Kevin Courtneyand his wife, Lucinda, return to their favourite walking spots in the Lake District, but this time they've got an extra passenger: nine-month-old Daniel
JACK AND JILL went up the hill . . . but this time they're carrying more than just a pail of water. Before baby came along we made frequent trips to the Lake District, walking many a happy, carefree mile through this spectacularly beautiful swathe of countryside in northwest England. Partly owned and protected by the UK National Trust, and stretching over a sizeable area of Cumbria, the Lake District is an idyllic destination for anyone who loves the great outdoors. From Keswick in the north to Kendal in the south, the region is filled with lakes, mountains, valleys and forests, and dotted with walking trails.
Over the years we have tramped along the Newlands and Borrowdale valleys, hiked up Helvellyn, Great Gable and Skiddaw, navigated the horseshoe from Honister to Red Pike and scoffed teacakes and scones in the tea shops of Keswick and Grange, but we've still covered only a small part of this vast network of natural beauty.
We're back in Lakeland for a holiday, but this time around we've got an extra bundle of cuteness on board: Daniel, our nine-month-old son. When you're footloose and fancy free, getting out on the hills is simply a matter of putting on the wet-weather gear, packing a sandwich and water, bringing a map, compass and head torch and then getting out on the trail. But when you've got a 10kg bruiser in tow you're going to need to pack a whole lot more stuff into your daysack. And you'll really need to have your wits about you. Jack certainly can't fall down and break his crown.
We're travelling to Britain by ferry, and the first thing we've noticed is how much more gear we have to pack this time - and how hard it is to stuff it all into the car. We have Daniel's buggy, travel cot, nappy-changing station, bibs, milk and foods, bottles, bowls and utensils, clothes, blankets and towels. And that's not including the most essential items: toys.
There's hardly enough space left for our gear, even though we're travelling light. We're not going to require evening dress or tux, and a pair of jeans and a fleece are all the casualwear we'll need.
We've traditionally taken the Dún Laoghaire-Holyhead ferry, driving along the north Wales coast and then turning left for Penrith and Keswick. For this trip we thought we'd try the Belfast-Stranraer route, to see if we save anything. Moneywise, it works out about €100 cheaper, but, although the journey through Britain is shorter, we still have a two-hour drive to Belfast before we board the ferry. By the time we get there, Daniel already sounds as if he wants to go home. The boat more than makes up for his discomfort. It's all very child-friendly, with a good baby-changing bathroom and an excellent play area.
When you're driving long distance with a baby, you have to make regular stops to feed him, change him and give him a break from his restrictive car seat. The drive from Stranraer to Keswick takes about three hours - best to double that to allow for stops. Overall, we may have saved a few bob going via Belfast, but we're not saving any time or trouble, so we'll be back on the trusty Dún Laoghaire- Holyhead route next time.
But now here we are, at the Swinside Inn, an olde-worlde pub and guest house in the Newlands Valley, where we always stay when we come to the Lake District. It's a walker's haven, with a roaring fire, real ale and hearty food, but will it be a suitable place for Daniel to spend a few days? We have a rum old time trying to keep him out of all the nooks and crannies and away from those open fires.
We have booked a family room, and although it would be perfect for a family with two or three children it's not ideal for a baby. There's not much room for him to crawl, and a steep flight of steps goes down to the door, so we change it for a large en-suite room with stunning views of the mountains - and plenty of space for Daniel to play.
Next day dawns sunny and springy, but, alas, it's still too early in the season to show Daniel the newborn lambs. We head to Keswick, the main town in north Lakeland, to buy a baby backpack so we can carry our little lamb up the hills. Keswick has all the top gear shops, including Cotswold Outdoor, Blacks and George Fisher.
A sign over one shop offers some walker's wisdom: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong gear."
George Fisher stocks all the right gear, including the Bush Baby, Macpac and Little Life baby-carrier backpacks. Daniel looks a bit wary when we strap him into one, but as soon as I hoist him on my back he's grinning from ear to ear. It's important he's happy in his backpack, as he'll be spending a lot of time sitting in it this summer, when we're walking up the Wicklow Mountains and all over Cork and Kerry. If the hillwalking is just a once-a-year thing, you might be better off hiring the backpack - George Fisher charges £14 (€17.50) a week.
This afternoon we're going up Catbells, one of the most popular hills in the area, which rises gently above Derwent Water. Catbells is where many visitors start their walking holiday, and it's often so busy that you feel as if you're walking along Grafton Street - without the buskers. The Lake District has seen a surge in tourism over the past couple of years, attributed in part to the "Wainwright effect". The BBC television series Wainwright's Walks, based on detailed books written and illustrated in the 1950s and 1960s by the fellwalker Alfred Wainwright, has helped to spark huge interest in the Lake District, and brought many more visitors to the area. But not all of them arrive with the right gear or any understanding of how quickly conditions can change for the worse. Keswick Mountain Rescue has been kept busy bringing down inexperienced walkers wearing only anoraks and trainers, and clutching their hardback copies of Wainwright's Walks in their shivering hands.
All going well, we shouldn't need rescuing from Catbells - unless I put my back out trying to carry the little fella up. Lucinda, definitely the fitter one in this relationship, carries Daniel most of the way, but when we get to the top I take him to pose for a photograph, so it looks as if I've been carrying him the whole time.
As we walk under blue skies above the glistening lake, Daniel is having the time of his life - this definitely knocks Walt Disney World into a cocked hat. The fresh air also knocks him out pretty quickly, but the Little Life backpack comes with an inflatable neck rest, so he can snooze without getting a crick.
Although Catbells is an easy walk to start you off, there is a rocky, scrambly section just before the summit, and we decide not to risk it until we're a bit more used to carrying the baby on our backs. It's best to tread carefully and not get too confident. After all, you've got to walk before you can run.
Our next ascent is Skiddaw, at 931m the third-highest mountain in England, which overlooks Keswick and offers a breathtaking panoramic view of north Lakeland. Your eyes would be tormented as they pan across the mountain ranges, taking in Blencathra, Helvellyn, Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Red Pike, all the way around to Eel Crag and Grisedale Pike. Today is sunny though much colder than yesterday, with an arctic wind, and patches of snow still cling to the slopes.
One of the biggest hazards of bringing an infant up the mountains is not the inconvenience of having to change a nappy on a windy, exposed peak but the danger of his getting too cold. The parents can keep warm by simply walking, but the baby is sitting still and can't generate his own heat. Modern baby backpacks may be all bells and whistles, with even a mirror so you can check baby along the way, but most of them don't allow the parent's body heat to come through to the baby. There is a danger of an infant developing hypothermia, so we have him well wrapped up in a warm, windproof jumpsuit, and we're checking him regularly to make sure his core temperature doesn't get too low. The farther up we get, the harder the wind bites, but we still reach Skiddaw's secondary peak, Little Man, 865m high.
Next day it's too wet and windy to walk, so we need another way to keep the little man entertained. Not a problem. The Lake District is also the land of Beatrix Potter, so you're never too far from a flopsy bunny. We bring Daniel to the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere and introduce him to Peter Rabbit. They get on famously.
Windermere is at the less mountainous, more touristy end of the Lakes, and it is full of twee gift shops selling Potter pottery and Kendal mint cake, but there are still some fine places to visit, such as the lovely village of Hawkshead, where Potter's paintings are on view.
We return to the Swinside Inn to discover that the lease has been bought by a local couple named George and Judith. They've got big plans to refurbish the place, improve service and return it to its olde-worlde glory. George and Judith also run self-catering units in nearby Portinscale, so we might go the self-catering route next time around. When you've got a giddy little mountain goat like Daniel running around, it could be a safer, more practical and more cost-effective option.
When we return to the Lakes we plan to bring Daniel all the way up Scafell Pike, at 978m the highest peak in England. I'd better get in training for it.
Go there
Stenaline (www.stena line.ie) sails from Belfast to Stranraer, in Scotland, and from Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead, in Wales. Return fares to Stanraer start at about €300 for a car and a family of four, travelling in May. Return fares to Holyhead start at about €400. If you have older children, and can limit your luggage, you could fly to Blackpool, Manchester, Liverpool or Glasgow, then hire a car.
Go carefully
Grown-ups
Check the weather forecast before leaving.
Inform someone of your route, and notify them on your return.
Wear good walking boots with thick socks, and a warm fleece and trousers.
Always bring a hat, gloves and waterproofs.
Bring map, compass, whistle, small first-aid kit and head torches, in case dusk falls before you get off the mountain.
Pack water, lunch and healthy snacks, such as nuts or granola bars.
Wear sun protection.
Children and infants
Use a good child carrier with adequate protection from sun, wind and rain.
Bring a daysack to carry nappies, ointments, teething rings, food, water and bibs. Check your child's temperature frequently.
Make sure your child wears a high-SPF sunscreen.
Make sure your child drinks water frequently and takes snacks.
Children tire quickly, so don't make them walk too far or for too long.
Teach older children how to walk responsibly and what to do should they get lost.
Where to stay, where to eat, where to go
Where to stay
Swinside Inn, Newlands Valley, near Keswick, 00-44-17687-78253, www.theswinside inn.com.
Swinside Farmhouse, Newlands Valley, Keswick, 00-44-17687-78363, www.swinsidefarmhouse.co.uk.
Lodore Falls Hotel and Spa, Grange, Keswick. +44-1768- 777285, www.lakedistrict hotels.net/lodorefalls.
The Beeches self-catering house, Portinscale, Keswick, 00-44-17687-76588,
www.thebeecheskeswick.co.uk.
Where to eat
The Dog & Gun (Lake Road, Keswick, 00-44-17687-73463) is a convivial pub for a meal, ale and a chat with other walkers about the weather on the fells.
Lakeland Pedlar Wholefood Café (Henderson's Yard, Main Street, Keswick, 00-44- 17687-74492, www.lakeland pedlar.co.uk), which has top-of-the-range high chairs, serves healthy vegetarian food.
Where to go
Puzzling Place (Museum Square, Keswick, 00-44-17687- 75102, www.puzzlingplace. co.uk) is chock-full of optical illusions for children.
Honister Slate Mine (Honister Pass, Borrowdale, 00-44-17687-77230, www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk) is England's last working slate mine.
The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction (Bowness-on- Windermere, 00-44-15394- 88444, www.hop-skip-jump. com) includes an interactive tour to bring Potter's tales to life. £6/£3 (€7.50/€3.75).