Wotcha!

[Carla]

[quote=""erechwydd""]Alas, I've never done any fell-walking, though I'd like to. Most of my walking has been over the Wiltshire Downs, which are somewhat tamer, to say the least! [/quote]
Maybe you can add fell-walking to your visit to Cumbria? There are some super small fells in the Lakes that make a great place to start; you get the views and some of the feel of mountain country, but you can get to the summit and be back down for lunch in the pub Cat Bells near Keswick is my favourite for a first-ever fell walk. It has everything; fantastic views over Derwentwater and to the central fells, good paths, a little rocky step on the ascent for a feeling of adventure (easily avoidable if you don't like rock), the option of a boat ride from Keswick to the start, and options to carry on to the next fell (Maiden Moor) if you feel like a longer walk.

[quote=""erechwydd""]I've always thought Castlerigg looks fantastic (even if it isn't as big as Avebury... ), both the circle and its surrounding landscape, so it's a must as far as I'm concerned. [/quote]
Cat Bells in the morning and Castlerigg in the afternoon? You can do both from Keswick.

[quote=""erechwydd""]Oh well, even sheep poo has its uses - you can make paper from it, after all. [/quote]
Can you really?

[erechwydd]

Cat Bells sounds like a good bet, then, and it certainly looks like one, having taken a peek at some photos. Thanks for the suggestion! I had a look at the OS map for the area and I can see as you said that Castlerigg is quite close...it was only looking at the map, though, that I realised how close the Lodore Falls/Falls of Derwenydd were as well. So I think we might be including that in the itinerary, too...

Can you really?

Well, I've never tried it personally. But these people make it:

http://www.creativepaperwales.co.uk/

[Carla]

Now that is creative

Lodore Falls are definitely worth a visit, especially if it's raining, or has rained a lot in the last day or two. I tend to regard the fells and the falls as a sort of each-way bet - the fells are best in fine weather when you can see the views, the falls and becks are best in wet weather. So whatever weather you get, it will be perfect for one or other!
If I remember rightly, one of the stops on the Derwentwater round-the-lake launch is near Lodore Falls. Ashness Bridge, on the minor lane up to Watendlath hamlet has a classic picture-postcard view over Derwentwater, with the pretty stone bridge in the foreground and Skiddaw towering in the distance over the end of the lake; that view must have graced a lot of chocolate boxes, guidebook covers and holiday snaps in its time

[Madeleine]

Derwentwater's lovely, try to visit the restaurant at the Theatre by the Lake - if you're there in summer it's great to sit outside, just gorgeous.

[erechwydd]

Carla, funnily enough I was looking through an old British Archaeology magazine yesterday (as it has a useful gazetteer of sites in Cumbria) and they happened to have a photo of Ashness Bridge itself. So I can see what you mean about the views. Nice to know that there are options whatever the weather. If we're lucky, maybe it will rain overnight and be fine by day, which is what happened when we were in Wales last year. Except for one day when we got poured on going to look at a burial chamber on the coast.

Madeleine, I'd heard of Theatre by the Lake but have never looked them up, so I'll check them out; thanks.

[Carla]

[quote=""erechwydd""]Carla, funnily enough I was looking through an old British Archaeology magazine yesterday (as it has a useful gazetteer of sites in Cumbria) and they happened to have a photo of Ashness Bridge itself. So I can see what you mean about the views. Nice to know that there are options whatever the weather. If we're lucky, maybe it will rain overnight and be fine by day, which is what happened when we were in Wales last year. Except for one day when we got poured on going to look at a burial chamber on the coast.

Madeleine, I'd heard of Theatre by the Lake but have never looked them up, so I'll check them out; thanks. [/quote]

I've been to Theatre by the Lake a couple of times but never tried the restaurant. It has a lovely location. Hopefully the weather will be kind to you

[erechwydd]

Hopefully the weather will be kind to you

Hopefully. And thanks to both you and Madeleine for all the suggestions of places to visit.