Arsene will end Mourinho unbeatten home record. Inevitable. Written in the stars.

[Alfred C. Jolibois, PhD]

After which, Mourinho, who will have spent the last 20 minutes of the game in our camp, trying to score, will say that we parked the bus.

Written in the stars, I tell'ya...

[Luis Anaconda]

I'm not going to put money on it though

[Monty91]

[Ashberto]

[Nicosia Gooner]

[Winston Wolfe]

[Ashberto]

I do tend to go there rather a lot so I can actually offer quite a bit of advice.

[Nicosia Gooner]

[Monty91]

Plan is to do our exploring on Monday and Tuesday. Whichever day has the worst weather we'll use to visit some of the national trust sites. On the other day we'll do some walks (5/6km max, due to missus being 31 weeks pregnant!).

Don't really want to be driving any further than 30 minutes from Windermere, so fairly restricted in terms of where we can get to, but I hear there is a good walk in Cartmel.

Any tips welcome.

[Ashberto]

It's all gentle, rolling hills and arable land around Windermere. The dramatic stuff starts at Ambleside, at the north of the lake. Also, 30 mins drive won't get you very far, as there is generally a lot of scenery in the way. If you're staying on the East of the lake it could take you that long to drive round to the other side. It's a long lake.

Must See: Aira Force waterfall. Take the A592 North from Windermere Town to Ullswater. Maybe take a boat trip on Ullswater while you are there.

http://www.go4awalk.com/walkphotographs/stephencollins28.jpg

Ambleside is a pleasant little town at the North of the lake, and from there you can take the A593 to Conniston, famed for Donald Campbell's water speed record attempts and eventual death. The museum there is good if you have any interest in that or John Ruskin.

Most of my walking is rugged all-day stuff over the mountains in the north so I can't recommend any short strolls in the south but walking beside a lake is always pleasant, and you can't get lost.

If you were to venture North to Keswick there's a stone circle at nearby Castlerigg, and for a lengthy, beautiful, thrilling and challenging drive over some mountain passes, head from Keswick into Borrowdale (there used to be a superb restaurant at the Leathes Head Hotel in Grange - maybe still) then over Honnister Pass into Buttermere, then through the Newlands Valley back to Keswick.

Bring clothes for the wet, the cold and the windy. Or just buy them while you're there. It's cheaper than London.

[Ashberto]

we usually go up the A1 to North Yorkshire then across the dales (A684 via Wensleydale :wallace: is good, and takes you all the way to Kendal). It might take a bit longer, but you can still do in six hours and I find it a lot more relaxed, and the Yorkshire scenery is far nicer than the M6.

[Monty91]

here.

http://drunkenduckinn.co.uk/

Can you recommend a 3-5km walk around Ambleside that will take us into some of the dramatic scenery you mention and that won't be overly demanding for a fat bird with swollen ankles and a parasite inside her?

[Ashberto]

Just north of Ambleside. Length 3 miles.

http://where2walk.co.uk/lake_district/short_lakes_walks/foot steps-of-wordsworth/ (http://where2walk.co.uk/lake_district/short_lakes_walks/footsteps-of-wordsworth/)

http://www.paulharley.net/images/open_edition/silver-how-rydal-water.jpg

http://www.lakedistrictwalks.com/jpeg/rydalwo.jpg

[Ashberto]

http://where2walk.co.uk/lake_district/lake_discoveries/tarn- hows/ (http://where2walk.co.uk/lake_district/lake_discoveries/tarn-hows/)

http://www.visitcumbria.com/photos/db/tarn-hows-db-0531-0005.jpg

http://www.cumbriacrack.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Join-an-walk-thats-accessible-for-all-at-Tarn-Hows-CNTPLPaul-Harris.jpg

[Monty91]