Went out in the lakes for the first time in years the other day having spent most of my mountain time over the last few years in North Wales, Scotland and the French Alps. Is it just me or is the Lakes the worlds most attractive traffic jam which has become overpriced and overcrowded. The Hotels are very poor and expensive as are the restaurants. Now I am sure there are oasis's of quality service in this desert of shameful tourist traps but I think they are exception rather than the rule. After a long drive, bad meal, bad nights sleep in a bad hotel you will be faced with paying extremely high car parking charges for your day in the hill. I left the Lakes feeling that the best thing to do in the Lakes is to save your money and go to North wales or Scotland instead.
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| Edited: 20/07/09 18:28 |
 I never pay to park when i visit the Lakes but that's because i know where to park and where to avoid.. All the touristy bits!!  ........... Were you one of those ? Did you walk any hills? or were you just one of many day trippers cramming up the poor road system?Complaining about the food and stuff... Where in the Lakes did you stay ??? Windermere!!!
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| Edited: 20/07/09 18:44 |
 I've just been out walking with a pal in the Lakes today. It's remarkably busy for a Monday, hardly any spaces outside pubs, campsites looking pretty full, and car parks likewise. We went somewhere off the beaten track and still found lots of people out walking, and for a while it was touch and go as to whether we would find a small free parking space for a Mini Cooper!
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 Have been walking in the Lakes on Saturday and Sunday and yes it was busy, but once you get up on the fells the crowds are mostly gone. It is the first weekend of the school hols though and I have seen it a lot busier. Talking of parking places, when will 'tourist's' realise that passing place are passing places and not parking places?
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 Has anyone used these phone systems? If it's like the one at Robin Hoods Bay they'll be a complete long winded pain, using voice recognition that won't work because it's windy. They've only introduced this system as they've realised no-one carries £8 in pound coins grrrrrrrrr! S.
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 "I left the Lakes feeling that the best thing to do in the Lakes is to save your money and go to North wales or Scotland instead. ...." Well thats fine, more room for the rest of us. "The Hotels are very poor and expensive as are the restaurants." .. pardon, compared to where exactly? Every B&B I've stayed at in the Lakes I loved, camping never been a problem and most time I never pay parking charges, as been mentioned, if you know where to look. There are even free spaces in Ambleside, trust me. Yes it isn't perfect and its busier than 10 years ago, but i can live with that, if not, don't go, its simple.
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but i can live with that, if not, don't go, its simple. My thoughts exactly  ...
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 Some case for heading for more obscure areas once the school holidays hit I think Mind you I've been wandering the eastern fells a bit recently (by train) and really been quite surprised how quiet some of them are - even the ones which basically drop right down into Ambleside like Red Screes, which even seems to have avoided the outbreak of paved paths. Was AW rude about it or something? Its certainly a very easy hill to get at. (Ambelside of course far from quiet!)
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 Coming back to the original article, in principle it sounds great, however I'm a little concerned as to the phone reception in the wilder parts of the Lakes, when I need to call in to extend the parking time. Gary
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 diddy, everyone knows that Dimac is the deadliest form of martial art known to mankind.
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