Summer at Arnside :: part 1

When we were pondering on our Summer holiday plans a month or so ago, we decided for various reasons to keep it simple this year. We'll be going down to spend time with my folks in Dorset at the end of the holidays, and we wanted something short and sweet (and local-ish) for the beginning of the holidays. We have been fans of Youth Hostelling since the Little People were small, it's a fun and economical way for a family to take a holiday. Well perhaps not quite as cheap as a tent in a field, but certainly more affordable than a cottage, guest house or hotel. If you've been bobbing into the Attic since the early days, you might even remember our first ever YH experience five years ago at this very same hostel (golly gosh, the Little People were only 4 and 5 years old then, and Little B wasn't even a twinkle). This is the hostel at Arnside, a real gem of a place on the Cumbria coast, close to the Lancashire border. If you follow this link, there is a map which pin points the location, it's not a very well know area really, kind of overshadowed as it is by the popularity and fame of the Lake District. But oh, we love it for that!

I had been so, so looking forward to being here, as although this is not strictly speaking a seaside place (it is river estuary), it does still have a very coastal, beachy feel. And as I have found myself craving the sea just lately, I figured this was a pretty good stand-in until I get to Dorset at the end of the month.

This scenery is tidal estuary, the shores of the (rather ginormous) River Kent which eventually leads out into the wide expanse of Morecambe Bay. It is like nothing I have ever experienced anywhere else. Sort of beach and seaside and river bank and woodland all rolled into one. There are rocks and sand, tidal waters and rock pools, waterfalls and riverlets, all backed by shady green woodland. It makes for an interesting afternoon stroll, and the Little People had lots of fun finding fossils, paddling in the pools, rock climbing, drawing in the sand and making dens in the trees.

After a while we turned around and meandered back along the shore, then took a stroll along the promenade. It's very tranquil in Arnside, slow and sleepy with a very sedate and rather quaint feel to the place. I like it very much. It makes me feel dreamy, relaxed and a tad drowsy, but that's no bad thing really when all one has to do is stroll and admire the views.

In the above picture, you can see the Kent Viaduct which carries the railway line across the estuary. It was rather oddly fascinating watching the little red and blue train chug backwards and forwards at regular intervals, it was a bit like watching a page from a story book come to life.

Arnside has a small row of shops along the promenade, several of which sell a mouthwatering selection of baked goods. It has become a little ritual of ours to buy something sweet and naughty in a paper bag and take it out to the very end of the small stone pier and scoff. I had the honour of making the purchase and The Little People approved of my choice (hunks of caramel shortbread). We enjoyed a lovely time taking in the extensive views with mouths full of crumbly sweetness.

The Youth Hostel at Arnside doesn't open it's doors for new arrivals until 5.30, so we decided to move from the pier to the pub. We have been to Arnside several times before (this was our third stay), so we know this pub and know that it is rather pleasant to while away an hour or two on the elevated, sunny terrace while the Little Peeps play on the climbing frame there. It turned out that we were all rather hungry by 5pm, so we ordered up some food. It was surprisingly good, well I have this theory that all food tastes better when eaten al fresco in the late afternoon sunshine.

The Youth Hostel at Arnside is a rather special place. The building is old and beautiful, and inside it has a shabby but welcoming feel. It feels homely and cosy for such a large building, and the old corridors and staircases hum with history. The views from the windows at the back of the building are stunning (the above view is from the upstairs lounge), but this time our bedroom was downstairs. We were sleeping in The Headmistresses Study, which made us laugh, and also made us realise that the building must at one time have been a school.

If you look back at the first picture I posted here, you will see the view at the back of the hostel. It is rather lovely, with a beautiful terraced garden set out for guests to sit and enjoy the views. The Little People loved this grassy area, and much rowdy play went on here throughout the evening. I took lots of photographs of them playing, and pretty much every one of them is blurred as they were on the move the whole time.

J and I decided to splash out and order a bottle of wine to share (how fabulous that the hostel is licensed, and that the reception desk also does duty as a bar!). It was all rather jolly, relaxed and holidayish, and I have to confess that very soon a second bottle of wine was purchased and the LP were treated to a fizzy drink of their choice and some chocolate.

And so the evening slip-slided into a warm, fuzzy blur of laughter, high jinx and happiness, as the LP ran riot in the garden and J and I sat and chatted and performed some extremely lazy parenting. There were badminton competitions, jumping competitions, racing competitions and cartwheel demonstrations. I'm not sure what the above picture is about to tell the truth (it is J and Little man playing some game and it's all a bit hazy in my memory), but I do recall lots and lots of laughing. We finally left the garden and fell into bed as it was starting to get dark, sometime after 10pm.

The next morning, we woke early to the sound of torrential rain pouring down, bouncing noisily off the windows and flowing in small rivers around the youth hostel. I also woke with a slightly sore head (!) and a sinking feeling that the day was going to be a dismal wet washout. We went and had breakfast in the dining room (which was stunning good value and very delicious), and tried to decide what to do with the day. Luckily, by the time we were ready to set out the rain had stopped, and although it was still very grey and overcast, it didn't look too bad. So we decided to head up to the Southern Lakes, to pootle around the shore of Lake Windermere.

Pootling around the lake very soon morphed into an idea to pootle on the lake, much to Little B's delight. I don't think he could quite believe that we were actually going to ride on a real boat, and his excitement was sweetly infectious. We booked tickets to take a short circular cruise, and there was just enough time to grab a quick take out cappuccino from a nearby cafe before climbing on board.

This was the sweet little cruise boat that was to take us out on the lake, and we chose to risk the weather and sit on the open deck.

It was lovely. Peaceful and serene, with just enough commentary to be interesting without getting on your nerves. My, Lake Windermere is BIG! I could not get my bearings at all (and my head was still thumping), but we did a kind of a loop around some of the central islands, ooohing and aaaaahing over some very grand houses built on the shores, and marvelling at the sheer number of boats everywhere.

After the cruise, we made an attempt to drive into the nearby town of Bowness, to visit the Beatrix Potter Attraction. We have been here once before when the Little Peeps were small, and they were keen to revisit and show Little B. However, as has often been the case for us here in the Lake District, we simply could not park the car. So many people, so many vehicles, so little space. J has an extremely short fuse in situations like this, and after two laps of the car park, he simply declared it a no-go and drove out. Up and out of crowded Bowness, up high above the lake where we came across a lovely viewing point to stop and eat our picnic lunch. It was one of those happy accidents, an unplanned, unknown place which delivered just what we needed at just the right time. With the added bonus of an ice cream van in situ, so smiles all round :o)

Now, when I go away on holiday, I leave the internet firmly behind at home. I take my mobile phone (which is just a phone) and my trusty little beloved point-and-shoot camera. J, however, takes the internet with him where ever he goes. A lot of the time this honestly annoys the hell out of me, and I am frequently asking him to disengage from it and come back to the real world (you know what I mean, right?). But occasionally, I have to admit, it is veeeery handy to have information at our fingertips. Train times, for example. And maps. We were trying to find a way of driving around Lake Windermere to find a place where we could simply park the car and walk along the shore for a bit. A simple pleasure, but surprisingly hard to find around this busy lakeside. It was  then that J discovered a National Trust property not far from our lunch spot, and being faithful NT members, we went off in search of this..............

....Wray Castle. Extremely impressive to look at from the outside, but a real oddity inside. This is not in fact a real castle at all, but a mock gothic retirement house built in 1840 by a wealthy couple from Liverpool. Odd, yes. Inside, the rooms are shabby and empty of furniture, save for a bit of Ikea stuff. Yes, very odd indeed. But what the rooms do contain is loads of stuff for children. Activities of every sort in every room. Giant building blocks in one room, huge board games in another. A drawing room and a dressing up room. It was pretty ok, and not bad for us as it was free, but truthfully I found the rooms claustrophobic and slightly depressing (it really is pretty run down) and I couldn't wait to get back outside.

The very, very best thing about Wray Castle is that the NT grounds extend right down to the lake side, oh thank goodness!!!

At last, we were able to simply sit and take in the peacefulness of the lake. It was lovely. The weather was also very kind, and despite looking like rain was imminent for much of the day, by late afternoon the sun was shining and it was remarkably warm and balmy.

We returned to the youth hostel just before tea time and booked our evening meal, which was simple but delicious. It had turned into a glorious, golden evening and so after much cajoling, I managed to talk everyone into coming with me for an evening stroll.

From the youth hostel, it is only a very short walk down a steep, tree-lined path to the shore. We turned left and walked along, just as we had done when we first arrived the day before.

The evening light was magical (it was about 8.30pm), with long shadows and a golden glow to everything.

The tide was low and we walked and talked and walked and talked and Little B ran and ran and climbed and jumped and ran some more. That child has soooooo much energy, he is a joy to watch in an open space.

This is such a lovely, unspoilt part of the west coast and has been declared an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). If there had been more time, we could have walked all the way past those trees and around the corner to Silverdale (would love to do this one day), but as it was so late in the day, we stopped for a while to sit on the rocks, have a cold drink and eat some chocolate before slowly heading back.

Our days are slowly beginning to shorten again as we head through our late summer.

We watched the sun slowly descend to the horizon (around 9 pm here), leaving behind it the cool, grey light of evening time.

Just as we were walking back towards the village, we spotted a pair of herons wading in the shallow water. It was such a beautiful, still, calm scene, it was like stepping into a painting.

Ahhhhh, such a lovely, happy family time for us. Part 2 tomorrow, in which we partake in a fair bit more coastal meandering on wheels and on foot. See you then xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Comments

[Jill Scarisbrick]

You can return .. the youth hostel is now run independently.
I am lucky enough to live in Silverdale but I love to pop around the coast to Arnside, chips on the front!!

[Lori Carpenter]

I just wanted to pop in and say thank you... I have no idea how I came across your blog, but it was saved in my favorites and today (sick as a dog, double ear infection bored crazy and not in the mood to sleep anymore) I read your pages.
I feel transported overseas to where you are. I read every bit you wrote as if with an English accent.
lol I truly enjoyed it and needed the break from my life today.
I love the beautiful crocheting/knitting and the colors! WOW! Just makes me want to pick up my needle. I will again soon... just too hot here in the summer to crochet. I look forward to trying some of your patterns and seeing the beautiful pieces you create!
thanks again!

[Bec]

Oooh I just squealed with excitement when I saw this. I have been going to Arnside for my whole life as my mum and her parents before that have a caravan at New Barns Farm. So glad you had a lovely time, this place holds many happy memoirs of my childhood and now my children's childhood. xx

[Angela]

We visited the same places, how nice to see your photos and read your report. We, too, we have slept in the YH of Arnside. Beautiful house, beautiful scenery, and comfortable path to the bay.
Angela

[Gillian]

Lush photos! I'm glad to hear someone consumes as much wine as me. :-)

I don't know Arnside at all but it's very beautiful. I am missing my summer sea fix very much. xx

[Kate]

Try Youlgeave hostel- used to be a Co-op, boys were delighted to find we were in "Gentlemens Underwear" and very relieved not to be down the corridor in "Ladies underwear"!! x

[Kate @craftsonsea]

Wow, it looks gorgeous there! I've ever thought about doing a family holiday in a Youth Hostel, what a great idea :)

[Kristen]

Gosh, you make me want to hop a boat and visit this little corner of the world. In particular, I am yearning to see an actual castle featuring IKEA furniture. So excellent, that. Thank you for all the gorgeous, gorgeous photos! I do love armchair traveling with you. :)

[Opal]

My Dear Lucy. I want you to know that you are such a huge part of my life that I cannot even put it into words. Though we have never met I feel as if you are my "Sister" across the sea. And I can truthfully say I love you. Because of that I am going to be totally honest and truthful with you. Based on the "school of hard knocks" education I received by being married to an alcoholic for 12 years, I am going to truthfully tell you I am concerned about your drinking. When you wake up with a headache, that is because you have lost precious brain cells--they have been destroyed by the alcohol. And even one braincell of that precious creative wonderful mind of yours is too many to lose. Please I beg of you. Please stop now while you can. My husband did the same thing, he thought he could drink a little and stop any time he wanted. He was wrong. And he died from cancer of the digestive track. The Doctors told him if he would just quit drinking he could live but by that time he was trapped too completely by the power of the alcohol. And even though he knew it meant a death sentence, he continued to drink until it killed him. Please I don't want that for you my wonderful, talented, creative friend. Please stop while you can. You may never want to hear from me again, but know I will be praying for you and your little ones--that their wonderful Mommy will be around to see them grow up and have kids of their own.

[rbjaneite]

Wow, this looks like a beautiful place to visit! Is the hostel one that you can get to with public transport, or is it the kind of place you really need a car? I'm very tempted to take my next Youth Hostel trip up north!

[Rachel]

I have just had my first trip to this part of the world and stayed at a beautiful campsite in Silverdale - that walk is lovely.

[Andrea]

Hi I left you an email regarding finger!

[Carolyn Jackson]

I just loved that Lucy, wish I had been there too, I too love being near the water, I find even a couple of days and you feel you have had a real break from routine. Thanks so much for sharing.I look forward to day 2. Cheers Caro NZ.

[Deb]

Lovely story, gorgeous photos Lucy! xxxxxxx

[CJ]

Lovely Lucy, so glad you had such a good time. Staying in a Youth Hostel sounds like a great idea, I shall have to investigate this I think.

[Shelley Cox]

Not sure if you know Lucy, but Beatrix Potter holidayed with her parents at Wray Castle when she was 16. In the film Beatrix Potter with Renee Zelwegger, Wray Castle features as their holiday home in the Lake District and was filmed there. Love the Lakes, if you go to www.stridingedge.net you will see the most amazing photos of the Lake District which are updated regularly. Worth following!

[Home Jules]

Gorgeous photos of Arnside - I want to go back there right now! I'd love to do the walk round to Silverdale but it was far too windy on our visit. I spent the whole summer there when I was much younger, volunteering at Leighton Moss. I've never done the boat trip on Windermere either - something else for another day, though like J I'd be stressing about parking. x

[Chel]

What a beautiful area, and thanks for taking us along visually. We were last at Lake Windermere about 20 years ago! My word, where has that time flown! It's so peaceful and serene but I have to agree with your hubby about trying to park there, thank goodness there was some form of internet to find some NT property. x

[aishakenza]

Lucy, you've made me want to visit this lovely place. I'll be coming "home" to England in a couple of weeks and I've decided to spend a couple of nights at this lovely youth hostel before it closes down. Thank you for sharing!

[Anne Marie]

Lovely pictures. Windermere is not really a place I would go to, too touristy, too many cars. I was at Coniston and I found a little lane leading up to Coppermines to park in. No Cost!!! Coniston is much less commercialised and does have ice cream and you can park along the lake and sit on a little 'beach'.

[alisonb2]

Thank you for the walk around. :-)

[Sonja]

Thank you for sharing your beautiful holiday memories, Lucy! It feels like being there myself and I love it very much. Cheers, Sonja

[Ellie]

Hey, Dorset is my neck of the woods, stop by and say Hi if you visit Studland Beach. I can be found there most days throughout the summer, hard at work
xxx

[Angela- Southern USA]

Looks like my kind of outing! Glad you all had a fab time of it.Sweet memories.

[Dorothy Griffiths]

Hi Lucy you bought back so many happy memories for me. We used to go to the Lake District now and again when we were children and then, as an adult, I have been back so many times and always love going there. It was just like reliving a lovely old memory so thank you for letting me share this with you. I hope you and your family are still enjoying yourselves, just love your blog Lucy. Do pop over if you have time and take part in the giveway, I would love you to enter. Your blog was the first I ever read and I have not missed a post since. Thanks for sharing so much
Lots of love
Dorothy
:-)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx