Cruising along the Windermere trail

How much would you pay NOT to have to swim across lake Windermere?  

Why would you want to swim across Lake Windermere?  

To have a run along lake shore on the other side of course!  But is the run worth it as it costs £8.60 return on the Windermere to Far Sawrey ferry?

 We had expected to pay £4.00 each way but apparently the "area manager" decided to put the price up to £4.30 as a final leaving gesture! 
  No doubt to annoy the ticket collector who would then have to find giving change to motorists. cyclists and pedestrians a lot more diffciult.
 Pedestrians pay 50p single.

 The crossing is a mere .2931 miles. 

So by my reckoning a ferry from Bowness On Windermere to London at the same rate would set you back £3684!

 But anyway was the run worth it?  

      Well, of course it was!!

The trail along Lake Windermere up to Wray Castle is quite popular with walkers, mountain bikers and runners as it provides a magnificent view of the lake and all its traffic, the islands and of course the surrounding hills.  

 Tuesday's  weather wasn't quite what it was on Sunday but unlike most of the rest of the country which was covered in mist and fog, sufficiently clear so as not to obscure the great views.  
Just a trace of low cloud covering the tops of the Troutbeck Hills and Wansfell.


Some tourists may have been put off by the state of the trail in the first undulating mile or so 

but thanks to ongoing work carried out on behalf of the National Trust,  the 3.5 miles up to and now around Wray Castle are far safer and less arduous for all.

Particularly safer at this time of year when autumn leaves cover the trail and would in the past have covered up  multiple hazards.

Again, as with the stone slabs on Ilkley Moor, I'm sure there have been objections, but I
would imagine  the majority of "tourists" are in favour.

Of course, a visit to the so called castle would have to wait for another day. I say "so called" as I read that it's not a "real" castle ; more of a "folly".  A private house built in 1840 for a retired Liverpool surgeon. Apparently, his wife, whose money contributed to the cost of the build, took one look at the house and refused to live in it!

So the next time you are in the lake District check out this 7 mile trail run to Wray castle and back.

But don't forget your £8.60 or you'll have to ditch your car and swim across!