We made great connections from York this morning. 2 trains and 1 bus to our current spot, Keswick (pronounced Kezzick) for the next 2 nights. The Lake District is special because of its rolling green hills crisscrossed by old stone walls to keep the flocks of sheep in their territories. No such thing as a high-rise building in these parts - all structures are stone cottages or similar old-style buildings. There are so many hiking trails all over the place you can't not take a hike while visiting here. The lake that serves as home to Keswick is Derwent Water, said to be the most photographed lake in the region. The village is bustling with tourists, who shop and sit in the cafes, and pass their days in relative peace. Very nice, indeed.
We're staying in a B and B that looks out onto Derwent Water, and we of course snagged the top floor room with the view (as seen in the picture #4). Once we got settled in, we took a walk for an hour or so partway around the lake. There is a well-cared-for trail that circles the lake, about 9 miles long. Tomorrow we will hike halfway around and then take the ferry boat back to Keswick.
Pictures today are those of the lake as we took our afternoon walk plus the town center just after most of the tourists beat-feet it out of there for the day. A good birding day too, for you "twitchers." (Twitcher is a slang word here in the UK for birdwatchers...) Picked up 8 new species today. Trip total is 25 species, 10 of which are new. Among today's finds: Grey Heron, Chaffinch, Rook, and Blue Tit (surprise, Dad! Bet you never thought I'd be so happy to report I'd seen some tits!). Saw more Coal Tits today too - woohoo!
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