After having a free day in the Scottish countryside, everyone was reluctant to get back on the bus, but we had incentives. The first being that while our other bus was being fixed, a new bigger bus was provided. The extra leg room was quite appealing. The second incentive was the promise of another free day, this time in the Lake District. We would be there by the end of the day, I could hardly contain my excitement. Even the places we stopped along the way were beginning to frustrate me. We stopped at the Stirling and Wallace Memorial. I had no clue as to the history behind it (something to do with Brave Heart?) but I dutifully climbed up to take pictures of the huge looming tower and the surrounding countryside, then hurried back down. I felt a pang of regret, realizing it would be my last stop in Scotland, but i quickly covered it with excitement as the bus drove away.
We made a stop at Hadrian's Wall before we got there, but the information center was closed and there was no way to look at the roman fort ruins. We settled with the wall next to the road and the pasture full of sheep. It was nice to stretch our legs, grab some ice cream and chat with the locals. Apparently they were in the off season. If our coach tour had been next week, a lot more people would be about and a lot more things would be opened. We didn't mind and head back on the bus. Finally, after what seemed like forever, we reached our destination. The Lake District. While the hostel we were at wasn't the best accommodations, it was right on the lake and we had arrived just in time to eat dinner while watching the sunset. That view in itself made the interminable hours on the road almost worth it.
Day 7
After a not so great night's sleep on what appeared to be a block of foam posing as a mattress, we all got up to go to Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's home. It was small, and the tour was informative, but I was more eager about the subject of Wordsworth's poems, the land around us, rather than his house. I enjoyed my time there, wandered about the small garden, got a souvenir and the moment we were released, I literally headed for the hills. We knew there was a waterfall near the town so a group of us followed the signs towards it. Our climb wasn't in vain as we soon found the waterfall. It was gorgeous and I found myself taking the less traveled paths to get better glimpses at it. Still, there was something off about it. Whenever I pictured the Lake District, I find myself in a remote area, roaming the woods to my heart's desire, not following behind a nice couple and their kids (although they did give us advice on where to take pictures). With obvious reluctance and in need of water, we headed back to town.
I couldn't sit still despite having hiked and walked all morning and part of the afternoon. After about an hour, my friend and I were back outside, finding a new trail to explore. Unlike the morning, we had no idea what we were going towards and it was just the two of us. In other words, I was loving it. We climbed steadily upwards and I was hoping that we would come to the top and get to see the lake we were on and the surrounding areas. It kept me going as the walk got steeper and more treacherous with loose rocks. It wasn't in vain though. About a half hour later, we found a rock formation and it felt like I was on top of the world. The place we had come to had a clear view overlooking the lake and the shore around it. It was peaceful and quiet, too far from the road and busy town below us that the noises didn't carry to us. The two of us sat down, happy for our excursion and break from the insanity of life, had some cookies and just enjoyed the view. We barely talked as we lounged on the rock, enjoying the sunshine and cool breeze. I could have stayed there for hours watching the sun set over the hills, but as it was, we promised to be back by dinner and neither of us wanted to try and find our way back in the dark. With obvious reluctance, we tore ourselves away from the quiet spot. It was the perfect way to end my adventures in the Lake District.
Day 8
With our coach tour coming to an end, and our original bus returned to us, we clambered back on for another day of driving. Our final stop was Caernarfon, Wales. I was eager for Wales, but I wanted to see the Cardiff side of Wales...you know, the place where they may or may not be filming for the next season of Doctor Who....Anyways, much to my disappointment, we wouldn't be stopping anywhere near there. Much of the day was uneventful as we were driving the whole time. We did stop in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. If you want to know how to say it, google it or visit yourself, because I hear it every time and every time I wonder where in the world they got those sounds for those letters. Other than that, we settled into our hostel nicely, greeted warmly by the staff and led to warm beds and peaceful slumber.
Day 9
Our last day was cloudy and cold. We met our guide at the hostel as we loaded up our stuff, picked up our packed lunches, thanked the staff numerous times and set off on our tour. The town was small and we learned a lot about the Welsh and their culture. It made me want to learn Welsh, just because it looked and sounded cool. The castle was nice, it once held thousands of people as Prince Charles was crowned prince of Wales. Not sure how the locals felt about that, but it must have been a nice ceremony. I had trouble connecting to the place, feeling as if we were just counting the hours before we left for London. We eventually did after lunch. With a combination of entertainment by Steve the Pirate, a kid's game where you stuck swords in a barrel making Steve pop out, and exhaustion, the trip went quickly. All too soon we were surrounded by the city and its noise, not quite prepared for the final days in London and the finals in our classes.
That's the majority of it, though I'm sure I forgot a lot already. It was a great trip, especially when we could escape the stress and the rigid schedule. I know that while I may miss London when I go home, I will miss all the quiet secluded place we have found and taken rest in even more so.
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