Seeing the Fells from the water is absolutely heavenly. And should not be missed. So if you can fit it in during your visit, then try to get out on The Keswick Launch on Derwentwater or on one of the Ullswater ‘Steamers’, or on Coniston Water or Windermere.

But if you want to get ‘up close and personal’, it doesn’t need to break the bank. You don’t have to own a boat or hire one. Paddle boarding can be just as breathtaking.

And with all this wonderful weather at the moment, why not hire a paddleboard?

At George Fisher in Keswick you can hire a Red paddle board for a half-day, full day, 3-days or 7-days. The kit hire includes a Personal Flotation Device and a carry-case. And you can also buy a waterproof phone case whilst you’re there. They also offer a ‘Try before you buy’ option, which means your hire charge will be refunded if you purchase a Paddle Board within 30 days of hire. (Receipt for hire must be shown. Maximum of 3 day hire will be refunded against Paddle Board purchase. Ask in store at George Fisher, Keswick for full T&Cs.)

You can paddle board on some of the Lakes for free and some you will need to buy a permit. You can find all the information you need on the Lake District National Park website.

For example, if you go to Lanthwaite Wood Car Park (Postcode CA13 9UY, OS reference NY158207) – you can buy your permit at the car parking machine for £5 and enjoy Crummock Water and the permit is also valid for Buttermere and Loweswater. And as this is a National Trust Car Park – and if you’re a NT member – then don’t forget that your parking is free, bonus!

The National Trust describe it as: ‘park here for a half mile level walk to one of the most jaw-dropping beach-side views in the Lakes looking right down Crummock Water to the fells beyond.‘

But don’t forget safety always comes first. And the Lake District National Park website has loads of information on safety tips, including a video from Adventure Smart UK about paddle boarding.

Adventure Smart UK also have a whole section dedicated to paddle boarding safety in the Lake District so be sure to check this out as well.

And should you fall in love with paddle boarding in the Lakes and want to read more about it, then I would definitely recommend reading Jo Moseley’s book ‘Stand-up Paddle boarding in the Lake District: Beautiful places to paddleboard in Cumbria’ – the photos are simply amazing and will inspire you to come and try it for yourself.

So, if you would like to book a break at Maple Bank just call us on 017687 789 229 or 07494 219 592 or email us at enquiries@maplebank.co.uk And don’t forget that booking direct will also get you the best price. Please don’t miss out.

Take care. Stay well. And we look forward to seeing you soon.

One of many things that I love about the Lake District is the variety of scenery on offer. And that includes two forests: Whinlatter and Grizedale.

And the joy of Whinlatter Forest is that it is only a short 8 minutes drive from the House or leave your car at Maple Bank and enjoy the walk up into the Forest. It takes about an hour, up the garden, along the valley to Thornthwaite and then simply turn left up into the Forest. Another way to access Whinlatter from the House is from the bottom of Grizedale Pike and then pop over the stile into the Forest. A fabulous walk with about 20 mins cardio at the start and then onto the forest trails.

With unrivalled views across the Lake District, and wonderful wildlife to spot including red squirrels and osprey, there are a wide range of trails you can choose from in Whinlatter. All signposted. This also includes a 5km and 10km trail run as well the opportunity to walk with Alpacas from Alpacalyeverafter.

And let’s not forget the new Wow Trail. Starting from the visitor centre the Wow Trail is 7.5km (4.5 miles) so allow yourself three hours. Discover the wonders of Whinlatter on
this walk, taking in the most breathtaking views. Along the way you’ll find out why the Forest is here, its history and how it is cared for to support wildlife and people today. You’ll enjoy opportunities for wildlife spotting and forest bathing. The trail follows surfaced paths with a maximum gradient of 1 in 7 and a minimum width of 2m. There are no stiles, steps or gates but there are some gradual and steeper slopes. Prepare to be wowed!

We would also recommend Whinlatter’s cafe ‘Cafe Ambio‘. A lovely place to catch your breath, with seating inside and outside, as well as a takeaway hatch to grab and go. Proper coffee, hot and cold snacks – including vegan and gluten free options – cake and brownies galore. And Sir Woofchester’s menu available for all pooches too.

And that’s another joy about Whinlatter, for all our doggy-guests: no sheep. So an opportunity to be off-lead and have a good sniff-about. For more walks around our B&B, view our trialed and tested suggestions. Book a walking holiday with your furry friend today and stay at our dog-friendly B&B in Keswick. Call our team to book your stay.

Coming for a few days to the Lake District and fancy doing something different? I can highly recommend checking out ‘Mountain Memories’ and see what they can organise for you.

My first guests this year decided to book an afternoon paddle-boarding. A mixed group of abilities from novices to accomplished, but under the watchful eye of Justin, these guys had a marvellous time. It was a cracking day to go out on Derwentwater, the weather was mild, not too hot, not windy – great conditions for everyone to enjoy themselves. Especially as they had had to cancel the Sunset Canoe trip earlier in the week due to too much wind.

The afternoon session started in Great Wood Car Park, with everyone being kitted out in wetsuits and jackets, with the added bonus of footwear, and the mandatory buoyancy aids. A short walk down to the shoreline carrying their boards and paddle and then the afternoon really kicked off. In total they were on the water for about two and half hours, paddling back down to Keswick and around the little islands, playing Swallows and Amazons. It was such a success that two boards have since been bought so the fun can continue at home.

The group couldn’t speak highly enough of Justin – who set up Mountain Memories – and we didn’t tell him beforehand that he had a former Clipper participant and a Yachtmaster Instructor in his group. They all thought he was an excellent instructor and great company.

Once back on shore, some of the crew went for a dip and enjoyed some wild swimming to end off the day. They had also taken some cake with them and we sent them off with some thermos of coffee, hot chocolate and hot ribena. Just perfect after a day on the water.

But you’re not restricted to just paddle boarding with ‘Mountain Memories’. Justin is qualified to instruct in many outdoor pursuits so you could go ghyll-scrambling, canoeing, kayaking, abseiling, rock climbing, learn some bushcraft, book him for a guided walk or hike out for the day, head up to Via Ferrata to go exploring on a Mine Climb at Honister Slate Mine or simply enjoy an evening Sunset Canoe trip out on Derwentwater. Plenty to choose from. Why not check out Mountain Memories or give Justin a call.

What a treat. The sun came out, the wind dropped and I didn’t need much of an excuse to escape the planned computer updates and head out on some ‘essential guest research’ and walk around Derwentwater. Why haven’t I done this before??

I have walked parts of Derwentwater and even cycled around it as part of the triathlon in the Keswick Mountain Festival, but I’ve not walked the whole way around. Ten miles of flat walking, with plenty of places to stop and admire the spectacular beauty, as well enjoy my lunch in the peace and quiet. Who wouldn’t want to do this?!

From Maple Bank, you can walk to Portinscale, about 2 miles away, to start your walk or you can catch the bus into Keswick, as the bus stop is about 1 minute from our front door. You can also park at the car park beside the Theatre by the Lake, or at the Rugby Club or Football Club for the day, or head to the Great Wood National Trust car park, just outside Keswick. Plenty of options. Walking to Portinscale and going clockwise means you could grab a coffee and brownie first at Harry’s Bean Machine beside the footbridge in Portinscale. Or you can have that as your reward at the end of your walk. Another option is to plan to finish at the Swinside Inn for some fabulous beer and food, either in the beer garden or in the restaurant. And then you have a nice leisurely 40 mins amble back to the House afterwards.

I decided to grab a take-away coffee and croissant in Keswick and then headed off through the town, down to the Theatre and onto the lakeside, going clockwise. We have had quite a bit of rain over the last two weeks, so the lake was quite full, so we headed up into the grounds of the Derwentwater Independent Hostel, along a ‘permissive footpath’, rather than walk along the pavement of the road. We then dropped back down onto the lakeshore just before Lodore Falls Hotel, and from there headed along the path to the Chinese Bridge and the boarded walkway. Once past the estuary the path takes you naturally around the lake beneath Catbells, past Lingholme Kitchen and their gawjus alpacas, down to Nicole End Marina and back into Portinscale.

It was a really magical walk, and we were completely blessed by the weather. At some points, I felt like I was in the middle of a Swallows and Amazons film set. I’ve recommended this walk to many of our guests as a good walk to do to stretch off the legs after a full day climbing upwards, as well as for those days when you just want to stay below the clouds and keep low. I’m so glad that I finally did it. It’s straight forward to follow, and we have laminated pdfs in the House for folks to take with them. And best of all, you don’t need to drive to get there. Just leave your car in our private car park, set yourself up with a good breakfast, and grab a sandwich from the Village Shop in Braithwaite as you head off. Discover more great walks and things to do through our recommendations.

Well… what a 2020! We are now a month into 2021 and already things are looking up. Vaccines a plenty! So what’s our game plan here at Maple Bank?

The Head Gardener has a plan and She’s kicked it off already ….. starting with a fire pit and some extra garden furniture. So if you fancy eating your cake or brownie after your day out – with a nice cup of tea – you’re very welcome to rest your ‘pins’ in the Paradise Garden.

Lockdown 1.0 resulted in some outdoor painting whilst the weather was kind to us. I never realised how fiddly and time consuming painting garden furniture could be…. The Head Gardener created two new flower beds and a pond feature, and our guests can now head up to the top of the garden, onto the top road, enjoying two new sets of steps to help them on their way. We also enjoyed some amazing home-grown vegetables thanks to the Head Gardener’s new vegetable troughs. Am soooo looking forward to some more this summer, hopefully including some homegrown strawberries from our multi-levelled strawberry pots. And indoors? The painting continued with some rooms getting a refresh, in addition to their new Smart TVs and boosted WiFi.

House painting continued in Lockdown 2.0, with the dining room having its own retouch in November, along with a fabulous new front door. I never thought I would see the day I would caress a front door, but hey ho. I love it!

My locally-based outdoor explorations began in earnest in Lockdown 1.0, and continued into Lockdown 2.0. This meant that late November found me at the computer, typing up directions and laminating route-maps for guests to take with them on their days out. Also on our website.

And so we come to 2021. Lockdown 3.0 started with some rather unpleasant weather in January, so I had no excuse but to buckle down and get on with my accounts. However, several frosty and snowy days clearly demanded that Tara and I wrapped up and headed out. It’s been simply magical and now I can’t wait for Winter 2021/2022 so I can head out for some winter camping.

Post accounts completion, tax return submitted and a year’s worth of filing sorted, Lockdown 3.0’s house maintenance has started with some upholstery for me, whilst the Head Baker has been busy making Seville Orange Marmalade, and Apple, Rhubarb and Ginger Jam, in readiness for reopening. In addition, the Head Baker and I have had a marvellous time taste-testing some locally-made brownies and tray bakes. The wonderful @Ellscakesandbakes brownies and tray bakes have now been added to the Chief Baker’s own cakes here at Maple Bank, so our guests can continue to enjoy a cheeky wee treat at the end of the day. You can also order brownies and tray bake to be posted home to remind you of your stay in the Lakes, or take some home with you, depending on how long you’re staying.

As for breakfast? Here too, we’ve also been trying out some additions to the breakfast menu. You can now enjoy Hollandaise Sauce with your poached eggs on avocado toast, with or without smoked salmon or bacon or sausages. And scrambled eggs with wilted spinach and pine nuts can also be ordered now, alongside the existing scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Of course, the full breakfast is still available with a choice of black pudding or haggis, with fried bread or French Toast. Not forgetting you can still enjoy a simple toasted sandwich, with mouth-watering sausages or bacon, bought locally from Thomasons in Keswick, with the amazing bread from The Coffee Kitchen in Cockermouth, another of our suppliers. Our vegetarian guests are not forgotten either with their own extended menu choices, as well as vegan and gluten-free options.

2020 also brought some more fun times researching local restaurants and pubs, along with those who offer take-ways, should you prefer to have your meal in the dining room. All listed on our website and dog-friendly establishments highlighted as well.

So, if you would like to book your break away at Maple Bank Bed and Breakfast this year just call us on 017687 789 229 or 07494 219 592 or email us at enquiries@maplebank.co.uk Please don’t miss out.

Take care. Stay well. And we look forward to seeing you soon.

Best wishes

The Head Gardener, The Sausage Lady and wee Tara x