So, where did we leave off? After a few days out on my own and building my confidence, I booked my first solo holiday. Before I knew it, the day to leave was almost here. My departure date was Saturday, May 11th, returning on Tuesday, making it a 3 day adventure. I booked the earliest train I could find on Saturday morning to maximise my time, as the journey had multiple changes and would take several hours.
The day before, I worked a 12-hour shift that ended at 9 p.m., so I figured I wouldn’t get much sleep that night- and I was right!
I’d been so excited for the trip that I’d actually packed earlier in the week! I had a cabin-sized suitcase for my clothes and toiletries, a rucksack for my walking boots and valuables, and a small cross-body bag for my phone and purse. The bag sat across my front, making it easy to access my train tickets without having to haul my rucksack off my shoulder each time.
I didn’t want to leave things in my coat pockets- partly for safety and to avoid anything accidentally falling out! Honestly, my inner over-thinker probably helped me prepare well, since I kept considering all the ‘what ifs’!
The night before, I set my alarm for 3 a.m. When it went off, I jumped out of bed, got ready, and packed my last couple of items. Adam, my partner, drove me to the train station for 4:30 a.m. Once we arrived, I sat in the car with him for a few minutes, trying to gather my nerves. That knot in my stomach- the one I’d felt when I first booked the trip- was back.
After saying goodbye, I went into the station. In the 20 minutes before my train arrived, I went to the bathroom three times, I was so nervous! My biggest worry at that moment was navigating London on my own, where I’d be transferring to catch the train to the Lake District. I’d only been to London a handful of times, but never on my own.
It’s such a fast-paced, big city, and right now, it was my biggest source of anxiety. I kept reminding myself that there’d be people around to ask if I felt unsure of something! Surely.. everything would be fine anyway.
The train arrived, I got on, and found a seat. Thankfully, being so early in the morning on a Saturday, the train was nearly empty. Straight away I felt a bit less overwhelmed and more excitement now that I was actually on my way!
The train arrived at London Liverpool Street just before 7 a.m., so I got off and made my way down to the tube station. I was using the Citymapper app on my phone to navigate the stations and platforms. Luckily I had about an hour to make it to my next train with two tube transfers in between. Of course… I got on the wrong one!!
The tube station was already getting busy, and as I looked at Citymapper and tried to follow the signs, everything felt like a blur. I couldn’t quite process where I needed to go. A tube arrived at the platform I was on, and even though something felt off, I got on anyway. Why? To this day, I’m not entirely sure, I think I just panicked! In overwhelming moments, it feels like your brain and legs aren’t communicating with each other. You might be able to read signs and understand directions perfectly, but when anxiety takes over, everything can feel disorienting. And honestly, it’s natural to feel this way in overwhelming situations.
I finally figured out what I needed to do and got off the train at the next stop. Unfortunately, I couldn’t catch the tube I needed from that station, so I had to exit and walk ten minutes to the right one. I eventually got on the correct tube and made my way to London Euston Station. It felt like I’d been going in circles forever, but in reality, only about 40 minutes had passed.
At this point, all my excitement had drained away, replaced with dread over what else might go wrong. I felt foolish for making such simple mistakes already, and frustrated for not following my own advice—I hadn’t asked anyone for help! Looking around at the time, everyone else seemed to know exactly where they were going. No one looked lost, and it made my anxiety feel silly, as though I was the only one who felt this way. Most people also had their headphones in, which made them seem unapproachable—or so I told myself.
To make things even more challenging, I was traveling during the train strikes. When I booked the trip, I knew there was a risk of cancellations- but I decided to go for it anyway. Sure enough, as I walked into Euston Station, I found hundreds of people crowded around the big screen, waiting for updated schedules. My original train had been cancelled too, so I joined the crowd and waited for a replacement.
When my new train was announced, I headed to the platform. The train for this part of the journey had assigned seating. I got on the train only to find someone sitting in my assigned seat. Feeling flustered, I politely explained that the seat was on my ticket. When we compared tickets, we discovered that our seats had been double-booked- just what I needed!
I quickly found another seat, crossing my fingers that no one would get on and claim it, as the carriage was almost full by this point so I figured someone was bound to. To my surprise, I made it all the way to a stop near Lancaster before someone boarded and politely claimed it. Fortunately, the train had emptied out by then, so I was able to move to an unoccupied seat without any issues.
The morning had felt so hectic, so I put my airpods in, and listened to music for most of the journey. I dozed off a few times too, probably because I felt so drained.
As the train neared Oxenholme Station, I suddenly realized I could see mountains in the distance. In that moment, all the anxiety I’d felt that morning disappeared, replaced by a rush of excitement and adrenaline. It felt worth all the stress to have made it this far, and I couldn’t wait to arrive.
Navigating Oxenholme Station was easy; I crossed the platform and boarded the train heading to Windermere. This journey was lovely, with stunning scenery in all directions, giving me a taste of what I would experience over the next few days.
The train arrived in Windermere at 1:00 p.m., and I suddenly felt at ease. I had finally made it! There was no rush and no train schedules to worry about. All I needed to do was follow Google Maps to my accommodation.
The walk was about 20 minutes so I took my time with it, taking everything in as I went. Windermere was a beautiful little town full of character and friendly looking people. It had a slow-paced yet vibrant feel to it. I thought to myself, “Once I’m checked in and unpacked, I’ll have to come back here later to wander around!”
I found the guest house easily enough and followed the self-check-in instructions. I appreciated the self-check-in process; given the anxiety surrounding this trip and it being my first time, I preferred not to engage in conversations with anyone. I just wanted my own space, allowing me to come and go as I pleased without the hassle of interacting with strangers. Not that there’s anything wrong with chatting to strangers while on a solo trip; I actually became quite good at it and really enjoyed those interactions on future trips, though I would never have believed it then!
The room was beautiful, featuring a cozy bed that my tired legs would later appreciate. It was tastefully decorated with a countryside feel, and pictures of local places and mountains on the walls. It perfectly set the scene for the next few days adventures. I took some pictures and videos of the room- some for Instagram and others for my memories. After that, I freshened up, packed my rucksack, and laced up my walking boots, ready to head out and explore the local area.
I think I’m going to leave this one here, but I can’t wait to share the experiences that unfolded during my stay, so stay tuned for the next chapter of my first solo adventure!
This year, solo adventures have completely transformed my life, showing me strengths I didn’t even know I had. I wanted to share what I’ve learned and help inspire others who are ready to explore their own journey in this world. I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel when you want to get out there by yourself but just don’t know how. So I created an eBook- a guide packed with helpful tips, personal insights, lists and even a mini planner, to make those first steps easier and less intimidating. Its my way of saying: you’ve got this, and you’re not alone!
You can find the eBook in my Etsy Shop- just follow the link in the menu at the top of the page or click here – https://bit.ly/3AfXFfA. And as a thank-you, if you sign up for notifications on new blog posts on the Contact Me page, you’ll receive a 10% off code for the eBook!
