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I have just had one of the best weekends ever. Friday morning began with a 6:00AM start as the entire group boarded a bus up to England's gorgeous Lake District. We specifically stayed near the town of Ambleside. Once we arrived there, approximately six hours after leaving London, all of us students found rooms inside the house we had and then grabbed lunches the place we were staying had provided us. This was the only downside of the weekend...my sandwich was a baguette with cheese and caramelized pickles or onions on it. Not exactly the most tasty of sandwiches. We then divided into three groups and headed to the Kit shop where we were outfitted for hiking. Jeans are apparently the biggest cause of death in these hills/mountains because weather changes rapidly and if it rains then the jeans stick to your skin which leads to hypothermia. So waterproof pants are the solution to that. We also were given hiking boots. And then we hit the trail!! Friday's hike was around four miles over absolutely beautiful terrain! It was hilly and rocky and grassy. Sheep were everywhere. We had a guide and walked to this lake then took a bus back to homebase. The hike probably lasted a few hours and it was perfect. Weather was gorgeous and it was just so fun. After dinner provided by the place (including THE BEST sticky toffee to date...not surprising since it originated from that area!) we relaxed for a little. I then headed into Ambleside with Hope, Monica, Paige, Anna, and Maddie. We walked around the town, met up with Deanna, Warren, and Olivia, and then stopped at a pub where there was live music. After being there for about thirty to forty five minutes we left to try to find the rest of our group...which we found in a karaoke bar. I think one of the absolute best things about this program has been the people. The group I am with just gets along very well as a whole, which made this trip all the more worth it. There were probably at least 25 of us together and we had a blast. Even though they didn't let my group sing because the place closed and locals were given first priority. They missed out on some great T Swift and the Spicegirls. We might have been the next big thing. You never know.
Saturday was a breakfast and then breaking off for more adventure. Tony led a group to a waterfall, Keffer a group towards Wordsworth things. Did I mention this is the region that enchanted all of those British Romantic poets? Gorgeous. Realizing that when will I ever have the chance to say I hiked in the Lake District and feeling invigorated by Friday's hike, I joined a student only group to do another more intense hike. It was so much fun. We traveled around the same area I had the day before, but it was so gorgeous and there was so much to take in I missed some of it! We eventually abandoned the path we planned and basically just wandered a little and climbed random high hills/mountains/rough terrain. We knew how to get back and had all day to explore. It was great! Two of the guys tried to capture some sheep nearby, but unsurprisingly the sheep succeeded in getting away. Something that is really cool about England is this "right to roam" rule. Basically it means you have the right to walk wherever you want. It doesn't matter if you are walking through someone's pasture, you are allowed to walk there. Think of all those Jane Austen stories where they just sort of wander around everywhere. You are still allowed to do that. It really is cool. This day was fantastic even if I did step in the one marshy spot that made me sink to my calf. Good thing it didn't rain, right? I may have been the next case of hypothermia (it was too warm for those oh so stylish waterproof pants). The temperature actually changed a lot, within five minutes you could go from being hot to having to put on a sweatshirt. After we finished our hike and had collapsed on the stairs for a while, the token girls on the trip (myself, Leah, Courtney, and Ashley) walked to the lake and sat there for about fifteen to twenty minutes. It was so peaceful. Familia, you would have absolutely loved this area. I also highly recommend it - this is easily one of my favorite places in England. A five-ish hour bus ride got us back into London around 11:30PM. Needless to say we were all exhausted.
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It physically hurt to get out of bed this morning. Walking to church was a bit more of a hassle than normal! My limbs decided that two days of intense hiking was enough! Worth it? Absolutely! I would do it again in a heartbeat!! Today is St. George's Day, a big deal for England. The entire group headed to the Royal Albert Hall to hear a concert full of very British tunes. Although a little hard to stay awake at times due to my exhaustion, the concert was great. It was so patriotic with all of the English flags (red cross on white, not the Union Jack which is all of Great Britain) being waved during on the British songs. Although when they referenced the good ole red, white, and blue my thoughts were turned a couple thousand miles away to the USA. The concert began with "God Save the Queen", which is the exact tune of "Our Country Tis of Thee." So basically it was an English concert that made us all think a lot of our good ole homeland.
This post turned out a lot longer than I expected! I'm not even procrastinating anything right now!! The Lake District was just amazing enough to deserve lots of words! We are down to our final week (TEARS!!!) in London so here comes a crazy week of so much to do!! There are two mottos of this trip,
You
Only
London
Once (
YOLO) and Everyday is an Adventure. Both have been so true. Pardon the sentiment, but this trip has been the experience of a lifetime. This last week will be the best ever!
I have just had one of the best weekends ever. Friday morning began with a 6:00AM start as the entire group boarded a bus up to England's gorgeous Lake District. We specifically stayed near the town of Ambleside. Once we arrived there, approximately six hours after leaving London, all of us students found rooms inside the house we had and then grabbed lunches the place we were staying had provided us. This was the only downside of the weekend...my sandwich was a baguette with cheese and caramelized pickles or onions on it. Not exactly the most tasty of sandwiches. We then divided into three groups and headed to the Kit shop where we were outfitted for hiking. Jeans are apparently the biggest cause of death in these hills/mountains because weather changes rapidly and if it rains then the jeans stick to your skin which leads to hypothermia. So waterproof pants are the solution to that. We also were given hiking boots. And then we hit the trail!! Friday's hike was around four miles over absolutely beautiful terrain! It was hilly and rocky and grassy. Sheep were everywhere. We had a guide and walked to this lake then took a bus back to homebase. The hike probably lasted a few hours and it was perfect. Weather was gorgeous and it was just so fun. After dinner provided by the place (including THE BEST sticky toffee to date...not surprising since it originated from that area!) we relaxed for a little. I then headed into Ambleside with Hope, Monica, Paige, Anna, and Maddie. We walked around the town, met up with Deanna, Warren, and Olivia, and then stopped at a pub where there was live music. After being there for about thirty to forty five minutes we left to try to find the rest of our group...which we found in a karaoke bar. I think one of the absolute best things about this program has been the people. The group I am with just gets along very well as a whole, which made this trip all the more worth it. There were probably at least 25 of us together and we had a blast. Even though they didn't let my group sing because the place closed and locals were given first priority. They missed out on some great T Swift and the Spicegirls. We might have been the next big thing. You never know.
Saturday was a breakfast and then breaking off for more adventure. Tony led a group to a waterfall, Keffer a group towards Wordsworth things. Did I mention this is the region that enchanted all of those British Romantic poets? Gorgeous. Realizing that when will I ever have the chance to say I hiked in the Lake District and feeling invigorated by Friday's hike, I joined a student only group to do another more intense hike. It was so much fun. We traveled around the same area I had the day before, but it was so gorgeous and there was so much to take in I missed some of it! We eventually abandoned the path we planned and basically just wandered a little and climbed random high hills/mountains/rough terrain. We knew how to get back and had all day to explore. It was great! Two of the guys tried to capture some sheep nearby, but unsurprisingly the sheep succeeded in getting away. Something that is really cool about England is this "right to roam" rule. Basically it means you have the right to walk wherever you want. It doesn't matter if you are walking through someone's pasture, you are allowed to walk there. Think of all those Jane Austen stories where they just sort of wander around everywhere. You are still allowed to do that. It really is cool. This day was fantastic even if I did step in the one marshy spot that made me sink to my calf. Good thing it didn't rain, right? I may have been the next case of hypothermia (it was too warm for those oh so stylish waterproof pants). The temperature actually changed a lot, within five minutes you could go from being hot to having to put on a sweatshirt. After we finished our hike and had collapsed on the stairs for a while, the token girls on the trip (myself, Leah, Courtney, and Ashley) walked to the lake and sat there for about fifteen to twenty minutes. It was so peaceful. Familia, you would have absolutely loved this area. I also highly recommend it - this is easily one of my favorite places in England. A five-ish hour bus ride got us back into London around 11:30PM. Needless to say we were all exhausted.
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