dbsweeney 0 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) Hello In early December, my wife and I will be visiting the UK. For my wife, it'll be her first visit and for me my first since the late 80s. As part of it, I'll be visiting Newcastle for the first time since I spent the first five years of my life there (during the 70s) and--the whole point we're visiting the UK--I'll be attending my first ever Newcastle game. A life-long dream will have been fulfilled! Anyhow, our simple itinerary is to visit Newcastle for the NUFC v Wigan game and then meander our way down to the capital for Fulham v NUFC the following Sunday. In between, we want to make a couple of stops for stayovers and in particular we want to visit the Lake District. Now, my wife and I aren't really party animals, but we love good scenery and a great meal (within cost). Can any of you suggest the best village, town or otherwise to stay at in the Lake District. I'd greatly appreciate your advice. Also, if you have any other suggestions for blow-your-socks-off places to visit, please add those too! Thanks Edited October 31, 2012 by dbsweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 21643 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) What's your budget? I would recommend Grasmere probably, it's in the heart of the lakes with some canny not too strenuous walks. December is tricky though. Edited October 31, 2012 by Renton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Grassmere as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 7034 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Grasmere is lovely. Not much to do if you stay longer than a weekend though. The drive through windermere up into the hills and backdown onto the a69 is one of the nicest drives in the country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 7034 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Also, spend the day in Durham when your up for the Newcastle game. 20min drive away and it has one of the nicest Cathedrals in the world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 20234 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) Grasmere Braithwaite Ambleside (albeit getting too busy now for me) Hawkshead I would also possibly visit the Dales & Peaks on your way down too if you like decent scenery Malham Settle Reeth Tan Hill (Highest boozer in the UK albeit IMO a shit hole) Matlock (like a seaside town inland) Bakewell Chatsworth Stanage Visit High Cup Nick in December it will be gorgeous if covered in snow/frost. I aint a fan of Durham per say, most prob because of all the students, but the architecture there is great. The Catherderal as J69 says, is gorgeous. Edited October 31, 2012 by wykikitoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 42484 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Borrowdale is beautiful at any time of year, but in winter it's magic. If you want avoid any tourists, the Duddon valley ( SW lakes) is the place to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 17290 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 You cant just go to a game in Newcastle without visting the rest of the ancient Kingdom of Northumbria mind...I can see time is tight for you dbs but if you can squeeze in Lindisfarne and Bamburgh you should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 42484 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 You cant just go to a game in Newcastle without visting the rest of the ancient Kingdom of Northumbria mind...I can see time is tight for you dbs but if you can squeeze in Lindisfarne and Bamburgh you should. QFT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 You cant just go to a game in Newcastle without visting the rest of the ancient Kingdom of Northumbria mind...I can see time is tight for you dbs but if you can squeeze in Lindisfarne and Bamburgh you should. Cant see the point in things like this. Bamburgh. There's the castle, there's the sand, there's the sea..... its fucking freezing, back in the car. Google a nice picture and be done. Durham, a shit hole basically with a canny church (if you are into churches). Much much better to go to York instead which has the gorgeous minster AND a canny city to roam around, particularly the shambles. The Christmas markets will all be on as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADP 0 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Grasmere is lovely. Not much to do if you stay longer than a weekend though. The drive through windermere up into the hills and backdown onto the a69 is one of the nicest drives in the country This. And Ambleside. i had a lush meal last year in a pub overlooking Lake Ullswater - They were a hotel/B and B too I believe with excellent food and prices. Can't remember the name of if for the life of me but the owners were french and it had an amazing view of the lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44995 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Agree on Durham tbh. The cathedral is great, but the city centre looks very run down - probably cos it's overrun with arsehole students. Your comment on Bamburgh is nonsense though. Spoken like a regular attendee to the Sunderland Air Show and the Yorkshire Gyppo Farmer Fest tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 42484 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Cant see the point in things like this. Bamburgh. There's the castle, there's the sand, there's the sea..... its fucking freezing, back in the car. Google a nice picture and be done. Durham, a shit hole basically with a canny church (if you are into churches). Much much better to go to York instead which has the gorgeous minster AND a canny city to roam around, particularly the shambles. The Christmas markets will all be on as well. There's always the Great fucking Yorkshire Show too Edit; beaten to the gutpunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 There's always the Great fucking Yorkshire Show too Aye, ask any woman. Pet, would you like to freeze your nips off driving for an hour to stand outside the car for five minutes in December and look how nice the castle looks against the sea and sand. Quick photo op then another hour back to civilisation. or Pet, Ye Olde Yorkshire Show.... Cake tents, pastry tents, ......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44995 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 If there's not a helter skelter and candy floss, it can't hold his attention. "Is this it? A castle? Where am I gonna get a toffee apple here?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44995 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Aye, ask any woman. Pet, would you like to freeze your nips off driving for an hour to stand outside the car for five minutes in December and look how nice the castle looks against the sea and sand. Quick photo op then another hour back to civilisation. or Pet, Ye Olde Yorkshire Show.... Cake tents, pastry tents, ......... You remember when Johnnie Vaughan and Denise Van Outen used to do the fat Americans on the Big Breakfast? Elastic top jeans and massive fat suits. That's how I picture you and your lass from now on. Or the Golightlys off Beadle's About. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 20234 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Cant see the point in things like this. Bamburgh. There's the castle, there's the sand, there's the sea..... its fucking freezing, back in the car. Google a nice picture and be done. Durham, a shit hole basically with a canny church (if you are into churches). Much much better to go to York instead which has the gorgeous minster AND a canny city to roam around, particularly the shambles. The Christmas markets will all be on as well. Thats probably because there is no greasy spoon there, or its too far for fat fuckers to walk. Northumbria is a great shout PaddockLad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 From Trip Advisor..... Basically - a rich Victorian industrialist bought a derelict castle and turned it into fancy holiday home! Motley collections of crockery etc We trailed through Victorian kitchen areas and a childish, grotty, dusty mock-up of a dungeon (presumably designed by Hammer House of Horror). Expensive and a waste of a day! This 'castle' is just a manufactured folly set up by some wealthy family who want to make people pay extautionate money to walk around their house and show off how wealthy they are. £9 per adult,which leaves you,a hand full of rooms,fenced and padlocked areas your not allowed to go the scottish should have flattend it 500 years ago Very expensive to get in and when your there not much to look at as most of the rooms are locked and of course... best thing about the castle is the road that leaves it!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 20234 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 From Trip Advisor..... Basically - a rich Victorian industrialist bought a derelict castle and turned it into fancy holiday home! Motley collections of crockery etc We trailed through Victorian kitchen areas and a childish, grotty, dusty mock-up of a dungeon (presumably designed by Hammer House of Horror). Expensive and a waste of a day! This 'castle' is just a manufactured folly set up by some wealthy family who want to make people pay extautionate money to walk around their house and show off how wealthy they are. £9 per adult,which leaves you,a hand full of rooms,fenced and padlocked areas your not allowed to go the scottish should have flattend it 500 years ago Very expensive to get in and when your there not much to look at as most of the rooms are locked and of course... best thing about the castle is the road that leaves it!!!! Thats by some gimp who most probably drove there in their taxi, didnt see anything vijazzle to hold their attention so fucked off home to get onto one of the "moment hobbies" like making fires out of horse shit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddockLad 17290 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) CT, Bamburgh and Lindisfarne aren't significant because of what you can see today, although that, certainly in Bamburgh's case, is impressive. Its what happened there 1500-1000 years ago that helped shape the present we are experiencing in the 21st century which is significant. I'm not remotely religious but walking in the shadow of St Cuthbert and St Aidan on Lindisfarne is magical. Pick the right day/tide and its one of the most eerily atmospheric and peaceful places in the UK. Edited October 31, 2012 by PaddockLad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trophyshy 7083 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Don't make the easy mistake of missing out on The National Glass Centre! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Agree it's daft to pay to get into Bamburgh. Love walking around Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh, Lindisfarne, Wallington, Cragside etc. though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4729 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) CT, Bamburgh and Lindisfarne aren't significant because of what you can see today, although that, certainly in Bamburgh's case, is impressive. Its what happened there 1500-1000 years ago that helped shape the present we are experiencing in the 21st century which is significant. I'm not remotely religious but walking in the shadow of St Cuthbert and St Aidan on Lindisfarne is magical. Pick the right day/tide and its one of the most eerily atmospheric and peaceful places in the UK. Each to their own I guess, but if Id travelled thousands of miles and was here for limited time, it would definitely not be on my to do list. A stadium tour obviously is a must so get that booked. As is a trip to the Trent so you can walk in the shadows of Fish, Gemmil, Renton, Chez etc Edited October 31, 2012 by Christmas Tree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 42484 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 If you want rich Victorian industrialists showing off their wealth, Cragside is fucking mint. Worth the entrance just to see the Heath Robinson kitchen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 20234 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Each to their own I guess, but if Id travelled thousands of miles and was here for limited time, it would definitely not be on my to do list. A stadium tour obviously is a must so get that booked. As is a trip to the Trent so you can walk in the shadows of Fish, Gemmil, Renton, Chez etc I would rather I went somewhere with history rather than seeing where a bunch of overpaird fuckers get washed. But, like you say, each to their own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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