Of lakes, BBQs and days out

This Saturday we went north to the lakes on the promise that this would be the last sunny day of August.

Now apart from a visit back in the early 70s I had never been to the Lake District and so was up for where ever we went.  This turned out to be the southern end of Windermere and pretty impressive it was.  Although I have to say if it’s a choice between lakes and the sea I favour the sea.

But Lake Windermere on this hot Saturday was a good place to be and as we sat by the water’s edge in the grounds of a hotel I reflected on how a day at the lakes is done by my Italian family.

They have been doing such lake excursions for nearly forty years, and it begins with a trip the day before where we drive the 30 or so miles to the possible sites, scout out the best spot and do a deal with the local owner.  This done the following day with the food, bought and partly prepared and packed in the car we set out early.  We travel in convoy for along with the food are the tables chairs and BBQ equipment.  

This is no casual spur of the moment trip.  Any good day from the beginning of Easter is a potential “lake day.”

And it is essential to get there early so that you can park up in the most convenient spot to haul everything to the chosen place.  In our case this has a good view of the lake with a tree for hanging things and enough space to spread.

Nor will we be alone on those first warm and often hot days in Easter for large numbers will also make their claim to be a bit of the lake side and so by midday the place will be a buzz.  And like an Italian beach there are the facilities where you want for nothing.  This is no wooden shack with rickety chairs, peeling paint and last year’s summer posters on the walls. At the heart of the business is a large comfortable restaurant with a paddling pool for the kids and spectacular views across the water.

But Rosa and Simone have brought it all and so apart from a wander for curiosity’s sake where we are has it all.  The kids play ball games Tina and her siblings talk of their own child hood memories of doing the same thing and at the centre of it all is Rosa, cooking and making sure everyone is care for.

And that is pretty much how the day pans out.  A few brave the water but most are content to sit eat and talk the day away.  It looks and in its way is totally anarchic.  People spread out across the open ground there are BBQs and the odd camp fire everywhere, but despite the large numbers everyone just gets on with the pleasure of the day.

And by the end of the day there is little in the way of litter to show any of us were ever there.

All of which is a contrast to our day at Windermere, with its expensive hotel, plethora of companies offering boat trips and a neat car park where you have a choice of paying £2.50 for one hour of £3.50 for then hours.

Pictures; from the collection of Andrew Simpson