The Lake District - WHY???

[washedoutandabout]

Rain, drizzle and yet more rain. Grey sky, grey houses and damp. Everyone in anoraks. Mist and fog and more grey. Plus I’m here with a bunch of American relatives who are all gung-ho and outward-bound and very loud, shrill “upspeak” voices, who think even the grottiest pub is “Awesome!!” Plus DH loves it and is showing off on his competitive extreme hikes.

Help - take me back to Fulham!

AIBU to think this is hell on earth?

It's not for me either, I'm not an outdoorsy person.
I live in Scotland and though I appreciate the scenery, I like to appreciate it when I'm headed to a city.
Glasgow is bloody fabulous, and not hilly and boring.

I love the Lake District. However, it's true that it does do rain extremely well. Many moons ago we (the whole family plus two small dogs) camped there for a fortnight; we started off next to Ullswater, by the end of the first week we were pretty much in it. We had a small stream running through the tent under the groundsheet, and taking the dogs out involved fitting them with miniature snorkels and flippers...

Americans are bloody funny too when they're in places they don't get.

We once had to intervene as there was a couple sitting in Hawkshead in a cafe thrilled by how beautiful it was here in Wales.

I mean, Wales is gorgeous but I'm pretty sure their geography was a bit awry.

Bless em they also couldn't fathom why Wales had the same money as England.

Plus I’m here with a bunch of American relatives who are all gung-ho and outward-bound and very loud, shrill “upspeak” voices, who think even the grottiest pub is “Awesome!!”

They think the pubs are awesome because we don't really have pubs in the US, we have "bars" which is a completely different type of place. As to the gung-ho outward bound bit, we live a in a very big country and have to use upspeak voices to be heard over long distances.

On a sunny day it’s one of the most beautiful places in the UK. On a wet day (and there’s a reason it has lakes) I’d rather appreciate out the window of a lovely pub. It gets dank and clammy.

If you like (suffer through) dry hiking try the South Downs in the summer.

YANBU OP!
You should have continued North and West to Oban and caught a ferry out to the Hebrides
The lake district is beautiful but Scitland is even better!

I always have a sense of peace and wellbeing when we're at the Lakes, it's my favourite place. When we've been through rough times we try to escape there for the weekend. I love the walks, the cafes, pubs, cottages to rent, independent shops. It does rain quite a bit but that's what keeps it beautiful.
You can keep your Fulham, I'll take the Lake District

I love it - what kind of holidays do you usually do? Can you take the kids of watersports if they don't like hiking? Why don't you go into Windermere itself - very busy but if you don't like the remote bits it might be more your thing.
It's not that bad to drive compared with Devon and Cornwall, although the roads can be more "advanced".
I have to agree on Booths - how can they arrange Potatoes to look so appertising that even though we had no way to cook them we were very tempted to buy some.

Cute

Go out alone just before it gets dark tonight. Walk to the nearest lake, or failing that up the side of a valley. Put the hood on your jacket down so you aren't listening to the rain. Shut your eyes and listen and breathe.

If that doesn't do it for you, go and get on a plane to Lanzarote first thing tomorrow; the best of the English countryside is not for you.

(Also, the crowds are in Ambleside.)

I've not been but any scenic view with a bit of drizzle thrown in is my idea of heaven.

YANBU. I don’t get it. And it’s full of people doing exactly the same thing in exactly the same anoraks.

I love the outdoors but I despise National Parks with their designated paths and people who insist on walking in groups.

Not fond of rain. So Cornwall, Wales and Scotland are also some of my least favourite places.

I live in the Lakes and work in Ambleside.

Best days are sunny days in October.

Reminds me of doing Munro's when we first moved to Scotland and more often than not I had to believe my boyfriend's map reading skills that we'd actually achieved the summits because you could barely see more a couple of metres ahead. This was before the days of gps on phones and watches.

Are you supposed to hallucinate?

Water sports are a good idea because you don’t care about the rain as much if you’re in and out of the water trying out wind surfing.

I live in the lake district and OP I dont think you are BU
Today has been bloody awful in the lake district. The weather has been miserable, wet but warm.
Hope the weather improves, and you find something you enjoy while you're here.

There's plenty of fantastic pubs in the Lakes to properly impress your guests.
It's been raining all day in London too and I'm sure the hills and lakes look a hell of a lot better than the tower blocks.
If you want some indoor things to do I can suggest a meal and a film at Zafereli's in Ambleside, a drive over the Hard Knock Pass has amazing views, there's a number of lake boat trips where you can be undercover, or afternoon tea at the Inn on the Lake.
I love the Lakes.

The Lake District is dazzling. YABU.

YANBU - and I live mostly in Franche-Comté, which is not exactly known for its balmy temperatures or its nightlife. I think whoever said that the English take their pleasures sadly, must have just come back from a rainy holiday in the Lake District. :)

That said, I haven't been there for at least 30 years, and the arts and crafts museum sounds rather tempting.

And Fulham? I’d rather remove my own teeth with a chisel than spend a week there.

I'm Scottish too, Scotland has some beautiful scenery, so does the lake district (and loads of other places). It's not a competition! Plus, did I happen to mention Booths?

• please can you tell me where you were sliding down rocks and more about the other places you mention.. please. We are going next week to Silverdale and I’m looking for stuff to do, places to visit, they all sound fantastic!!