Thank you to everyone who’s been keeping up with my England trip posts! I hope you’ve enjoyed them and that they’ve given you a taste of the wonder, excitement, and joy the trip brought me. I now give you the last post in this series ~ and I’ve saved the best for last: my favorite part of the whole trip.
After our stay in Oxford, we journeyed a bit further north in England to the Lake District. We spent two nights there, staying in the guesthouse of a convent of a small order of Augustinian nuns. The beautiful convent was set in the countryside, and from the window of my room, I could see the Irish Sea in the distance, as well as a castle up on a hill. Many of us had rooms to ourselves, each of which was complete with lots of blankets, a cozy chair, and a window seat (which was perfect for gazing out at our amazing surroundings). The sweet sisters were so hospitable, serving us breakfast each morning, packing us sack lunches to take with us during the day, and inviting us to participate their night prayer. Overall, our stay at the convent was a lovely, retreat-like getaway, and I found it rather peaceful and refreshing.
We spent our one full day in the Lake District hiking. We started in a village called Hawkshead, and walked several different trails during the course of the day. Throughout all of it, we were surrounded by stunning beauty ~ some of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever beheld. At times I could hardly believe it was real and that I was right there in the midst of it, seeing it with my own eyes and experiencing it firsthand.
The breathtaking landscapes were absolutely worth the cold, wet conditions, as well as the soreness we experienced the next day. As we traversed alongside lakes, up hills, and through mountains, it sometimes felt as though we were walking through the Shire. An adventurous group of us would sometimes leave the marked path and climb straight up the mountains ~ where the views were even more amazing and it felt like we were on top of the world. The beauty that enveloped us that entire day ~ the mountains, the trees, the lakes ~ was simply stunning, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.
Now I’ll let my pictures speak for themselves. (I tried not to post an obnoxious amount of photos ~ but it’s just so hard to pick and choose!) Enjoy!
It's my dream to hike through the English countryside!