We left outskirts of London behind today, and took a 4 hour drive (which took nearly 7 once we were done) north to the Lake District.

I loved the drive. Every new view was more lovely than the last, and almost every field and hill was dotted with sheep or cows. The further north we travelled, the hillier the landscape became, and the more widely spaced the towns.

By about halfway through our trip, I became convinced that the population density of sheep in this part of England must be higher than it is for people.

My favorite part was when we noticed sheep grazing on the median of the highway. We were wondering how they got them out there when we noticed the tunnel under the southbound lanes, allowing the sheep to be moved under the motorway!

Well, that WAS my favorite part, until we arrived in the Lake District.

As we drove towards our small, very out of the way hotel, I kept gasping and staring at the landscape as it unfolded around us. The narrow, country lanes, the impossibly small stone bridges, the steep hills covered with distant, tiny sheep, and the rolling, green, mist-covered valleys are stunning, and unlike anything i’ve ever seen before. It’s beautiful, remote, and wild without being threatening. The towns are welcoming and full of history (we ate at an Inn which had existed since the 11th century).

Later, as we drove over the steep, narrow mountain pass, past waterfalls and herds of sheep roaming through and across the road in front of us, I decided that this is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. I absolutely love it here.