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ambleside |
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| AMBLESIDE , five miles northwest of Windermere, is at the heart of
the southern lakes region, making it a first-class base for walkers. The
town centre consists of a cluster of grey-green stone houses, shops and
B&Bs hugging a circular one-way system, which loops round just south of
the narrow gully of stony Stock Ghyll. The rest of town lies a mile
south at Waterhead , a harbour on the shores of Windermere that's filled
with ducks, swans and rowing boats and overlooked by the landscaped
gardens of several plush hotels. In Ambleside itself, spare a few
minutes for the mural of the rush-bearing ceremony in St Mary's Church ,
whose spire is visible from all over town. A couple of hundred yards
north, Bridge House (Easter-Oct daily 10am-5pm; free), now a National
Trust information centre, straddles Stock Ghyll - scurrilous legend has
it that a Scotsman built the two-storey, two-roomed house to evade land
taxes. For Ambleside's history, stroll a couple of minutes' along Rydal
Road to the Ambleside Museum (daily 10am-5pm; £2.50; ), whose collection
catalogues the very distinct contribution to lakeland society made by
John Ruskin, Beatrix Potter and longtime Ambleside resident, writer
Harriet Martineau. Finally, soccer fans shouldn't miss soccer
photographer Stuart Clarke's gallery The Homes of Football (daily
10am-5pm; free; ) at 100 Lake Rd. A permanent archive of over 60,000
images of the country's stadiums and fans, it's quite irresistible. |
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