Lake District

Background

The Lake District lies in Cumbria in north-west England. It became a national park in 1951, covers 2,362 square kilometres, and was inscribed on the World Heritage List as a cultural landscape in 2017. England's highest peak, Scafell Pike (978 metres), as well as Helvellyn and Skiddaw, lie within it; Windermere, about 17 kilometres long (some give 18), is England's longest lake, and Wastwater is England's deepest. The area has 16 major lakes. This roughly circular upland was shaped by repeated glaciations over some two million years, leaving U-shaped valleys radiating outwards, with long, narrow lakes lying in them. The area is very wet, and Seathwaite in Borrowdale is called the wettest inhabited place in England. The "Lake Poets", led by Wordsworth, lived and wrote here, and writers such as Beatrix Potter, John Ruskin and Arthur Ransome are also closely linked to the Lake District.

Local customs

• Take a Windermere cruise to enjoy the lake and fells
• walk a lakeside path or climb a gentle hill
• browse the bookshops and tea rooms of Grasmere and Keswick.

Travel tips

• Accommodation is mainly guesthouses in small towns, so book ahead in high season
• the Lake District is rainy, so bring a waterproof jacket and non-slip shoes
• mountain weather changes quickly, so stay within your limits on the fells
• boat and attraction opening times are subject to the official websites.
• The Windermere branch line runs via Kendal to Windermere
• local buses and lake ferries serve the area, and drivers can link Kendal, Windermere and Keswick along the A591
• timetables are subject to the official information. Spring and summer suit hiking and boating, and autumn colours are the finest
• in winter the summits may be snow-covered, so check the weather and road conditions before setting out.