Just an hour’s drive down the M6 takes you into the Lake District, England’s largest National Park. it's located entirely within the county of Cumbria, with all the land in England higher than 3,000 feet (914 m) above sea level situated within the Lake District, including Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England.
The Lake District is home to some of the most spectacular scenery you will find anywhere, including England’s highest mountain – Scafell Pike and the marvellous lakes themselves:
- Bassenthwaite Lake
- Brotherswater
- Buttermere
- Coniston Water
- Crummock Water
- Derwent Water
- Devoke Water
- Elter Water
- Ennerdale Water
- Esthwaite Water
- Grasmere
- Haweswater Reservoir
- Hayeswater
- Loweswater
- Rydal Water
- Thirlmere
- Ullswater
- Wast Water
- Windermere
Incredibly, the Lake District has over 6,000 archaeological sites and monuments, dating from prehistory to WW2, as well as 1,740 listed buildings and 21 conservation areas. There are too many things to see and do in one visit, and certainly something for everyone.
If you're a literary fan, then you can visit Dove Cottage in Grasmere, the home William Wordsworth, along with his wife, Mary and his beloved sister, Dorothy. Another writer of great repute is Beatrix Potter, and you can visit her former C17th farmhouse Hill Top, where you can get a glimpse into her mind, and view the cottage as if she was still living there.
Graphite was first discovered in the hills around Keswick in the 16th Century, and when the pencil was invented it led to the development of a massive industry in the Lake District. Today, the Derwent Pencil Museum sits on the site of the original factory.
The Lake District is home to a great variety of wildlife, due to its range of varied topography, lakes and forests. It provides a home for the red squirrel, England's only nesting pair of golden eagles, ospreys, red kites, buzzards, peregrines, amongst many others.