The week after our pre-wedding photo shoot...

...we had the privilege of being invited for a road trip down Lake District with my bridesmaid, C and her husband K squared. This was very special to us as we started officially dating after a camping trip to Lake District, about three years ago, the very same month!

Of course, a lot of things has changed. And some, have not. For starters, I still can't find attractive hiking gear that doesn't make my thighs look giganto-rish. Sigh.

C and I around Wray Castle in Windermere. Notice the wardrobe diference.

Also, He still likes to pose dramatically in photos. Hehe...

Hark! Are we lost? Or am I saluting you?

Few major things that have changed since we first got together:

• Disgusting/grossing out levels have escalated: Remember when you were all polite and ran to the toilet to blow your nose or to fart? That's all over now. Wake up and smell the...uh...ammonia.
• Segregation of duties: I do the laundry and he irons.
• I watch anime (Naruto and most recently, Bleach). What have I succumbed to?!!

Ok, sorry for the digression, back to the trip. Firstly, we had a not-so-smooth journey into Ambleside, where we stayed at the Fisherbeck Hotel (lured in by the promise of the most delicious English Breakfast ever) due to a car accident on M6. It took us 5 hours. Once we got into Lake District, it was bye-bye highways and hello lovely little roads and cottages.

Quaint little cottages around Windermere.

Once we checked in, we headed for the town area. K squared wanted to catch the Champions League final in one of the pubs. Unfortunately, everyone had the same idea and most of the pubs were packed. We finally found a pub, the Sportmans Inn, ordered dinner and waited for the match. Do not order food in this pub because we suspect most of the food are thawed from the freezer and served without any thought about taste whatsoever. We four agreed that this was by far the worst pub dinner we have ever had in our lives!

C and I also had a wander around town and got some homemade ice-cream from a fudge shop. Yummm...

The yummy fudge and ice-cream shop in Ambleside.

Intently watching the Barcelona vs. Man United Champions League game.

The next morning, after the English breakfast provided by the hotel, which unfortunately did not live up to our heightened expectations (but on hindsight, was not bad at all!), we headed to Hawkshead for a 4 mile hike.

Our Hawkshead hike took us around some farmlands. A lot of sheep!

Some nice uphill climbs.

I've never seen a black snail before!

Fields and fields of buttercups.

Stopping for a Kendal Mint Cake.

Once we finished our hike, we went to a nearby restaurant for some seriously good food. Drunken Duck was has a good chef!

Can't remember what we ate unfortunately, but the duck was good!

For dinner we went to a restaurant in Ambleside which served Italian and fusion food. I quite liked my seafood stew but the rest of the mains were so-so. It was quite crowded though!

Later that night, we played a bit of cards (Chor Tai Di, anyone?) after my Fiance attempted to dazzle with some magic tricks. Unfortunately, he is a little out of practice!

Next morning, after another hearty breakfast (I had the vegetarian breakfast instead of the English breakfast and found it was more to my liking - baked beans and vegetarian sausage instead of black pudding and bacon!), we walked to the Ambleside ferry port and took a ferry to the other side of Windermere Lake. Once we got off, it was a short hike to Wray Castle. Instead of going inside, as we figured it was a rather small castle and not worth the fee, we started our 4 mile hike alongside Windermere Lake.

Approaching Wray Castle. Looks pretty ancient!

Around and about Wray Castle.

Uh oh, looks like rain!

C ascending a steep terrain.

Almost there!

Loads of trees...

...and sheep.

Field of buttercups!!! Just like in the story books!

When we finally finished our walk (running around under the torrential rain at one point!), it was still rather early in the afternoon. We took the ferry and walked back to the hotel. K squared then took us for a scenic drive to Keswick and Ullswater. The sights were breathtaking (no photos unfortunately)! We then stopped at Keswick for dinner...

Haha, wandering around Keswick we saw this soap shop... at Paraffin Alley. Get it?? 

Cute little cafe in Keswick...

...made me wish I had a dual identity as well.

Hmm...can't remember where we had dinner in Keswick. Remember waiting forever for the food though!

The next morning, after another hefty breakfast (this time C and I had a herb and onion scone that was de-li-cious!), we headed back to London. The drive back was a lot quicker due to the lack of traffic! All in all, a lovely weekend away...perhaps next year I can convince C to go camping? Hmm...

My favourite purchase from Lake District - Gingerbread women!!