After a slow motion drive up the M6 in traffic we were glad to stop at Morecambe. Famous for its endless sands stretching to the horizon, we made a beeline for the waterfront to stretch our legs.
After a short stroll along the blustery front, we hopped back into our warm car to continue the journey north. All the while we could see the mountains in the distance, calling us forward!
Before long we arrived in Kendal, home of the lovely warming Kendal Mint Cake. My parents had introduced us to this as kids, and whenever we visited a National Trust gift shop (which is a great place to buy kendal mint cake outside kendal!) we would pick some up. It is essentially pure sugar, with a strong mint taste, and you can get brown or white varieties – both delish! We stocked up on some of the brown variety which I found I preferred. (Like brown bread… seems more healthy?!)
Kendal turned out to be a cute little town with some cobbled streets and quaintness, but also a modern side with pizza express, many high street shops and banks – a good base if you want to visit the Lake District, especially as it is on the edge of the national park.
On the night we arrived we chanced upon a candlelight procession, which turned out to be a carnival parade, complete with floats, much music, and fancy costumes! A local restaurant was giving out little samples of their sangria so we sipped our sangria while admiring the fun of the carnival!
We stayed in Kendal as accommodation was cheaper and more readily available. It was only a 20 minute drive to Lake Windermere in the morning…
next blog: Windermere, Lake District
previous blog: Jurassic Coast, UK
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