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AMBLESIDE , five miles northwest of Windermere, is at the heart of the southern lakes region, making it a first-class base for walkers. The town centre consists of a cluster of grey-green stone houses, shops and B&Bs hugging a circular one-way system, which loops round just south of the narrow gully of stony Stock Ghyll. The rest of town lies a mile south at Waterhead , a harbour on the shores of Windermere that's filled with ducks, swans and rowing boats and overlooked by the landscaped gardens of several plush hotels. In Ambleside itself, spare a few minutes for the mural of the rush-bearing ceremony in St Mary's Church , whose spire is visible from all over town. A couple of hundred yards north, Bridge House (Easter-Oct daily 10am-5pm; free), now a National Trust information centre, straddles Stock Ghyll - scurrilous legend has it that a Scotsman built the two-storey, two-roomed house to evade land taxes. For Ambleside's history, stroll a couple of minutes' along Rydal Road to the Ambleside Museum (daily 10am-5pm; GBP2.50; ), whose collection catalogues the very distinct contribution to lakeland society made by John Ruskin, Beatrix Potter and longtime Ambleside resident, writer Harriet Martineau. Finally, soccer fans shouldn't miss soccer photographer Stuart Clarke's gallery The Homes of Football (daily 10am-5pm; free; ) at 100 Lake Rd. A permanent archive of over 60,000 images of the country's stadiums and fans, it's quite irresistible.
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