Travel Journal – Beatrix Potter Weekend Adventure – Day Two.

The one with the historic cruise, a riverside walk, and a castle.

? Location: Cruise, Wray Castle & Ash Landing ? Distance: 6 miles ? Group Size: 16 Adventure Geeks

? 8 am – All packed up and ready to go at Waters Edge Caravan Park. I left the key fob in the little box and headed out. The campsite is small but well-maintained with spotless facilities. I’d come back again. ?️ 8.45 am – Arrived at Glebe Road parking. Everyone’s here except for three people. The boat sails at 9.20 am, and it’s now 9 am! Where are Kim, Selina, and Jan? A few phone calls later, a little red car pulls in, and three ladies pile out looking stressed. No idea where they were, but we’re all here now, so off we go to grab our cruise tickets. ⛴️ 9.20 am – Tickets in hand, we board the cruise boat. It feels like a private tour with just us geeks on board. As we sail to Ash Landing (about 20 mins), the tour guide shares fascinating history about the landmarks. We learn about Hill Top and how Beatrix Potter donated thousands of acres to the National Trust. We see Claife Viewing Station and hear about the forest trails, tree types, and animals. The sun glistens on the water, warming our faces—a great start to the day. ? 9.40 am – Disembark at Ash Landing and start our riverside walk. Today’s hike is a stroll along the water, watching boats and meandering along the footpath. We see a tree with pennies pierced into it and a small herd of cows on the beach (strange sight). Waterskiing, jet skis, and fishermen are all active on the lake. Half-naked men running by keep us ladies entertained! After 5 miles, we arrive at Wray Castle. ? 11.30 am – Wray Castle holds significance for Beatrix Potter and her family. In 1882, young Beatrix holidayed in the Lake District for the first time as her parents rented Wray Castle. We explore the castle and enjoy the Mount Everest exhibit. The Lake District is the birthplace of modern mountaineering, and the exhibits of tents, gear, and stories from the 1922 summit attempt are fascinating. We spend a few hours here, exploring and basking in the sunshine (I nearly fall asleep on the grass). A very chilled day so far. ?️ 2 pm – After lots of singing (“Under the Boardwalk,” “Mamma Mia”) and endless photos, we board the cruise boat again to Ambleside. We have a short stop of around 15 minutes, enough time to buy an ice cream ?. We change ships to the red line and head back to Bowness, listening to more commentary about the lake. We’re shocked to hear the prices of some hotel rooms on the lake—a small one-bed apartment costs over £800,000! It’s crazy money, but what a location. ? 3 pm – Back in Bowness, everyone hugs goodbye. It’s nice to hear, “See you in Yorkshire,” our next trip in a few weeks. Safe journey home, everyone! ? A big thanks to Lucy Dunn for leading this weekend’s adventure. It’s been a blast!