7 Reasons

Tag: hiking

  • Guest Post: 7 Reasons To Visit The Lake District

    Guest Post: 7 Reasons To Visit The Lake District

    A holiday to the Lake District may not necessarily sound like a barrel of laughs but it is actually a great place to visit. Here’s why:

    7 Reasons To Visit The Lake District

    1.  There Are Great Museums And Indoor Attractions. There are many fantastic museums to visit in the Lake District, so if the weather turns bad you won’t be left twiddling your thumbs. If the thought of visiting The Cumberland Pencil Museum, home of the world’s longest colour pencil, makes you feel like sticking pencils in your eyes then The Lakes Aquarium at Windermere may be more your thing. Many of the museums are a great place to learn about local culture like the Maritime Museum or learn about things so truly associated with the Lake District like Beatrix Potter and Wordsworth.

    2.  Beat The Fat. The Lake District is a fantastic place to get out in the great outdoors. Instead of coming home from holiday carrying extra pounds, a trip to the Lake District is a chance to come home feeling fresh and looking lighter. Even a man’s best friend will benefit from a holiday in the countryside. After all, who would want to be stuck in a kennels all week? Staying in a pet friendly holiday cottage means you can bring your four legged friends along too.

    3.  It’s Not Far From Anywhere In The UK. The UK is just the right size meaning that you can travel from anywhere in the UK and arrive in the Lake’s in just a few hours. Stick on the sat nav and you will be there in no time. Once you arrive in the Lakes there are so many options of places to stay, from Keswick to Kendal and Ambleside to Windermere. So whatever you fancy there is sure to be a Lake District cottage for you.

    4.  Support The Local Economy. We all know the UK economy is going through a pretty rough time. So come on, be patriotic and spend your hard earned cash here in the UK. The Lake District economy is estimated to be worth somewhere in the region of £6.5 million a year and tourism in the Lake’s is responsible for keeping over 20,000 people in full time jobs, not to mention all the people employed part-time and seasonally. Come on, let’s look after the UK!

    5.  Stay Close To Home Comforts. What could be better than a holiday without all the annoyances: screaming kids at the airport, being kicked in the back of your seat on a long flight then having to contend with a different language and strange food? Keep it simple, just get in the car and off you go! Unfortunately, if the screaming kids are yours then you only have yourself to blame!

    6.  Experience Local Accents. The local Cumbrian accent can be quite hard to understand but local accents are part of what makes the UK great! Sounding somewhere between Lancashire and Geordie, the Cumbrian accent can be very strong. Phrases like ‘garn yam with our lass’ to most of us means ‘I’m going home with my wife’. And when you hear someone counting, you might hear ‘yan, tan, tetherer, methera’. You might need a guide book to understand the locals after all!

    7.  Country Pubs Are Great! What could be better then ending the day in a quaint country pub with a pint and a home cooked meal? A pub with oak beams and open log fire is a great place to catch up with family and friends. If you like beer (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) a trip to one of the Lake Districts local breweries could be right up your street. And, naturally, no trip to a brewery would be complete without sampling the produce!

  • 7 Reasons to Ignore “Official” Advice on Mountain Lions and Bears

    7 Reasons to Ignore “Official” Advice on Mountain Lions and Bears

    Friend of 7 Reasons, Simon Best, spotted this yesterday in the Rocky Mountain National Park newspaper.  It’s 7 Ways to Protect Yourself From a Mountain Lion or a Bear.

    A picture of an article from the Rocky Mountain National Park Newspaper

    At 7 Reasons, we read anything that comes in sevens, but there was something about the advice in this article that didn’t seem quite right.  In fact, all of the suggestions contained in the article raised our suspicion.

    We’ve scrutinised it carefully, and we are of the firm opinion that this article is a trap, written by hungry bears and mountain lions to dupe gullible tourists into feeling at ease when walking in the Rocky Mountain National Park.   Here’s what we suspect was in their minds when they wrote this diabolical document:

    1.  “Travel in groups and make much noise as you hike.  Keep your group, especially children, close together.”  Travel en masse (because we are hungry mountain lions and bears) and make much noise (this will make you easy for us to find).  Keep your group, especially children (who are fast) close together (this will cut down on the chasing.  We find the chasing tiring).

    2.  “Do not approach a mountain lion or a bear.”  Because we may be busy stealing picnic baskets or shitting in the woods.  Instead, we will approach you, when you least expect it.  Usually when you’re taking a nap or using the toilet yourself.  We find this hilarious.

    3.  “Stay calm when you see a mountain lion or bear”  Because agitated people don’t taste as nice.

    4.  “Stop; back away slowly.  Never turn your back and run.”  Move slowly (this makes you easier to catch.) Never turn your back and run (as you may startle the mountain lion that we have stationed behind you.  This will make him cross).

    5.  “Stand tall and look large.  Raise your arms.  Protect small children by picking them up.”  Stand tall and look large (you will be easy for us to see).  Raise your arms (easier).  Protect small children by picking them up (this saves us from having to bend down to eat them).

    6.  “If approached, make loud noises, shout, clap hands, clang pots and pans.”  We’re big fans of Stomp.  Perform for us before we dine.

    7.  “If attacked by a mountain lion or bear, fight back!”  And then we will tear you limb from limb; with our bear hands.

    So, to summarise, ignore the advice in this article as it might as well have Sponsored by the North American Association of Hungry Mountain Lions and Bears written at the bottom of it.  Oh, and be wary of bears and mountain lions, as they’re clearly up to no good.