I was fortunate to win a competition I entered on the Silver Traveller website with HF Holidays. The holiday was for two people and to be taken over a weekend Friday to Monday on a full board basis. My better half and I decided to take this break the weekend of our wedding anniversary at the end of June.
HF Holidays specialize in walking holidays. However, due to mobility issues we worried about taking the holiday until I rang the company and explained our situation. I was informed by the call operator not to worry but to go and enjoy a few days in the Lake District (which is where we chose to go) and to do as much or as little walking as we wanted to do. I can hear people asking why would you enter a walking holiday competition when your mobility isn’t brilliant? I can only think that I really wasn’t expecting to win.
Our stay for 3 nights was the delightful Monk Coniston Hall in the Lake District which overlooks Coniston Water. Check in time was 4pm and upon arrival we enjoyed a complimentary cream tea and were able to chat with some of the other guests. A little later in the evening everyone met the walk leaders so that they could go through the walks which were on offer the following day. There were three walking routes to choose from each day and people decided which one they wanted to do according to their individual strengths and fitness. The walks are led by great volunteers.
Although we didn’t join others guests for the walks during the day we always got together in the evenings for a friendly chat over a drink. Also one of the walk leaders organised games at night which were great fun, especially on the last evening when all the guests split into teams and we played skittles in the converted barn in the grounds of the Hall. Staff at Monk Coniston were very friendly and helpful from the beginning to the end of our holiday. Rooms spacious, clean and tidy , a very comfortable stay. Ensuite rooms with TV , wifi was available. A good choice was served at breakfast, packed lunches were good too and freddy frogs (my favourites) were available to choose from the sweet treats on offer it doesn’t take much to keep me happy lol. The 3 course evening meals were tasty and varied.
Now, what did we get up to during the day as we didn’t join in the guided walks. Because we are shall I say of a certain age we have bus passes so we were able to explore Coniston and other places on the local buses. There was a bus stop at the end of Hall drive.
We visited Ambleside a small town but well worth a visit , plenty of nice shops to peruse, restaurants and cosy cafes.
The market town of Keswick was another place we visited and is quite beautiful surrounded by mountains including Skiddaw. In the town you will find the Cumberland Pencil Museum documenting the history of pencils , there is also a Museum and Art Gallery. Again there are many shops, restaurants and cafes . It was such a beautiful, warm sunny day when we were there so we had a walk through Keswick park and ate our packed lunches in there whilst enjoying the scenery and sunshine.
I can’t not mention another beautiful place we visited Bowness on Windermere a tourist town on the shore of Windermere, well worth visiting although very busy. Excellent base for water activities and boat hire is available. Boat trips on the lake are available too.
I felt very sad when our holiday came to an end but it left us both with great memories of what a wonderful area the Lake District is to explore, whether it be by foot, local bus or any other form of transport.
