Autumn in the Lake District: Kendal, Windermere and Ambleside

I have taken an absolute abundance of photographs to celebrate my wonderful Wednesday road trip to the Lake District - it's been over a year since my most recent journey there (I went in April last year, amid Second Year university terms) and I knew that I would want to return as soon as possible. In the most nature-loving and spiritual way possible, I love reanointing myself with the serenity and peacefulness of the waters. Finding tranquillity in nature is a blessing to be cherished, and there is nowhere more restful than an untouched and Jurassic wilderness. It's beautiful to travel through the green, and to sit back and enjoy the blue.

Kendal

So our first stop was Kendal, where we went to visit friends. The homes are phenomenal, with views from your wildest, most Wainwrighty dreams, overlooking the quaint village and rolling green hills. This time, we didn't look through the town, instead going straight from our friends' to Windermere, but we have traversed it so many times in the past. The town is every bit as sweet as you could imagine, home to my favourite M&S, and at the top there's a park area for little strolls.

Our port of call in Kendal

Bowness, Windermere

After long chats and dreamy lemon drizzle cake (yummmmm) in Kendal, we headed up and down (and up and down) the windy scenic road to Windermere, to gaze at the Lake, shop (lol) the boats, and browse the quaint shops in Bowness.

An inspired motto in one of the docked Windermere boats

A super cute first stop in Bowness is the Beatrix Potter attraction - the company puts on small theatrical shows and things, but if you aren't that invested it's worth having a browse at their adorable fluffy bunny toys, available in all of their Beatrix Potter shops (there are three of them all next to each other: one in the attraction building, and two in the building next to it).

And I loved looking around Laura Ashley. Their range of wildlife (fox, rabbit, chicken, etc) homeware is so wholesome, and the pumpkiny items made me feel all excited for Halloween season! Even the colours - that lovely orange - make you feel warm inside.

Undeniably one of the most fun shops is The Porterage Co Ltd! Its rows and rows of liquorice black shelves are lined with a unique abundance of different flavoured gins, tequilas and vodkas, and with a beer room in the back. They fabulously had three drinks on offer to try: a Kendal Mint Cake vodka (the only one I didn't try, as the idea of mint and a spirit seems intensely spicy!), Strawberry and Vanilla Gin (gorgeous), and Toffee Vodka (divine). 11/10 would recommend popping in, even just for a teeny weeny browse.

Ambleside

After our browse in Bowness we headed to the top of the Lake, where we strolled the small National Trust park, looked out across to Wray Castle, and got a portion of wonderfully salty fish and chips. Sunsets are so picturesque, and I love observing them from different locations - usually I get to see them across the farm at home, but it was stunninggggg to see one over the gently rippling Lake at the start of Autumn.