From my bottom bunk, I couldn’t see the mountains that were visible the day before.

No one was awake yet, so I let them all sleep while I got up to contemplate the wisdom of dragging my mom and two boys up a misty hill.

“The weather looks pretty great today,” answered our friendly host at the youth hostel in Grasmere when I asked about the cloudy skies.

If you live here, as in Scotland, mist is not bad weather. I remembered to be glad for mist instead of thrashing rain and wind.

“Ok,” I said, “I’m hoping to go up to Easedale Tarn today.”

“Do you have a map?”

Does the one in my head count? I thought, as I shook my head.

He handed me a hand-drawn map of the walk I was hoping  to do.

I recognized the scribblings of Wainwright from my two weeks on England’s Coast to Coast trail.

“Thanks.”

“Cheers! Have a great day!”

Less than an hour later, fed and fitted, we were on our way up cobbled stones and mossy lanes.

I can tell how thick the mist is by how fast my hair is soaked through, even under my hat. Droplets of water falling from the rims of my glasses indicated to me that it was heavy.

But we were undeterred. Onward and upward.

The boys ran ahead and I watched my mama take in the delights of wider Grasmere just I had hoped she would.

Even on a wet March day.

We could hear running water as we climbed higher.

And every once in a while we caught glimpses through the clouds of white water falling in the folds of the hills.

And then we were upon it.

Waterfalls that presumably were running from the lake to which we were headed: Easedale Tarn.

The mist seemed to get heavier as we got higher.

But as long as we could see the trail in front of us, we kept on putting one foot in front of the other.

And occasionally I could see one of the boys waving back at us.

But over half the time I was turned around taking in the views behind me.

I have fallen in love with the Lake District over and over again. In different months and seasons and in all kinds of weather. On our first visit here, it rained almost constantly and I still couldn’t wait to come back.

This was my first wintery visit. My first time to glimpse snow on the hilltops as we made the drive.

Spring was just around the corner. The days were starting to be longer and the air warmer, but officially it was still winter. I shed my gloves and the wool band I usually wear on my ears, but I still had them both handy in my pockets, knowing I could need them again any minute.

It was not too long before we found the lake, where we sat down for a minute to stretch our legs.

Everyone was happy to be at Easedale Tarn, and walked around the lake a little bit before turning around to finish our loop walk. As we edged around one part of the lake, we surprised a hiker who was stripping down for a swim.

We heard a splash and a squeal as he jumped in the lake, another sure sign that winter was at its end, although not one that any of us were ready for.

We came down twice as fast as we went up, happy to be headed for Grasmere, where hot soup and cream teas were waiting for us!

In mist or sunshine, this is the Lake District I love. This sprawling land lined with slate rock walls and dotted with sheep. Where you close your eyes and hear only the running of water and open them again to see your children disappear around the bend ahead. Because who can help running when there is such a world to be explored.

Thanks Mama for exploring one of my favorite parts of the UK with me!

And a big thank you to the Grasmere YHA for hosting us in the Lake District, providing us with maps, hot food and warm (dry!) beds at night!

The post Snapshots of Grasmere: A Hike To Easedale Tarn appeared first on Alison Chino.

From a very quick trip I made in November, here are Snapshots of London!

Whenever I go to London, I try to fit in something new.

Or a few new somethings.

I flew down on the first flight out of Aberdeen to London City Airport, which I highly recommend, because as the name suggests, you are already in the city.

You just hop on the DLR, which connects you to the Underground.

I stopped first in the London Docklands, an area which has been completely remade into a hip business district where food trucks dedicated to falafel and fancy barbecue line the water.

I went to the Museum of London Docklands, an old warehouse full of a fascinating history of the shipping industry in London and of the area.

Out of all the exhibits, the one that disturbed me most was dedicated to one kind of cargo that came through these docks.

The exhibit explained that most of London’s great wealth and prosperity came from England’s monopoly on the slave trade, and the slave ships passed through these docklands, where slaves were sold and sent off to work in America.

Our history with slavery continues to be heart-wrenching to me, partly because of how slavery still exists. In some ways, instead of slavery’s being eradicated in the world, it has simply evolved.

It was raining when I left the London Docklands with a heavy heart.

On to the British Library.

Home of treasures such as the Magna Carta, original Dickens manuscripts and napkins with lyrics scrawled by Paul McCartney.

I loved seeing the Lindisfarne Gospels after having pilgrimaged to the Holy Island a couple of years ago. I’d read about St Cuthbert and these manuscripts when Anna and I walked St Cuthbert’s Way. They are from the year 700. (So like, super old!)

Next I headed off to find my room (and a cup of tea!) at the YHA near St Paul’s.

If you are facing St. Paul’s steps, and you look down the street to the right, you will see the YHA.

It is in an older building, delightfully close to St Paul’s.

Hello familiar little green triangle.

Up the stairs.

And into my little happy single room.

After a cup of tea and a little rest, I headed off to Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral.

I have been to a service at Westminster on another visit to London and I went to Evensong again on a visit to York.

This is easily my favorite way to visit a grand church. You get to hear the organ and be a part of the church as it was intended to be, filled with singing and worship. This service, so soon after the attacks in Paris, was very special.

I wrote down a beautiful reminder in the middle of the liturgy that only God can bring peace to our world.

I loved watching people file in and end their day on their knees, souls being fed before heading home for an evening meal.

When the service ended I walked down to the Thames, turning back to look at St Paul’s at night, with buses going by.

I crossed the Millennium Bridge to make my way to Southwark and The Cut.

I passed a Christmas market on my way.

I met a friend at The Old Vic to see a play, because on my last trip to London, I went on a theatre tour where our guide mentioned that The Old Vic and The Young Vic were some of his favorite venues in the city for plays. Such a fun night out and The Old Vic was all lit up for La France!

The lights in the staircase at The Old Vic were my favorite!

I woke up the next morning to a little bit of sunshine coming through my window.

I hit the streets just outside my room in search of coffee and fruit.

As crowded as London is, it amazes me that you only have to get a street or two away from the main thoroughfares to find quiet.

I turned off the main roads several times to look for new spots in London.

So many parts of London can feel like little English villages all tacked together on a map in a string.

Back at the Thames, London’s grandeur astonishes all over again.

PS. I am super grateful to World Vision UK for the opportunity to be a part of #FarFromHome in London in November and to YHA St Paul’s for giving me a cozy bed for the night while I was down!

PS If you enjoyed this post you might like to see more of London or more on our YHA Hostel Stays. Or even subscribe to the Chino House?

The post Snapshots of London appeared first on Alison Chino.

Yesterday I told a story about being far from home.

Like many others, I have been closely following the stories Syrian refugees who are far from home for much harder reasons than I am.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to be heading to London today to attend an event with World Vision that will help tell the stories of those who are far from home this winter.

Here’s one such story.

I am anxious to come back and share what I learn, so watch this space.

PS. I’m super grateful to the YHA at St Paul’s for giving me a place to sleep while I’m in London! 

The post Far From Home appeared first on Alison Chino.

So, York.

Last week I mentioned that I took my mama to Berwick-Upon-Tweed on a little train journey + YHA adventure.

Our next stop was York.

We spent two nights in York, again arriving late.

We ate dinner on the train on Friday evening, walked to the hostel, had drinks in the common room (ale for Mama and me, hot cocoa for the boys) and then settled into our bunks for the night.

We were up bright and early on Saturday for our one full day of sightseeing in York.

We walked all over York before the day was over, making stops at the Viking Museum, York’s Chocolate Factory and York Minster.

Um, at York’s Chocolate Story, you get to make your own lolly. And the people in the picture frames speak to you! Super fun.

We also shopped the markets in The Shambles, where Mama found a new hat.

I think we actually went inside every shoe store in this street, which the boys really appreciated. (sarcasm)

I found new hiking boots on sale though so it was worth the scavenging.           

Also, York is pretty high on the charm scale. 

Everywhere you look there are darling rooftops and weensy cobbled alleyways.

As an American, towns like these make me feel like I have somehow learned to time travel.

But of course, that’s ridiculous.            

For lunch we had the best burgers on the rooftop terrace of a pub called The Habit.

Highly recommend!

Fab views of York Minster from the roof AND fab service!

In the afternoon it started to rain, so we darted in and out of shoe stores and tea shops. 

I think there are as many places for tea in York as there are people. It would be hard to choose a favorite.  

At five, we headed off to Evensong at York Minster.

A Rick Steves tip for visiting famous cathedrals is to attend the daily Evensong service.

Usually only about 45 minutes in length, the readings and Scripture are sung by a choir.

It’s a beautiful experience and completely free to attend. It’s also usually more interesting for the kids than the usual tour of a church. We were all a little damp from the rain and maybe a tiny bit sleepy.

Beautiful service in a beautiful place.

After the service, we walked out of the city walls to head on back to the YHA, where we took hot showers to get warm before ordering dinner there at the bar.                 

This lobby is where you access the WIFI at the YHA, so of course, the boys spent a good bit of time here.

Then it was time for bed!

Sunday morning we had breakfast at the Cafe Concerto, a recommendation via Twitter!

It was a gorgeous day, so we spent our last few hours walking the old city walls.

These walls are the most complete medieval city walls in England and alongside them you can even see the remains of walls from when the Romans ruled. Everything is crazy old in York.

Except for spring! Which seemed brand new while we were there. We left York under blue skies and rode our train back to Aberdeen past spring lambs and yellow blooms.

However, by the time we reached Aberdeen, it was snowing.

York is only six hours away from Aberdeen by train, but it’s a few degrees warmer for sure, a fact I will remember when making plans to visit again!

Here are a few more photos from our hostel!

A game room and computers!

Toilet and shower rooms.

Our stay at the York YHA was complimentary as part of a partnership with YHA to promote family hostelling! We love staying with YHA though. For more of our hostel stays, check out the archives.

The post Snapshots of York appeared first on Alison Chino.

Help!

We can’t get off of the train!

Hello!

Anyone!

We can’t open the door!

If you had been standing on the empty train platform of the sleepy town of Berwick-Upon-Tweed at 10pm on a certain evening in May, you might have heard the desperate banging of four people who were trying to exit the train but could not figure out how to get the door open.

No one else seemed to want off at Berwick-Upon-Tweed, which meant we would not be stopped for long.

While I was banging on the window, I started to quickly plot out in my mind what would happen if we really could not get off. Could I get us back from the next stop at this time of night? Would the hostel stay open for us?

The cruel irony in this story is that I have become almost smug in the fact that I am an experienced train traveler.

I know when the optimal time is to book fares in order to get them at the cheapest rate (4-6 weeks).

I have a family railcard so we can save even more. (Always cheaper to travel with children!)

I always reserve great seats. (My boys like a table, which we completely cover with food, books and drinks within minutes of sitting down.)

I always bring plenty of food. (Apparently, train travel makes children hungry.)

I know how to find our platform even if the station to which we are traveling is not listed on the screen. (Look for the end of the line. If you don’t know the last stop on the line, look for a train that is leaving at your departure time.)

I know to hold on to our tickets and keep them handy for when we leave the station just in case we need to feed them through barriers in order to exit.

Of course, I learned this last one the hard way. By not having my ticket accessible (or not having it at all) when I tried to leave the station.

In fact, I have learned most of these lessons the hard way. I’ve paid too much for fares because I waited until the last minute. I’ve stood up on a train where I did not have a reserved seat. I’ve been at the wrong platform when I looked at only the city and not the time.

But apparently, I still have lessons to learn.

“Wait a minute.”

My mother’s calm voice interrupted my panic at not being able to open the door to the train.

Then she began to read the instructions above the door out loud.

“To open door: Lower window. Open door using outside handle.”

“WHAT?!!”

You have got to be kidding me.

But it worked. I lowered the window. And lo and behold, the handle on the outside of the train opened the door. We were free!

Walking up the stairs and out of the train station, we were practically falling down laughing as we pictured all the calm, collected passengers on the train hearing us yell for help.

Of course, no one could be bothered to actually help the silly Americans who apparently cannot read.

Later Taido told me that it must have been an older train we were on. All the doors used to open up that way. For safety, of course.

Flash forward to a few weeks later and I am walking the Speyside Way in Scotland with two friends from Arkansas.

We decide to take an old steam railway for the last six miles of the walk into Aviemore. The train cars are wooden and the wheels are making a clickety-clack noise that is something out of a storybook. The whole experience is absolutely drenched with charm.

When it’s time to get off the train, we head for the door and they notice that there aren’t any handles on the inside.

“I got this.” I say, as I calmly lower the window and open the train from the outside.

The post All Aboard: A Story about Trains appeared first on Alison Chino.

My mom was here for three weeks in April and May and I really wanted her to have at least a little taste of seeing somewhere besides Aberdeen.

I love train travel, so I spent a little time trying to find places that we could get to relatively easily via train and towns that could be explored on foot once we arrived.

For our mini adventure, I settled upon three days in two towns.

The first one was the coastal town of Berwick-Upon-Tweed, which is about as far north as you can get in England before crossing the border into Scotland.

(The second town was York, which I’ll get to next week.)

For now,

Let’s talk about Berwick-Upon-Tweed.

The whole town can be walked in circular on these old city walls and battlements.

A perfect playground for young boys.       

And a dreamy landscape for the mamas.         

So much charm around every corner.

Ben about drove my mama crazy, dropping down into these hideouts and then climbing all the walls.

Berwick-Upon-Tweed is reached by three different bridges. Two are for cars and one is for trains. The bridges are striking in any weather, but we found them to be especially gorgeous in the morning mist.    

The railroad bridge was made from the stones of the old castle, but you can still see where the castle used to be since some of the ruins remain.                    

After you walk the city walls, you can walk under the bridges and along the River Tweed for as long as you fancy. Berwick is a wonderful town for walking.

I wonder if this is not partly the reason it is featured prominently in the novel, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, which is one of my very favorite books I’ve read this year.

After a morning full of walking and playing, we went and found some lunch at this darling little restaurant, Audela.

The highlights of our meal were the Berwick Crab sandwiches.

The side streets of Berwick look like a movie set to me.

Simon thought so too.

After lunch the sun came out, so we headed to the center of town for ice cream. We also hit the shops and scored new books from a bookstore.              

We had a couple of hours to kill until our train left for York, so we took our new books to the beach to read. And we might have napped a little.  

While we were in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, we stayed at the YHA (youth hostel).

We had one of the family rooms in the courtyard where these old boots were turned into planters.

I love how YHA often creatively repurposes old buildings. This one was the old town Granary and it now also houses an art gallery.  

Ben always opts for full English breakfast when he can, and he ate every bite at our hostel.

Here’s the breakfast room + common room.  

And our bunks! Our family room for four even had its own bathroom.  

Here’s the warm welcoming desk at the Berwick-Upon-Tweed YHA. They stayed up late to check us in since our train did not come in until right at 10pm.

Our stay at the YHA Berwick was complimentary, and to be honest, I was a little nervous about taking my mama to stay in hostels, but she enjoyed our stays in Berwick and York and we all loved being in bunk rooms together. And the food of course! Everyone ate their fill!

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There’s a reason the Lake District has inspired poets and wanderers for so many years.

We fell in love on our first visit last October, and I have been watching for an opportunity to return. When we mapped our route home from Switzerland and decided that I would be at the wheel from London to Aberdeen, I spotted my window. I would break the journey at Windermere.

The kids and I stayed two nights at the YHA hostel so that we could get in a proper walk in the area. We asked for recommendations from our lovely hosts, who gave us maps of walks that begin at the hostel.

We decided on a walk to the village of Windermere via a viewpoint of the Lake at Orrest Head. Then we would go down and have lunch by the lake and circle back up to the hostel.

The hostel sits in the hills above Windermere , with this gorgeous view of the lake. We set off towards Troutbeck and followed the public bridleways through fields and over stiles.

It had been raining for days in England, and we walked in clouds with a few light showers, but managed to avoid being out in any heavy rain. However, the trails were super muddy.

I might have irritated a few cows when I managed to fall in a particularly muddy field, and we ended up being chased out by some mama cows.

We found our way back to the trail a different way and then continued on to the viewpoint at Orrest Head.

The wind was blowing hard and the clouds were becoming heavier, but it was a beautiful spot. I would love to go back on a sunny day. We did not stay long, but descended into the village of Windermere.

It started to rain a little bit more, so we waited it out a bit at the library in Windermere, where there was a fascinating exhibit called From Auschwitz to Ambleside, telling the stories of 300 Jewish orphans who were brought to the Lake District to recover after WWII. I lost myself for a while in the tales of their survival and how they picked up the pieces of their lives and started over in England.

I can see how being on the shores of Lake Windermere could be both a respite and a new beginning.

We went there next, carrying boxed sandwiches, crisps and fruit from a market. We ate our lunch by the lake and then walked along the shoreline back towards the hostel.

We went back to the hostel a different way, partly along the road. The clouds cleared up a bit and we even saw some blue sky. But the brightest blues were these hydrangeas that were in bloom all over the area.

It was late in the afternoon when we got back to the hostel, and it started to rain really hard. We sat in the kitchen over bowls of soup and cups of tea, feeling quite smug about getting out for such a gorgeous walk before the rain settled in.

Our stay at the YHA in Windermere was part of our blogging partnership with them to encourage more families to give hostels a try! We also stayed with them last October at Buttermere (in the Lake District) and previously this summer in London. More photos of our quick stop in Windermere can be found in the Google+ album.

The post A Walk to Windermere {England} (25/48) appeared first on Alison Chino.

It was the boys’ first trip to London, and so we had a list full of what we hoped were kid-friendly places to go.

We arrived SUPER late into London (thank you EasyJet) and took the train from London Luton Airport to Pancras International which happens to be right next to Kings Cross station. Before taking a cab to our hostel, we decided to run over and see if we could still get in to Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross and you know what? It turns out that 1am is the PERFECT time to go see it. There was no one there. Just us and our cameras and backpacks.

So, everyone might look a bit sleepy in the photos but how fun was it that we got to check this off our list as soon as we arrived in London?

Next it was off to the YHA Central, our home for the next three nights. The gals at the front desk got us all checked in and were super friendly even though it was practically the middle of the night by the time we arrived. We all fell into our bunks and went straight to sleep.

Day 1

The next morning it was raining but we set off to find some coffee and what we had heard was the world’s best croissant. Trying almond croissants turned out to be a bit of a theme for our whole European adventure. Whitney and I both love them, and we had many delectable ones!

After coffee, we hopped onto our first of many double decker buses. I cannot possibly overestimate how much our boys loved those buses. They would run up the stairs and try to get the top front seat every time, and if someone was already there, they would sit behind them and then take the seat as soon as it became available.

It turned out to be such a great way to see a lot of London, and we did so much walking that everyone was always relieved to sit down and ride for a while.

Sometimes we intentionally chose a long route just to give the boys more time on the bus.

Our first morning we went to St Paul’s Cathedral, walked across the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern and then had Mexican food at Tortilla (yes, please!)

After lunch we walked along the Thames all the way to the Tower Bridge.

From there we took a cruise on the Thames, and then we met up with our friends Tanja and Chipper.

Tanja is my dear friend from years of Saturday morning Bible study, and her son Chipper just graduated from high school, so they were doing a celebratory trip. They were staying one night in London around the corner from us so they came along with us to our next stop.

At Ben’s request, we made the trip to 221b Baker Street and everyone had to have their turn posing as Sherlock and Dr. Watson.

Next was a wander in Little Venice, which we really only knew about via other travelers’ Instagram pics. Ah, Instagram, you’re always showing us the world and helping us find those perfect photo spots + making us all want to go to Croatia. (Or maybe that’s just my feed.)

In Little Venice, the kids were all suddenly a lotta hungry. And the adults were too. We could only find a couple of little pubs and they were both spilling out into the street with folks stopping in for a drink on their way home from work.

Most people were not ordering food, but we found one that was willing to serve us up some cheese platters, burgers and fish ‘n chips, so we all piled around small tables for local beers, ciders and pub food.

The sun was setting as we walked back over the little bridge to catch the bus to our hostel. Such a great first day in London!

Day 2

We started much the same way, with pastries and coffee, followed by a stop at a giant toy store that was on everyone’s must-see-with-kids list in London. Hamleys was really close to our hostel so we actually made a second trip there the next day. Also, I was meeting up with Tanja and Chipper, so I did not get to see it the first time around and Simon was determined to show it to me. And honestly, it was AMAZING.

I can’t decide what I liked the most.

The Underground, where you could try out the games and toys, including shooting arrows from a real bow.

Or maybe seeing the Royal Family made entirely out of Legos.

And if I was not sufficiently wowed by the inside of the store,  just down the street, the bus stop near Hamleys is also constructed entirely out of Legos.

Crazy cool.

After the toy store, we went to see Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.

Then we stopped in at the Tate Britain.

Mostly because I really wanted to see this staircase. (Thank you again, Instagram.)

But I ended up laughing really hard at Chipper’s take on Modern Art.

Our next stop was slightly disastrous and will hereto be referred to as That Trip To The Market That Will Not Be Named. All I can tell you is that some of London’s markets are a bit too crowded to go with a group of nine, and if the crowds don’t get to you, then the seagulls will.

After lunch we said goodbye to Tanja and Chipper and it was raining again so we decided to head to a museum we thought the kids would enjoy. We landed on the Natural History Museum because of the dinosaurs. And while the building was really gorgeous and we were so glad the museum is free to visit, the museum was mobbed. Like, really ridiculously crowded.

The dinosaur room is set up like a rat maze. And dear goodness, once you go in, you can’t get out except by moving forward like a mouse after the cheese. Only you are the mouse and the cheese is AIR TO BREATHE. Simon had a wee panic attack and felt it was the worst museum he had ever been to. We got out of there as quickly as we could and went for coffee and cookies, which pretty much fixes everything.

Then we went to the Princess Diana Memorial Playground, and it really fixed everything. The kids were in heaven. They played and played and never wanted to leave. We stayed until we were literally kicked out at closing time, and the kids begged to return the next day.

We grabbed some food on the way home to fix at the hostel and had dinner in the community kitchen there. Everyone was plenty exhausted after a long day of sightseeing, so we agreed to take it slow the next morning.

Day 3

We had a late breakfast at the hostel before checking out. It was our last day in London and we considered leaving our backpacks at the hostel, which they are happy to let you do, but we opted to keep them with us so we wouldn’t have to come back that afternoon.

We decided that after we stopped in again at the toy store, we would go to Regents Park to play for the afternoon.

We wanted it to be an easier day because our flight to Paris was at 7pm and with the time change we would not be arriving in the city until nearly 11pm. So we ran by Buckingham Palace to say hello to the queen and then we went to play at the park until it was time to catch our train to the airport.

The boys favorite parts of London:

Thames River Cruise
221b Baker Street
Hamleys
Princess Diana Memorial Playground

If you have taken your kids to London, I would love to hear what their favorites were!

I received a discount on our stay at the YHA in London as part of a blogging partnership with them to encourage more families to give hostels a try! We also stayed with them last October at Buttermere (in the Lake District) and again this summer at Windermere (post coming!).

The post Snapshots of London with Kids appeared first on Alison Chino.

On a recent visit to London, we booked a river cruise with City Cruises.

I love walking along the Thames in London, so I thought it would be fun to get out on the river and enjoy the sights from a different perspective. Also, I knew we would have four children with us in London whose legs might need a little break from walking.

I was a little worried when we woke up to rain on the day of our cruise, but one thing I have learned from living in Scotland is that you can’t let the rain hold you back. Besides, the boats have an indoor place to sit just in case, so we decided we would make the best of it!

When we got on board, the rain had stopped so we opted to spread out our raincoats and sit on the upper deck. We ordered tea and coffee from the boat bar to keep the chills away. (Chills in July? Yes, there’s a reason so much tea is consumed on the British Isles!)

One of the benefits of the rain was that our tour boat was almost completely empty. I asked our captain why our boat was so empty (some of the other boats on the river had loads more people on them) and he explained that some of the other boats are commuter boats. I think you can hop on the commuter boats without pre-booking, so I was glad we had pre-booked the Circular Cruise instead.

Even on a dreary day, London is a gorgeous city!

It was my boys’ first trip to London so they loved spotting all the familiar London buildings from years of watching movies set in London and Doctor Who.

They took about 1000 photos of The Shard.

And of course, everyone was excited to see the London Eye!

And Big Ben of course!

Our boat turned around at the Parliament buildings, and on the way back down the river, our boat driver told us a bit of history. He was super knowledgeable and made us all laugh.

We enjoyed our time on the Thames so much! All the kids listed it as one of their favorite things we did during our three days in London!

I also took a little video of our cruise! My brother and his wife, Peter and Whitney, along with their two boys, accompanied my boys and me around Europe in July. They were such great sports and we had a fabulous time! I have lots more posts coming up about this great adventure. We called it #CousinsTakeEurope.

I received our circular cruise complementary from City Cruises, but you can book a family ticket (2 adults, 3 children) on the same Circular Cruise for under 25 GBP. That’s a great deal in any weather!

Also, while we were in London in July, we were hosted by YHA in one of their centrally located hostels. More to come from our fun family visit to London!

Do you travel + Instagram? Join in IG Travel Thursday!

More of my IG Travel Thursday posts.

The post Snapshots of London from the Thames appeared first on Alison Chino.

Family Hiking in the Lake District

While we were in the Lake District, we did five different walks together as a family. All of our walks were fairly “lightweight” compared to what many of the other hillwalkers we met were doing, but we were happy with doing shorter walks and taking breaks from the rainy weather in between.

All of these walks are very handy to Buttermere Village, where we we stayed at the Buttermere YHA. The first four are loop hikes that are right around four miles. On both Friday and Saturday, we did one walk in the morning and one in the afternoon. Then we did one more even shorter walk on Sunday morning before driving back home to Aberdeen.

Loweswater was our first hike on Friday morning. It was raining when we woke up, but it cleared off a little bit so we did not get too wet on this walk around Loweswater. This lake is a little further from Buttermere, so we drove our van over there to walk around the lake. The walks around the lakes in the Lake District were the kids’ favorites because they are always flat. Also it is very easy to map your progress when you can see the lake you are walking around the whole time. Simon loved knowing when we were halfway around on our lake walks.

Loweswater was also the least muddy (or boggy in British speak) of all the lake walks we came across. We found all the trails in the Lake District to be very well maintained, but this one was particularly so. On one side of the lake, you have to walk for a short distance on the road, but for the most part, the trail wanders right alongside the lake.

After lunch we stumbled on this hike that we think is called Steeple and Haycock, but all along we thought we were on the Rannerdale Knotts, so we were a bit confused. Both have trailheads on the road to Buttermere Village.

On this walk, two ridges run parallel along a deep glen that is cut by a river. We climbed one of the ridges and walked along a path that got steeper and steeper. It started to rain on us a bit and the wind was very fierce, so we decided to descend to the river and walk back through the valley.

I read later that you can make a loop back to the trailhead by continuing to follow the ridge and then the path cuts across and brings you back along the opposite one. We were glad to walk in the middle, which gave us a little break from the wind.

Of course, we met loads of sheep and found about fifty spots I would love to come back to on a sunny day and sit. Little patches of green right by the running water were calling my name.

However, the rain started to fall much harder towards the end and so we were sloshing through the grass back to the car as quickly as possible.

Thankfully we did not have far to go before we were back at the hostel, taking off our wet things and making soup for dinner.

The next morning we headed right back out into the falling rain, this time just a slight drizzle, and walked around the lake that was just outside our door, Buttermere.

The whole time we were in the Lake District, I marveled at the bright green grass and moss.

The autumn is a wonderful time to be in this area, especially if you don’t mind the rain. The colors made it worth our while to get a little wet.

Somewhere near this little brook, we stopped for a snack so that we could get in one more hike before a late lunch back at the hostel. The rain stopped for long enough for us to decide to stay out longer.

From Buttermere, it is easy to make your way over to Crummock Water, which is a much larger lake. Across the road from Crummock Water is the Rannerdale Knotts walk we were searching for the previous day.

You can ascend the ridge from Crummock Water and walk right along the top of the ridge all the way back to Buttermere Village.

Going up is a little bit steep but not treacherous. In the drizzle though, these rocks are a little bit slippery, so we were careful as we made our way to the top.

Once you reach the pile of rocks that is the highest point, the ridge opens up and is a wide grassy path the rest of the way down. The kids all took off running along the top of it.

I kept stopping to gasp at the views below. You can see both Buttermere and Crummock Water from the top, as well as the little Buttermere Village where you can stop to warm up with tea. Even though we were wet and cold when we finally got down to the village, the boys all chose ice cream over tea. They could not resist! Mary Polly and I had tea and scones though, and we took our time sipping it in the cozy cafe.

After our walk, it was back to the drying room with our clothes and boots. Everything was dry when we put it all back on the next morning to leave. We left the Lake District as great storms were blowing in all over England, so we were happy to be headed north.

Before leaving, we made one last quick hike to these falls, getting soaked in the process! We cut this last walk short, so we will have to come back and do it again. I will welcome the opportunity to return to this beautiful country! It will be fun to see it at another time of year and compare the colors.

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