ULLSWATER isn't as commercialised as Windermere but its beauty means it remains a favourite with day-trippers and tourists. It's a fantastic place for walkers, with a large network of footpaths taking you around the shore. Water sports and other outdoor activities such as pony trekking provide an enduring appeal for visitors with an active look on life. One of the most popular ways to explore the lake is by taking a trip on one of the Ullswater Steamers which have been gliding up and down since 1859.
They once carried mail and provisions to and from the villages of Pooley Bridge, Glenridding and Howtown, but they are now part of the tourist experience. The lake is surrounded by a number of villages. To the south is Glenridding (which means a glen overgrown with bracken). The village has shops, cafes and hotels spread out rather than clustered around the centre. There's a large public car park with a tourist information office.
Many adventurers park their vehicles here while attempting the daunting Helvellyn walk along Striding Edge. One of the most striking buildings has to be the local petrol station, built from the local stone and slate - a refreshing change from the gaudy plastic and steel constructions you find elsewhere.
The Inn on the Lake hotel has some marvellous views across the clear water, other lakeside access can be found at the southern edge of the village where you can find the Ullswater steamer pier. Here you can also see a memorial stone marking the spot where Donald Campbell launched his boat Bluebird and achieved the water speed record of 202.32 mph in July 1955 before he lost his life trying to break the record on Coniston Water. Follow the road south and you come to Patterdale, another stone-built village but with a dramatically different feel. Here you feel like you're in the wilds. On one side it's rugged and craggy, to the other is wide open fields and pastures with sheep grazing and distant views to the next mountain. The village has a couple of pubs, a village store and a post office as well as a Church of England primary school.
The village also boasts St Patrick's Church which was built by Victorian architect Anthony Salvin and is home to a collection of magnificent tapestries woven by a local lady, Ann Macbeth. On the other side of the lake (and up a bit) is the small community of Howtown. From driving down the narrow, windy road with glimpses of the lakes at Howtown pier you get a feel that this is the more rural, agricultural side of the lake.
At Howtown itself you can see a number of farmsteads as well as a large hotel. Howtown can be found by following the road around the lake from Pooley Bridge, although it is worth noting that you can't actually drive much further from here. To get here you also pass the Sharrow Bay Hotel, one of the most famous hotels in the Lake District where it is said ex- Beatle Sir Paul McCartney proposed to his now ex-wife Heather Mills.
It's easy to see how the stunning views across the lake be spur to romance But, for me, the village with the most charm is Pooley Bridge. Here you see walkers gathering in the village centre ready for a day's exploration. Four pubs, plus a number of tea shops and gift shops cater amply for the tourists, (there might even be more here than in Glenridding). Despite its popularity it has a charming, intimate feel.
The Pooley Bridge Inn has to be the prettiest building in the village with a wooden balcony running around its upper level, chairs and benches on a veranda for its customers and an old wooden wagon wheel hung on the whitewashed façade. On a brisk autumn day it's easy to imagine clouds of smoke billowing out from the stone chimneys with locals gathered around a roaring fire inside. The 'olde worlde' lettering of the pub sign adds to the charm and window box and hanging basket displays add colour.
It might all sound a bit twee, but its eye-catching and attractive, complimenting the rest of the stunning surroundings. A single file bridge over the River Eamont that flows into the lake has a couple of handy viewing platforms for visitors. Ducks and swans swim contentedly in the water fed by visitors to the beer garden at the Crown Inn or the tea room gardens, which both back onto the river. All in all, Ullswater makes for a great day out and an even better holiday.
What do you want to do next?