What is your favourite local destination?

[Nick]

Hi everyone,

In times like this, when it is more difficult to travel internationally (if at all), I think it is time to reclaim the beauty we can find in our own countries of residence.

Why not be each other's passport, taking a virtual journey through our shared photographs and experiences? 

What is your favourite destination within your country?

Wherever you are in the world I would love to know more about your favourite local travelling destinations. 

Maybe we can give ourselves some good ideas for our next respective trips by discovering places which we would not have thought of visiting otherwise.🙂

Looking forward to your suggestions.

Nick

[Sarah977]

@Helen350 There's a canal that runs through Ottawa, Ontario in Canada, which freezes over in the winter. Many residents use it to commute- you'll see businessmen with their attache cases skating to work.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Sarah977 

Your story reminded me of the one my dad tells every winter..... about cross-country skiing to school for classes - I don't remember much about our time living in Maine in the early 80s but it was quite a culture shock for both my parents :-)) 

[Helen427]

@Sarah977 @Melodie-And-John0 @Jessica-and-Henry0 

Those stories about skating and walking on ice across the miles will bring back many a memory for those who used to experience the great frozen waterways and lakes that used to grace the world & across Europe until they covered them up with buildings & roads.

There were parts of Europe they came to know not to travel by sailing vessel around in winter as the sleet swept out onto the sailing vessels and sunk them straight down into the sea  in one piece, hence from time to time intact sailing vessels are found.

[Melodie-And-John0]

Hi @Helen350 

"New York Canals

Spanning 524 miles, the waterways link the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes, Niagara River and Lake Erie with communities rich in history and culture. Unlock a great vacation adventure on the New York State Canal System!"  Playing I love NY advertisement  song.....

[Ann72]

@Melodie-And-John0  And now you've got me singing "I've got a mule, her name is Sal..."

[Melodie-And-John0]

"Fifteen Years on the Erie Canal"  Ha ha!   Good one @Ann72 !

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

Theres SO many great LOCAL destinations around us its hard to decide... Heres a few, but I would ask one question first.

Why can't photos be uploaded from a mobile device to this forum? Every other forum seems to manage.

We're in the Lake District in the UK. South Lakes particularly and designated as the "Gateway to the Lakes" because of the North bound traffic from the main cities.

Predominantly, 'Meres, A Lake, Hills, and Sheep, and Cattle, some beaches, woods, and pubs and castles, and stone circles, and tarns and....

Heres some photos:

Wildcat Island of "Swallows and Amazons" fame. One of my daughters an I last week

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

PS: My phone says 85,511 users online. My laptop says 3,141 users online. 85,511 users do not have the facility to upload photos 🙂

[Helen427]

Brilliant photos @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

Nice to know although we live in opposite sides of the world people are swimming here and over there at the same time , alas not all of us wear wet suits!

Those horns on the animals are beaut.

What breed are they?

Can you pat them?

 Did you know the USA were one of the first places to dishorn/ dehorn/ debud cattle in the 1800's and the UK is one of the remaining spots animals still have horns?

I oft wonder if where cattle still have horns if it makes for a better natural environment, horns have so many uses for animals including to naturally plough up the ground to source food and water and to flick off pesky insects.

Take for parts of Australia as an example, if they let the cattle grow horns and dig up the ground naturally where it's become so barren, would it regrow again?

There must be many an untold story tucked away in family letters, photographs and journals of those before us with stories to share

re posting photos from mobiles we have the same problem here but didn't used to.

[Lizzie]

Hey @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0,

Awww I love the Lake District, I'm currently being filled with happy memories. 🙂 

I remember once walking near Kendal and we found this route which took us down along a path between two mountains. We came across a series of waterfalls and little pools, it was amazing and very unexpected after being so high up. I definitely deserved the pie and mash at the end of the day! hehe

Have you got any favourite spots?

Regarding the ability to add photos from your mobile, I totally agree and it's something that is actually meant to be possible. Funnily enough, the CC tech team have been working on getting this back on the tool bar and I'm actually expecting it will be updated this week. I'll keep you posted. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Lizzie 

Possibly our favourite place is Coniston Water. If we want to head into The Lakes, we tend to go there. For sitting next to, and accessing the water there's probably not a better place. Brown Howe National Trust car park is where we head and as posted previously, 'wildcat island' or more commonly known Peel Island is roughly a half mile swim or 'paddle' with rocks allowing you to dive into the lake. We often meet friends there and stay around all day.

There's lots of places to find around the Lakes.

On Friday of this past weekend after the girls had finished with work we went to Ullswater (lake) and had a bbq and swim just north of Glenridding:

BBQ time Friday evening after work at Ullswater

Yesterday, Sunday, we decided to try somewhere new. Well, a few places new. There was a 'Top 20 places to wild swim publicised so we thought we'd give a few a try. The first place was Devoke Water. This was on the west side of The Lakes and a 1/2 mile walk to the lake, and the weather being good we had a dip in the lake near an old boat house then climbed the adjacent crag. The 360 panoramic views from the top were spectacular. A good distance all around to the nearest high mountain ranges and an open aspect across the sea towards the Isle of Man and Ireland in the far distance. Silecroft beach is just there on the coast and is a fabulous soft sand and blue flag beach. Standing on the crag felt like no other place we've been with all the ground falling away on all sides to distant horizons.

Devoke Water Boat House

Devoke Water and Boat House

Devoke, view across to I.O.M. and Ireland viewing across Silecroft beach in distance

On the crag top here is a fabulous sheltered camping spot. We have this earmarked for a visit at a later date.

Crag is Conquered

Wast Water. Deepest Lake @79m

Wast Water with Great Gable at the head of the lake and Scafell Pike behind the far range to the right.

Wast Water swimming

Wast water swimming is cold. It is the deepest lake in England at 79m / 258ft. In my younger years, I had to abort a dive here because the cold was so impossible to cope with without headgear. Often sea diving can be tolerated without headgear. Not here.

Esk Waterfall, Wild swimming

@Helen427 Skinny dipping, no wetsuits. Not as cold as we expected. The lake was a lot colder, but the water here being pretty shallow was considerably warmer.. although 'warmer' might not really be the best description. This was one of the wild water swimming places recommended and was very slightly further up the valley than the 'pool' below. Even a couple who were set up to watch the sunset 100m away didn't even know of its existence quite happy thinking they'd seen all the pools in the area.

Esk River Pool

Two of my girls enjoying the pool and rock jumping. 

Kirkstone Pass, also driven Wrynose and Hardknott Passes - last two, not for the feint hearted

The road network around the Lake District is pretty good. The roads are narrow, but passing places are provided if needed. This Kirkstone Pass heads over from between Ambleside and the Lake Brothers Water and Ullswater. The other passes of Wrynose and Hardknott are more challenging with single track steep winding mountain roads.

There's more to discover all around The Lake District here and we take whatever opportunity we can to explore more. Sometimes though, its good to just sit, take in the view and let it wash over you.

Social distancing 2020 style, Wast Water.

[Helen427]

Fabulous photos & stories @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

Did the girls slide down the waterfall?

The scenery & places to visit look so relaxing.

Have you been there at night-time to enjoy the milky way?

79 Ft is quite a distance to dive.

You might need to grow some more hair as that way one doesn't notice the cold water so easily on the head!

 It was nice at the beach this week, water is still warm to walk in but didn't go for swim. Lots of seaweed and lichen on the beach - so many tiny sea species in them 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Helen427 

Sliding down that waterfall would have been too dangerous. But they love the feeling of flying through the air when they jump off those sort of heights. They scare boyfriends with their bravery, it’s always funny to watch when they play dare and always win 🙂

Wast Water is 79m. Last time I dived there I had plenty of hair and it was still freezing cold! Couldn’t reach the bottom as It’s too deep. Diving for sport is restricted to 30m.

Ive been to that sort of location camping in The Lake District away from any towns, and on a still night from the top of a peak it is just possible to see two opposite horizons at the same time. One with a setting sun behind and another quite dark. A little later, the stars are fantastic. We get great starry skies where we live too.

[Lizzie]

Hey @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0,

Just to come back to your question about uploading images to the CC via mobile (sorry this is slightly off-topic), this has just been updated and so you should now be able to see the little photo icon on the text tool bar. 

Fingers crossed it's working for you. 

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Ana7]

I live in Croatia, it is such a beautiful country that every summer we face a difficult decision about where to spend it 😄
Island Cres