What draws people to want to live here?

Some are fortunate enough to be deemed locals – lucky them! Some are clever enough to have worked out why it’s one of the best places in Britain to live (and work!). Some have yet to make the decision to start to enjoying one of England’s finest areas and call it home for themselves and their family.

So what can you do here that is so different?

This week we’d suggest thinking about the Lakeland fells!

Work hard play hard? Keep fit and maybe live a little longer? Or just get out there for the pure pleasure and sense of achievement of reaching a summit!

Alfred Wainwright used to travel up to Westmorland on the bus and train from his home in a Lancashire mill town, and the results of his many, many journeys, and his amazing skills give all who live here, or seek to live, here a little challenge…..!

To be more accurate, there are 214 challenges and then some!

Actually, they are not all little, but most are achievable given reasonable health, some stamina and the ability to enjoy a view!

As a taster, you could try a perhaps little known “Wainwright” in the Troutbeck valley, weighing in at a modest 1191 feet (363 metres), “The Tongue” might be a good place to start?

There’s a gentle walk up from the village, and a reasonable ascent from the south, and although AW didn’t really rate this one all that highly, he did still include it in his book “The Far Eastern fells”.

If you are after something more substantial, “Wansfell Pike” at 1597 feet (486 metres) is a little more challenging, and equally more rewarding.

It can be approached from either Troutbeck in the east or Ambleside in the west, and as AW says in his book “… it excels in its view of Windermere, the graceful curve of the lake showing to great advantage…”.

We would encourage you to take a trip and see if you agree!

Next time, another of the many reasons (in our humble opinion) to live here!

Stay safe.