The landscape of the Lake District famously inspired William Wordsworth to write some of his best poetry.
By the end of my four days enjoying the stunning Cumbrian landscape, I was not quite inspired enough to be writing lines such as ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’, but I certainly had a greater understanding of what the great poet meant.
My girlfriend, Hannah, and I were lucky enough to stay in one of the holiday homes in Skelwith Fold Caravan Park, which offers 120 pitches for touring caravans scattered across a 130-acre woodland site.
As someone who has no experience of staying in a caravan, I was amazed how easy it was to book into the site after being met by friendly and welcoming staff.
It is fair to say Skelwith Fold is in the middle of nowhere, yet also just a few miles from some of the most popular tourist spots in the area, including Lake Windermere and the town of Ambleside.
On our first full day, we decided to explore Ambleside to buy some waterproof jackets (a novice mistake not to have any proper clothing protection from the rain by a pair of first-time visitors to the Lake District).
The town boasts a very old-fashioned, unspoilt charm, the highlight of which is Zeffirellis, an independent cinema which is housed across three different locations in the town.
On our third day in the Lake District we decided to embark on our first major walk around the area of Skelwith Fold.
The caravan comes with an extremely helpful laminated guide of walks, ranging from a gentle two-mile stroll to an all-day 12-mile trek, which all start and finish at the entrance to the park.
We decided to try the seven-mile walk which included the promise of stunning landscapes, including waterfalls, but more importantly, also featured a number of ‘refreshment’ stops at pubs and tea rooms on the route.
On an unseasonably muggy day in September, we thoroughly enjoyed our ramble through the beautiful countryside which certainly lived up to its billing as ‘challenging’.
It really is incredibly invigorating to walk along hilly lanes and footpaths that offer stunning views in every direction.
In the evening, we took up the opportunity to try out the local pub, The Drunken Duck, which was billed as one of the best pubs in the Lake District.
After being told it was a mile down a country lane we decided to embrace our new found love of walking rather than book a taxi.
Although we had a torch to illuminate our way, nothing can quite prepare you for the pin-drop silence of a country lane at night.
People either find it incredibly relaxing or a bit unnerving, luckily me and my girlfriend fall into the former category.
Whether you are scared of walking in the dark or not, the food at The Drunken Duck, albeit slightly pricier than your average pub fare, was well worth the trip.
Waking up after my third night in Skelwith Fold, I realised that I felt completely relaxed in the quiet woodland environment.
The owners of the caravan park are committed to sustainability so the touring pitches are arranged to complement the wildlife, woodland, wetland and fell habitats found within the boundaries of the site.
Skelwith Fold was once described by Professor Bellamy as a “social hormone”, a place where families can come, learn, enjoy and experience the natural environment.
I would also highly recommend a stay in the caravan park to people of all ages as it is a place that really does offer the chance to get away from it all.
I now understand what Wordsworth meant when he wrote “the common growth of Mother Earth suffices me, her tears, her mirth, her humblest mirth and tears.”
Skelwith Fold Caravan Park is situated near Ambleside in Cumbria.
The site includes a five-acre family recreation area, adventure playground with versatile sports pitch/court.
There are fully-equipped shower and toilet blocks, washing-up facilities and laundrette facilities with drying room.
Skelwith Fold has an excellent village-style, self-service shop which sells basic essentials as well as Cumbrian Way ready meals, English Lakes ice cream and Coniston beers.
Bread and croissants are baked by the staff each morning and newspapers are kept in stock, both of which can be ordered.
Visitors can also hire electric bikes at a cost of £25 per day.
There are also some static caravans on the site for sale. To find out more, call 015394 32277 or email info@skelwith.com
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