Arriving in the Lake District, still jaded from several beers the night before courtesy of trade 10, I went on to spend the rest of the afternoon being rained on from every direction but above on route to Elterwater. Chaos. Groups scrambled for shelter on mass and buses waded over bridges disappearing under bloated rivers. I maintained a half-smile; the situation was beserk but I was kind of enjoying it. I would reach my next trade, dry off and rest.

Not so. The only thing more biblical than the weather was the chorus of snoring in my room that restricted my sleep to 30 minute bursts that night. I rose the next morning exhausted and apprehensive of the canoe slalom course I had just expended so much energy getting to. But I wandered outside and the floods had vanished; cattle returned to their fields like nothing had happened.

The Lake District had brushed it off and I went on to discover that my host, Elterwater Hostel, was a specialist. Aiding the recovery and rebooting the spirit of tired explorers and travelling families on the virtue of huge portions of sticky toffee pudding (not even beaten by the four star hotel trade to come), English breakfasts and the oh so important drying room.

I bounced back and reached for my camera to photograph this hospitable cottage in the heart of the Lake District and its inspiring surroundings.

Location

Trade