A long month

As autumn begins in the lakes, the rain has been pretty much a constant addition to the landscape which i don't really mind to be honest. It just makes me want to pull out the scarves and knitwear and examine the log pile for winter. Autumn is here with winter not all that far away. The summer was disappointing but I'm loving the trees starting to change colour. At Whinfell Forest, where I work, the pine trees are dropping all their needles, and the scent of pine is everywhere. It's all so fresh. There is a hedgehog that i've seen now many times snuffling around our garden. I've never really seen one as regular before, and I was under the impression they were in decline in the UK so it's comforting to see this one every night. I've seen lots of red squirrels out and about, on the squirrel feeders and the bird feeders!

Although I've pretty much worked all of August, I have still been so grateful to live in the Lakes and I haven't even had much time to get into the mountains. I've just been driving through. After seeing the destruction that has been caused by the rioting in London and other cities, it really saddens me. Maybe i've been watching too many of the analytical documentaries about the riots, but it scares me the state of society and the actions of others. To be honest, it makes me want to retreat into the country even more and just disappear. I've always been a country bumpkin, and brought up in a very rural village, and living in the lakes now is a dream come true, but I could never feel really comfortable in a city. Day trips are ok into the city, but any longer than that, and I crave open space, trees and the quiet. Just the simple country life would do me.

Back in Cumbria

I find it's the worst feeling unpacking from a holiday. Especially a camping and climbing holiday. God i'm surprised there was even room for the two of us in the car as well as all the kit. I probably made it worse, by prolonging the unpacking a few days on the pretext of being 'too tired from work' to unpack. With the washing, drying the tent etc., its just so depressing knowing that you have to work another x amount of days until your next holiday.

I love getting away from it all for a few days, (ironic that getting away from it all, for me, means leaving the lakes where most people 'get away from it all'), I love not being at work and having that freedom to just get up and do whatever you want, no chores, washing blaa blaa blaa. And why is it that washing up never seems so bad when you're camping?

Oh but what a holiday we had in Cornwall! We first spent 3 days in Sennen near Lands End, where we went climbing a few times at Sennen Cove, absolutely love sea-cliff climbing. I had never climbed sea-cliffs  before, but i know i will definitely be doing it again. Such an atmosphere on the cliffs, with the waves crashing into the bottom and of course it was a baking hot sunny day. It was quite an active holiday, I'd never actively gone out for a run before whilst vacating, but we did a couple and it felt great. I think that we just found that we were energised for the day and we got to see so much more of the coast whilst we were running than we would have normally done. Then after Sennen, we moved up to Padstow for 4 days which is one of my favourite places in the whole world. With the coastal walks, exploring in the car, beach days and eating all the best cornish food; i felt the holiday was over far too quickly. But maybe that's for the best as i'm pretty sure we would have come back an extra stone heavier otherwise. Gotta love those cream teas, pasties, fish and chips and fresh sea food. nom nom nom.

And guess what, we come back to an even wetter and soggier Cumbria, than the one we left behind. There are frogs hopping all over the garden which is so saturated it must be classed as a swamp by now. I also saw a hedgehog last night, which was amazing, just snuffling along. He didn't curl up either, just stood still when he was aware of me, for a few minutes, and then scampered off into the hedge. They actually move surprisingly quickly.

Right, dinner time...

A wet day in Cumbria

Although i think that the Lake District is glorious in the sunshine, it has to be said that there is nothing like a wet and grey day on Ullswater. With the mountains and fields all a luscious green, the lake looking deep and mysterious and the smell of ferns that waft around the footpath, all fresh after a shower. As i walked a friend's dog this afternoon, I sat on the lakeshore and just gazed at the scene around me. I find it epically relaxing just to look around and breath. Especially Ullswater, one of my favourite places in the whole wide world. And one could argue that a wet and grey day on Ullswater, means not too many hordes of tourists swamping the shores and tramping the footpaths to the pubs. It becomes quiet, and I had it all to myself.

Now i won't turn this post into a tirade about tourists in the Lake District and how they affect me, as mine and my partner's jobs both depend on tourism in the Lake District, sometimes though it's just hard to share. Having lived up here for four years now, i know that I am hardly any better than the summer hordes, in the eyes of the locals, but having seen the landscape change through the seasons, you can't help feeling that you own a bit of it. And when you know those roads so well, you just can't help getting angry at the people that insist on driving 20mph on a main road, when you're in a rush to your boss's birthday.

I'm meant to be packing for a climbing holiday for Cornwall, but have become distracted by watching the birds out of my cottage window. They are taking shelter, from the rain, next to our two feeders in a bush. The smell of brownies and cookies is wafting about the cottage today as I have been baking some treats for our holiday. I like to think of myself as a person who enjoys climbing tremendously, normally if there is a bit of cake or something yummy to enjoy at the top. And as we are going to be on holiday, the 'something yummy' is going to be high in sugar chocolate. In two minds about whether to take a bottle of our homebrew elderflower down with us, will we actually drink it? Or will we go to the pub most nights?  Decisions decisions.

Chapter One

My first ever post! I feel quite proud to have started a blog. I had thought about it for quite some time, wanting to share an insight into my life, the people around me and the things i get up to in the Lake District. Since finishing my degree (based in the Lake District), I have begun to appreciate the simple things in life, and in my search for the perfect job, house etc., I try to look past the comings and goings of this modern, high-tech world with extreme consumerism, and strive to lead a wholesome and healthy lifestyle in keeping with the natural environment. As well as being in love with the outdoors, I am a huge advocate of the good old homemade life, especially food.

And with that rather pompous beginning, I shall tell you about the best drink I have ever tasted, and am currently sipping right now: Elderflower Cordial!

I recently made my first ever batch, and can't wait till the season next year, to try again. There's something about elderflower cordial that is quintessentially summery. Whether you prefer it with sparkling or still water, or adding it to a virgin mojito or something a bit more alcoholic; the light and sweet taste gets me every time. Below is a link to the best recipe that we found, we doubled the quantities, which made us about 4/5 wine bottles and a few little bottles worth but best advice i can give you is to collect as many clean glass bottles with lids, as possible.

http://www.britishlarder.co.uk/elderflower-cordial/#axzz1SSYUUate