There’s a lot of uncertainty going on with travel at the moment, but the stress of the past few months made us really want a break. On top of this we had Captain, our 1 year old Shiba Inu puppy, to consider. Although it is possible to travel to some places abroad without having to isolate for a period of time after, our solution was a speedy & socially distanced mini break to the Lake District in the UK.
As the tourism industry is just starting to open up again there are a lot of good deals floating around; we used Secret Escapes to find our getaway to the Langdale Chase Hotel just north of Windermere.
We just went for 2 nights, as it suited our work schedules.
What We Got Up to in the Lake District UK
DAY 1
On Thursday, we set off from Manchester and arrived at our destination in less than 2 hours. A solid result for us, as it meant not having to stop to give Captain a break. The hotel was very clear about measures it had taken to make their staff and customers as safe as possible during this uncertain COVID time. It was reassuring and we felt as though we were in good hands.
Once we arrived we had a stroll around the grounds before checking in where staff were very welcoming to both us and Captain. We were shown to our room before unpacking and making the most of the Sun. Complete with some drinks on the terrace, overlooking the epic views over the lake. Then we had a quick explore around the local area to check out the scenery and stretch Captain’s legs. This also meant we could tire him out a bit before the evening!
To help with social distancing, we had to book in advance for dinner. As we had Captain, the hotel policy is, understandably, to not have dogs in the main restaurant. Instead, the staff gave us the choice of any of the additional spaces inc. Grand hall, piano room, terrace. The choice was pretty exciting. We opted for the piano room and had the room to ourselves (the perks of being in the middle of a global pandemic). The food was absolutely delicious! However, we were pretty exhausted after the drive so decided on an early night. As well, we had a big walk the following day planned so want to ensure we’d actually be able to survive it!
DAY 2
We had another socially distanced meal, this time breakfast under the main staircase (had to try all of the spaces) before setting off to climb Loughrigg Fell near Ambleside. This was a straightforward 2 hour loop that brought us back to the car. The views at every stage of the walk were completely magical. We also had the opportunity to practice off-lead training with Captain in the areas where there weren’t any sheep. Still a work in progress as Shiba Inu’s are not the most consistent with recall – but he’s getting there!
Eventually, we made it to the top of the hill and enjoyed the view eating a few biscuits. Also, and probably more importantly, we rehydrated as Captain zoomed around making friends with people and other puppies then entire way haha.
After the walk, we stopped off at a lovely cafe called the Copper Pot in Ambleside. It was extremely accommodating, dog friendly and had clearly put in a lot of effort regarding safety during this COVID pandemic. The full package really.
The food was super delicious and they had an excellent selection that we enjoyed whilst Captain snoozed under the table. Once we were back at the hotel, we had a bit of a relax in our room before another lovely meal this time in the grand hall. Potentially my favourite of the rooms I think!
DAY 3
The next day we set off early as Jonny (my partner) had booked a haircut weeks ago! He hadn’t had once since before lockdown so this was a lot more important than it seems haha!
It was a short but sweet, socially distanced trip. We kept mostly to ourselves other than at mealtimes and even then staff at the hotel and cafe made us feel safe. I’m not suggesting you all rush off en mass to the Lake District in the UK. However, I would say that it is possible to do a little bit of travel safely and considerately in these crazy times.
After all, I think we could all do with the mental break!
Be sure to take a look around our blog for more adventures (pre-COVID)!
__
To continue finding out about the digital nomad lifestyle, building your own lifestyle business as well as affiliate marketing – make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter!
By signing up you get access to 2 pieces of free content, exclusive to our subscribers. They include a 7-part video series, that goes EVEN MORE in-depth then the blog. Giving you insight everything we do and teaches you all sorts of amazing things.
The second is our Ultimate Guide to Working Remotely. So if any of you are struggling, we’ve got you!
If that’s not enough(!), you can also click here to get access to next level training!! The training also focuses around Lifestyle Businesses and Affiliate Marketing – it really is a game changer. Oh, and it’s also completely FREE!
Have an epic day!