By: Blonde One
February 2020
What do you do after climbing Blencathra mountain in the morning? It’s obvious … you drive to Ullswater Lake and visit National Trust’s Aira Force! 
This was an easy, gentle climb alongside the Aira Beck which gave us some shelter from the rain. It would be a perfect family day out as it’s free (apart from the parking) and has a small visitor centre, cafe and toilets. In part, it follows the Ullswater Way; a 20 mile circular route around Ullswater: ‘England’s most beautiful lake’ apparently.
After all of the heavy rain the Lake District has had lately, the waterfall was certainly powerful and dramatic.
My very favourite lake, and Sykeside was my very first Lake District campsite – just north of Brotherswater and Ullswater, I had a glorious fortnight there back in the – – 70s, I think – walking a different route every day from the campsite and never having to take the car off pitch at all. Such lovely mountains – Fairfield, St. Sunday Crag, Nethermost Pike, Helvellyn- lots more; and canoeing on Ullswater, rowing on Ullswater, having the whole lake almost to myself and the swans ( practise social distancing with them – they are no fun on the end of your canoe.) It was less crowded up there in those days.
It is a very special part of the world. I too have taken away lots of amazing memories!