Hey readers! My name is Jessie. I'm a nursing major at the University of Evansville and scheduled to graduate in May 2016. I've loved all of my time at UE so far,
but nothing compares to this amazing semester abroad. Being at Harlaxton is
like living in a fairy tale. Trips to foreign countries on the weekends and
coming home to an amazing countryside manor make for a wonderful life. Recently, the school
sponsored a trip to the Lake District, which is considered to be one of the UK's most
beautiful areas – and for good reason. It's got hills, lakes, rivers, and
plenty to do. Our hostel (pictured below) was on the shores of the lake in
Ambleside, which meant stunning views every time I stepped outside. While
there, I did both "excursions" sponsored by the school: canoeing and ghyll scrambling.
Canoeing
was interesting. In true UK fashion, it rained off and on throughout our time
on the lake. But, a little rain never killed anybody, and the clouds just added
to the beauty of the area. Our guides were funny locals that encouraged us to
make the trip fun. We paddled across the lake and up a little stream where most
of us got stuck before the group was forced to turn around. The water was down
in the stream, so our canoes wound up tangled in branches of trees and weeds or
dragging the bottom. At one point, we went under a bridge (below) not much
taller than our boats.
Ghyll scrambling was one of the best experiences I've had in
the UK. I don't know about you, but before this trip I had never heard the word
ghyll, and I'd certainly never heard of people scrambling one. Ghyll scrambling
is essentially climbing/wading up a waterfall/stream. The ghyll we "scrambled" was called Stickle Ghyll. Although I couldn't take pictures during the activity
(I didn't fancy a soaking wet phone), I do have a picture of where we climbed. Sometimes
we found ourselves wading against the current, occasionally as deep as my ribs.
We climbed up rocks, which was fun but challenging. When someone was too short
to reach where they needed to be, or just needed a hand, everyone was more than
happy to help out. At one point, our guides challenged us to climb across a
fallen tree and scale the rocks on the opposite side (all while crossing chest
deep water). This was probably my favorite part of the trip.
My friends and I started our weekend with a "Treetop Trek" adventure Friday morning. It was a high ropes course that took about an hour
and a half to finish. It had swinging bridges, zip lines, and tight ropes, among other obstacles. Although there wasn't a view of the lake from the
area, we did get to start our trip with great views of the trees and hills. The course started simple and close to the
ground, but quickly advanced to higher and bigger obstacles (34 of them to be
exact). We had lunch at the cafe at the top of the hill and walked back into
town with just enough time for a rest before a hike.
During free time, most of us went for a hike (or two, or
three). It was a great time, and a great chance for some beautiful pictures. My
friends and I went for a more mild option and hiked around a waterfall. Unlike
the scrambling, I stayed nice and dry this time. The streams around the park
were crystal clear and surrounded by beautiful woods. There wasn't much
climbing to be done, but we did venture down some rocks to the side of a stream
for pictures (and to test the water's temperature…which was freezing cold).
We
also used our free time to walk around in Ambleside, the adorable town we were
staying in. It had plenty of shops and restaurants within walking distance. It
was hilly with beautiful stone buildings and winding streets. Walking around
felt like being on a movie set. Although it was mostly cloudy, when the sun
came out it was beautiful.
The weekend was a huge hit. It gave me, and my classmates, a
chance to get outside and be active for a couple of days: something I sorely
miss from home.
Thanks for reading!
Jessie Earle
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