The Lake district using public transport. Good idea, or a living hell ?
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- čas přidán 29. 08. 2023
- I took a big round trip in the Lake district during the height of the summer holidays, using public transport and crossed fingers. Did it all work out ?
Update. Feb 2024. The £2 bus fare scheme has been extended until December 2024, and includes most services in Cumbria. Bus operators such as Blueworks, Cumbria Classic Coaches, Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire and Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire will be taking part in the fare cap extension
"...right into the HEARTH of the Lake District" - bloody hell! Have they had a fire?! 😉
Oxenholme to Kendal is a (manageable) walk into Kendal. From there you could join the Stagecoach Cumbria Service 555 - that would have got you to Keswick for just two quid!!! (There might even be a bus stop for the 555 on the road from Oxenholme to Kendal: at Helsington perhaps - I'm not sure!)
I've often toyed with, (for: 'often toyed with' read: 'meticulously planned and scheduled') the Idea of doing a flying visit to the south central lakes (Windermere/Rydal/Grasmere as a day trip from Hull on the East Coast, just to prove I could do it in less than 24 hours. The big problem is that I don't drive, (and even if I did I don't have a car!... and if I did, I'd probably fall asleep at the wheel on the way home! 😟) so it would have to be totally by public transport and shanks's pony, but then of course, that would make it more of an achievement!
I'd estimated that if the trains were all basicaly OK and not far off their scheduled timetables, and if I managed to set off from Hull Paragon at about 6am, Changing at Manchester Piccadilly for a train to Windemere (either direct or with another change at Oxenholme,) I could do Orrest Head (for photographs,) then take the 599 bus to Grasmere, (to get gingerbread for my missus. She loves it!) Then a walk down from Grasmere to explore Rydal Cave, (more photographs!) then along and around the Rydal Water shoreline to Rydal & Rydal Hall ('The Grot' there and its 'beautifully framed' waterfall is something I've always wanted to visit, so obviously even more photos!) then back on the next 599 bus as far as Waterhead; catch a boat across Windermere to Low Wray, and then do the (level) walk from there down the west shore of Windermere to the ferry, stopping off at Claife viewing station for even more photos of the lake. A walk into Bowness, a wander around the Glebe, the town and the shops & pubs, with hopefully, time for a swift pint, then on the 599 bus again, back to Windermere station and then to Manchester, and (eventually,) home to Hull around midnight.
HOWEVER!!!!
1) Since I planned it all out, my wife's disability has gotten more serious, (by the way: she's disabled; didn't I mention that?) so I'd be relying on one of our daughters, (neither of who live with us,) to stand in as temporary carer from 6am until midnight, (or betond,) and that might be a bit much to ask of either one of them.
2) The trains from Hull now go to Manchester Victoria and don't go to Manchester Piccadilly anymore, (except for the ones around midday - no use to me,) so I'd have to change at Leeds on the way! - Changing at Leeds and then at Manchester Piccadilly just increases the chances of possible delays. (also the same problem coming home!)
3) The queues at Sarah Nelson's gingerbread shop are notoriously long, so waiting to get served there could cause major problems to my schedule, (and I can't miss out that particular visit - She'd kill me! - That's my wife, not Sarah Nelson!!)
4) All (or any of) these problems could well lead to me being stranded in Manchester, with no available trains to the East coast until the early morning, defeating the idea of "Hull to the lakes and back IN A DAY!" (Not to mention leaving my defenceless wife alone and panicking for a few more hours!!)
One day, perhaps....
Of course you could have taken a train from Carlisle to Penrith, then a bus to Pooley Bridge, then another down to Glenridding, and you'd be in the heart of the East Central lakes (and the bus services once you've got that far are excellent!)
Nice job 😊
Interesting video great job!
Hey Alex. Thanks very much for that. Really appreciate it 👍
I didn’t catch where you bought the bus ticket. Did you buy it on the bus?
Hi Matt. Yeah, it was bought on the bus.