 6-bed dorm was still unoccupied so he simply offered it to us, so that we could have more space, which we really appreciated. 

The day after, we went on a nice hike starting from Ambleside to Loughrigg Fell and Grasmere.

 View over Grasmere lake from Loughrigg Fell

On your way to Grasmere, make a well-deserved stop at Faeryland, where you can drink a hot beverage, local juices, eat nice cakes and even hire a colorfoul small boat.

The second youth hostel we stayed in was in Elterwater, a lovely village rather isolated. Be aware that in Elterwater, there is just one pub, one bus stop and the hostel. There is still a local grocery shop 10-15 minutes walk from the hostel. But don't worry, there is plenty of good hikes to do literaly from the doorstep as Elterwater is situated in the Great Langdale valley, near the Langdale Pikes. I would recommend Elterwater Hostel, especially for its friendly staff. They were always ready and happy to help us, they are very knowledgeable of the area and can recommend the best hikes to do, and they are happy to lend you a map of the surroundings for the duration of your stay. Facilities were excellent, a large and well-organised self-catering kitchen. Cooked typical English breakfast was available, and vegetarian-friendly. A very clean and pleasant hostel, the best I've ever been I think.

The second day, we went for a second hike. No need to take the car, you just start walking from the hostel doorstep. 

When I was in the Lake District, it was what I would call "the cute lambs' time." Seriously, I could not stop photographying sheep, and their cute innocent pure white lambs. 

 A Herdwick sheep, typical breed from Cumbria

Cute lambs, cute lambs everywhere

At the end of the afternoon, we went around Windermere Lake, which is England's largest natural lake. We walked up to Jenkin Crag, where you can get a nice view over the impressive lake. Windermere was the place I liked the least during our stay, but this view was pleasant anyway, especially with the soft light at the end of the day.

Third day = third hike, obviously. And I still can't get over how stunning it was. The best hike I have ever done. You can find indications and a description of this hike on this website, as well as a photo of the "Fat Man's Dilemma" a narrow rock formation that you have to go through, with your backpack upon your head if you want to continue this hike ! Here are my own photos, of this incredible hike :

I hope this article was not too long and tiresome to read but I really wanted to share the most amazing travel experience I had in the UK so far. I also hope I gave you some ideas if you plan on visiting the Lake District. Bare in mind that it is a very vast natural park, there is a lot of see and a great variety of sceneries depending on which part of the Lakes you choose to explore. That's why I hope I will go there again, in a few years. 

Rye

Rye is where I go when I want to leave Hastings for a day, without wasting hours on a train. A 20-minute train journey is enough for me to get to Rye and get a change of air. Hourly train departs from London St Pancras and you'll be in Rye in just around one hour and fifteen minutes. So if you want to spend a relaxing day in a picturesque little town where you can wander in narrow cobbled streets, enjoy an authentic afternoon tea and some antiques shopping, then hop on a train to Rye.

Mermaid Street 

When you go to Rye, do not forget to go inside St. Mary's Parish Church and up the Tower, where you get a 360° view of Rye and its surroundings.  It's definitely worth the £3 entrance fee. However, if you are claustrophobic, I would not recommend this place since you have to walk through narrow corridors and stairs.

On a grey morning - January 2013

The Cobbles Tea Room is where I'm used to going when I go to Rye. They offer a good range of different teas, nice coffee and last but not least : delicious food, from light lunches and jacket potatoes to cakes and scones. (Just make sure you have some cash as they do not accept cards.)

Next time I visit Rye, I definitely need to go to Edith's House which I discovered through reviews on TripAdvisor, and which seems to be the cutest place for an afternoon tea. Moreover, I also plan on walking from Rye to Camber Sands, so be prepared for a new article about Rye in a few months !

Have you ever been to Rye ? 

Is it the sort of town you would enjoy visiting ?

Ode to Hastings #1

From the moment I set foot in Hastings, 

I think I immediately fell in love 

with this quaint sea-side town.

Back to the 24th of september 2013, I left my dear Limousin to travel by plane from Limoges to London Stansted, by bus from Stansted to Victoria and then by train from Victoria to Hastings (East Sussex). As I was getting closer and closer to Hastings, I was feeling more and more thrilled, this lovely feeling of total excitement, happiness, and a bit of apprehension as I was heading to a new life.

For the last few miles before arriving in Hastings, the railway follows the coastline with pretty beach huts and it was already heaven for me as I always found that the sea has a comforting and soothing effect. Living by the sea, what's even better than that ?

Very soon I started exploring this lovely town. Hastings was iconic for me as 1066 was the first landmark of British History I studied during my degree at university.

In Hastings, you have everything you need, the benefits of a sea-side resort, countryside, the Old Town with lovely streets hiding little gems, and a lively town-center with all commodities. 

My favourite place is West Hill because it offers the most wonderful view over Hastings. East Hill also offers a nice view, and an access to Hastings Country Park. 

Hastings Old Town is also such a nice place for a gentle stroll.

George Street wearing its Christmas suit

One of Hastings curiosities is the Stade where you can find Britain's biggest fleet of beach-launched boats. I always love to wander there, in this strange atmosphere, around the boats and the famous black net shops.

Even if Hastings beach is not the most beautiful beach you will ever see in your life, it is always nice to just sit on the pebbles, watch the sea, a stunning sunset and the silhouette of the old burnt down pier.

I really hope you enjoyed your stay in Hastings if you ever went there and I do really hope this article might convince at least a few people to come and spend some time in lovely Hastings !