hotel in grasmere the lake district - bridge house hotel

Bridge House Hotel Grasmere

Lake District Hotel in Grasmere - Bridge House Hotel - Catbells Catbells is one of the best known peaks in the Lake District. It is close to Keswick and offers stunning views of Derwentwater and the surrounding mountains. Wainwright describes it as "...a family fell where grandmothers and infants can climb the heights together, a place beloved." We didn't meet many grannies on our walk but inexperienced walkers would find Catbells a fine mountain to learn on. The views open up quickly during the ascent, and the panorama presented to you is 360 degrees of stunning scenery. Tweet
	Pictured on the left is the view from our ascent of Catbells - one of the best in the Lake District! The centre of the view is dominated by Skiddaw above Derwentwater. You can make out Bassenthwaite Lake too. On a clear day, like this one in January, you can see distant views of the Pennines, Scotland, and even Northern Ireland.
The photograph on the right is taken a little further up from a similar angle to the picture above. On the left is Causey Pike with Grizedale Pike behind. In the centre is Skiddaw with Blencathra slightly to the right and on the far right is the beginning of the lower slopes eventually leading up to the Helvellyn massif.
	Left is Hindscarth with Robinson peaking from behind. Beyond Catbells our walk took us via a ridge, south, onto Eel Crags and finally to Dale Head where we descended near the tarn to the Newlands Valley.
On our walk we saw the change from the Skiddaw Slate of Catbells to the Borrowdale Volcanic rock of Eel Crags. The smooth sided mountains like Skiddaw or Causey Pike contrasting with the craggy buttresses of the more southerly "Borrowdale Volcanic" peaks.

Right is the view as we walked down Newlands valley with the steep sides to left & right. There are several Elizabethan mines here and you can see the remnants of the works.
	Left is an added bonus! On our way from Borrowdale towards Keswick we saw this cloud inversion as it emerged below the lower slopes of Scafell Pike. All in all, a great Lake District day out!
To the right is a picture of the view from Catbells in the Summer, when the Lake District is lush and green - yet another perfect day.