Sheep!
Posted by Jackie , 17 October 2010 3:04 PM
Basically, there are sheep everywhere in the lake district (think northern England, almost Scotland). Big ones, little ones, black and white and spotted ones, they were all corralled off on beautiful rolling hills by these little stone fences…it was so picturesque I couldn’t believe it! I’m not sure how nice they would have been, but I really wanted to pet one. As you may have guessed, I just got back from a trip there that was coordinated by IFSA-Butler, so all meals and housing and activities were paid for. We stayed at a hotel that caters to outdoor events and programming, including sight seeing tours, hiking, mountain climbing and boating activities.
On Friday, we made the seven hour drive to the resort well provisioned with movies and homework (side note: I’m so proud of myself for getting work done! I read two plays and wrote 9/10 pages in my Henry IV rough draft. Not too shabby for bus rides and full days of activities). After a bit of free time at the hotel, we had an amazing gourmet dinner and finished off the evening with a pub quiz. The quiz was so much fun; we grouped off and answered questions from six different categories. My team made an amazing recovery from a low first-round score to win this first segment of the game. Sadly, we didn’t show so well in the sudden death round and ended up taking third overall.
Saturday was packed with activities. I took a full day tour of the lake district, including stops at the houses where William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter lived and wrote their best works. It was so nice to go into the houses and see the original set up…there’s nothing like it in the States. There was very little plexiglass and few ropes to separate visitors from the objects. Overall, it contributed to a more intimate and organic viewing experience. I especially enjoyed Beatrix Potter’s house because there were copies of her books opened to specific illustrations that showed her inspiration for the drawings was her own home. In one of the towns we passed through, Grasmere, we had some of the most amazing gingerbread I have ever eaten. Apparently it’s quite famous, so I’m glad we stopped by! In the evening, we had a dance party in the main room, DJ, flashing lights, and awkwardness included. To be honest, it wasn’t that awkward; much better than a high school dance, for example. Once everyone relaxed a bit – as in people had a drink or two – and the music took off it was a lot of fun.
Bright and early Sunday morning then (AKA 9 am), everyone took off for a morning activity. I went on a hike through the nearest hills. It was a great day for walking: cool air and a bit of sun shifting through the clouds. Though it was hard work, it was definitely worth it. I couldn’t believe the sights from the top! Around noon we were back at the hotel and packing the vans for the return trip to London. I just got in now, about 9 pm, and am off for a shower before I get down to some heavy revisions of my essay.
