Photos courtesy Visit Great Britain and Lake District National Parks
Sprawling 885 square miles across Cumbria in North West England, the Lake District National Park is England’s largest National Park. With 16 sparkling lakes, England’s five tallest mountains, six national nature reserves and over 400 towns and villages, it’s no wonder the Lake District is a popular attraction.
Natural beauty isn’t the only thing going on in the Lake District. Activities range from child-friendly adventure parks to high-adrenaline assault courses. Don’t miss Lake Windermere—the largest of the lakes—where you can try everything from open water swimming to sailing, canoeing, kayaking and windsurfing.
Windermere Lake
The arts and culture scene started by the likes of William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter is still thriving today, with a year-round calendar of literary, arts and heritage events and countless museums, galleries and performance venues to visit. With so much to see and do, your only problem will be deciding what to do first.
Lake District Hotel restaurants highlight locally sourced, fresh Cumbrian produce.
All that exploring is bound to work up an appetite. And you’re in luck, because the Lake District is one of Britain’s food and drink hotspots. Whether you fancy a refreshing brew at a traditional tearoom, a pint of real ale at a pub with a roaring fire or a elaborate meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant, you’ll find something to suit every taste in the Lake District.
Top five things to see and do:
1. Take the kids to meet Peter Rabbit and friends at the World of Beatrix Potter.
2. Watch one of the productions at the Theater by the Lake in Keswick.
3. Explore the nearby cosmopolitan city of Carlisle and the historic town of Kendal.
4. Visit one of Cumbria’s 24 microbreweries—you’ll find many of these at the back of local pubs.
5. Tour the poet William Wordsworth’s house, Dove Cottage, surrounded by the countryside that inspired him.
For more info, go to Lake District National Park or Visit Britain
European Traveler 