The Lake District is England's largest National Park and a very popular holiday destination and is perfect to visit at any time of the year.

England's largest lake is Windermere in the Lake District. It is ten and a half miles long and 219 feet deep. It's name comes from the Scandinavian for 'lake of a man called Vinandr'.

There's plenty to do for all the family with events, attractions and outdoor activities all set in stunning scenery and with a different view around every corner how much more would you want?

• One of Cumbria's hidden gems, the Eden Valley is an attractive area for walking and cycling. With lots of small villages and hamlets to explore, it's hub is the historic town of Penrith


• The North Pennines region is a special haven for wildlife and an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). The Coast to Coast (C2C) route will take you up Hartside pass to Alston, England's highest market town.


• Carlisle is Cumbria's only city, with great shopping, bars and a vibrant nightlife. The city is overlooked by Carlisle Castle, this and Hadrian's Wall were the frontier to the Roman Empire 2,000 years ago.


• Explore the atmospheric Coniston Water, the scene of Donald Campbell's water speed record. Visit the port town of Barrow-in-Furness or Cartmel Village, home to the famous sticky toffee pudding. The pretty cobbled streets of Ulverston are also the start of the Cumbria Way


• Visit the bustling towns of Bowness-on-Windermere and Ambleside on the shore of Windermere, England's longest lake. Or try traditional Grasmere gingerbread from it's picturesque village and explore the market town of Kendal


• Visit Keswick and the Western Lakes you will find England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike and deepest lake, Wastwater. The costal towns of Maryport, Workington and Whitehaven have a long maritime history. Take a visit to Cockermouth and see the home of William Wordsworth


• At the base of the Howgills Sedbergh is part fo the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It's a picturesque book town, with a character of it's own. Explore the cobbled streets of Dent and the georgian buildings of Kirkby Lonsdale.

 

Lake District - home of Britains's Favourite View

Wastwater in the Wasdale Valley was officially awarded the prestigious title of ‘Britain's Favourite View'

Wastwater at nearly three miles long, almost half a mile wide and, with a depth of 258 feet, is the deepest lake in England. Add to this the fact that it is overlooked by England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike at 3,210 feet, and it becomes an area of dramatic extremes.

Both the lake and the mountain are owned and managed by the National Trust who work year-round to maintain the beauty of the place, balancing conservation with maintaining footpaths to allow continued access for people to enjoy. Each of Cumbria's lakes has its own unique charm and character and Wastwater is no exception. Wastwater is remote and unspoiled, and surrounded by steep valleys that give the illusion of sharply disappearing into the vast expanse of water, and is the perfect place to seek solitude from the crowds.

LAKE DISTRICT ACCOMMODATION

 

 

 

HOTELS

     

Lake District - Beatrice Potter

Beatrix Potter, the creator of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-duck and a host of characters loved by children all over the world, first came to the Lake District in 1882, during a family holiday. For over sixty years the Lake District was to inspire Beatrix Potter.

You can visit Hill Top {This was Beatrix's first house, bought using money she had made from her early books. Here you can view the untouched house, exactly as Beatrix left it.} This is the house which inspired so many of Beatrix Potter's tales and where you can explore the attractions that chart her life and work.

Or you can simply relax in the landscape that inspired stories like The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle.

What Weather?

Weather in the Lake District can change rapidly check out the weather forecast service called Weatherline.

Here you will find data direct from the Met Office, with a five day forecast. Between December and April felltop assessors record winter conditions daily from Helvellyn, the Lake District's busiest mountain in winter.

So when you're planning a day out,don't forget to visit Weatherline

Why does it rain in the Lake District?
The weather in Britain mostly comes from the Atlantic. When the clouds hit the mountains of the Lake District, they rise, the water vapour within the clouds cools, condenses and falls as rain or snow.

What should I pack?
Visitors: Layers are the best idea. Even in summer, it can be cool in the evenings and if you’re on the water. A good waterproof jacket is invaluable.

Walkers: A wind and waterproof jacket and over-trousers will make your walks a lot more comfortable. The temperature drops one degree for every 150 metres you ascend. So even if it’s relatively warm in a valley, it can be pretty chilly on top of a high ridge. You should always carry extra clothing such as spare socks, hats and gloves.

Main Tourist Towns

Every year around 15.5 million visitors come to the Lake District –some just for a day but many visit every year staying in local hotels, caravan parks,

There's plenty to do in the Lakes while on holiday, even if your visit is a short stay, there's plenty on offer for the visiting tourist, mountain biking, canoeing, absailing and the unique Segway Guided Tours

The main tourist towns in the Lake District are Windermere, Bowness on Windermere, Coniston, and Keswick.

Windermere, although still called a village has all the amenities of a town. There are many tourist shops many of which supply climbing and fell equipment as well as hiking and climbing clothing and a Tourist Information Centre

Bowness on Windermere has much to offer the visitor, the town has many old building from the Victorian era. Bowness Pier is the home of Windermere Lake Cruises company on the esplanade that takes visitors up and down Lake Windermere on cruises between Bowness, Lakeside, at the Southern end, Waterhead at the Northern end on Lake Windermere, there's even an Island cruise which takes a tour around the many islands including the main island called Belle Isle.
One of the most popular tourist attractions is The World of Beatrix Potter Exhibition, people from as far away as Japan and Australia have this as a must see for their visit, they also visit Hill Top, the Lakeland Farm that inspired many of Beatrix Potter's illustrations.

Coniston was originally a mining village with a few shops and cafés on its main street. Coniston Water is about half a mile from the village. It is about five miles long and the head of the lake is surrounded by some of the loveliest fells. It was on Coniston Water that Donald Campbell tragically lost his life whilst trying to beat his own water speed record in 1967 on his jet powered boat “Bluebird”. It was not until 2001 that his body was recovered from this deep lake. Details of Campbell’s life and achievements are displayed in the Ruskin Museum.

Keswick on Derwentwater - The heart of Keswick is its Market Place, ringed round with shops and hotels. Visitors have the choice of four museums, art and craft galleries, cinema, and the successful and all year round Theatre by the Lake.