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England’s best-known and most popular national park is a postcard landscape of shimmering lakes, craggy hilltops and ancient forests that has enchanted poets and painters since the late 18th century, when the Romantics first had their imaginations stirred by the panoramas that have remained unchanged to this day.
And what panoramas they are. There’s the classic Lakeland setting of Windermere, England’s largest lake and the primary destination for millions of tourists since the railroad was first built in the middle of the 19th century. On it is busy Bowness and the charming villages of Grasmere and Hawkshead, surrounded on all sides by beautiful mountains.
The north lakes – Ullswater, Bassenthwaite, Derwentwater, Loweswater – are quieter and wilder, in the shadow of the rugged Skiddaw range and with handsome Keswick at the heart of it. The lush Borrowdale Valley leads to the dramatic Honister mountain pass and into the natural lakes of Buttermere & Crummock.
Adventure seekers go west, to the higher ground of Great Langdale and the region’s major summits of Bowfell, Crinkle Crags and the biggest mountain of all, Scafell Pike.
The Lake District is an outdoor activities paradise, but its literary connections draw as many visitors as its walks do. William Wordsworth lived virtually all of his life here, drawing inspiration from the surrounding countryside to write some of the English language’s most enduring poetry. The landscape also proved a creative spark for the likes of Sameul Taylor Coleridge, Arthur Ransome and Beatrix Potter – who dedicated much of her life to protecting the Lake District’s beauty and heritage.
In all its beauty and diversity the Lake District remains as it has been for millennia, which is one of the reasons why in 2017 the national park was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site – its river valleys, lakes and mountains home to an unique hill-farming culture and ancient heritage that has been carefully preserved. Here in the Lake District we know how to take good care of you; we’ve had plenty of practice.
Explore
A Celebration Reading from the Poetry Business International Book & Pamphlet Competition. Hosted…
A new home interiors and renovation event that showcases the huge range of expert, independent…
Evie is a singer-songwriter from the Lake District. Evie has built up a vast repertoire of songs,…
A busy weekly Market each Thursday from Mid February to end December.. A wide range of food, fresh…
Join us for a splash of colour! Transform aluminium with beautiful colours and patterns using…
We're looking forward to welcoming Reuben Tighe to The Swan on the 18th April for an evening of…
BOOK EARLY FOR MOTHER'S DAY Check out our Three Course menu below £29.95pp and HALF PRICE for…
Historic pub and arts venue The Farmer's Arms in Lowick Green, Ulverston announces a Mothering…
Adventurous Ink, the book subscription that helps readers reconnect, are inviting lovers of good…
A 3-hour workshop with a foraging expert, which includes ID guidance, picking wild ingredients and…
The first in the new season of meet the author sessions will feature Cumbrian writer Alan Cleaver
Join photographer Steve Blake in our beautiful woodland environment. Taster sessions are the…
Following on from the success of his 2024 album, True North, acclaimed Folk artist, Jonny Campbell…
Road race
Come and join The Conscious Self for some cold & hot exposure in the heart of The Lake District!…
Free event. To help celebrate the Grasmere Switch Off we will be opening the grounds of Allan Bank…
A 5-hour course with an expert, which includes ID work, tasting wild ingredients and a…
A 6 day all inclusive retreat to train you to become a massage therapist. Includes accredited…
"The legend of the Hound Of The Baskervilles has haunted the Baskerville family for generations –…
The Dreamtime Fellrunner is a poetic, witty and moving exploration of Dr.Julie Carter's running…
This is a journey through the astonishing highs and lows of one of Britain's most famous men from…
If you never saw The Smiths then this is your chance to experience the thrill of those great songs…
Make this Mother’s Day unforgettable with a special afternoon tea at Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts…
Capture the beauty of dawn through your camera lens on a 2-3 hour cruise accompanied by Charlotte…
The Lake District Where modern tourism was born
Number of results: 433
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Keswick
Discover the secret places of the Lake District only accessible by kayak, just waiting for you to discover. Take a sunset paddle with a picnic dinner or journey to a sheltered hidden bay for a lunch, kayaking is as relaxing or demanding as you like.…
Newby Bridge
Our reality-based 2 day survival training course will give you the skills to be self-sufficient in any wilderness environment. Immerse yourself in the challenge.
Hawkshead, Lake Windermere
Get behind the wheel with this brilliant 4x4 experience with Graythwaite Adventure. With careful planning and consideration for the natural landscape, we’ve designed the Lake District’s only off-road course with BORDA (British Off Road Driving…
Ambleside
Zeffirellis hosts an award-winning vegetarian restaurant, a daytime café, a jazz bar on the second floor of the restaurant, and a cinema.
Zeffirellis restaurant offers an Italian themed pizza and pasta menu with daily specials freshly prepared by…
Pooley Bridge
Just a stone's throw away from Lake Ullswater, Hillcroft Park boasts one of the most stunning locations of any UK holiday park, offering glamping with a choice 19 eco-pods of two types.
Sedgwick, Kendal
Family attraction, maze, soft play, go karts, animals, pets, events, parties and refreshments.
Bowness-on-Windermere
The multi-award winning, no.1 hotel for romance. Discover high-end luxury, designer decor, hot tubs and exclusive guest extras at the Cranleigh Boutique in Bowness-on-Windermere.
Keswick
Located in Keswick, the home of the first pencil, visitors enter this museum through a replica graphite mine which would have served as the source of the pencil industry over three centuries ago.
Lake Rd, Keswick
Theatre by the Lake has a setting on the shores of Derwentwater no other professional theatre in Britain can match. Each year it stages up to nine of its own productions of classic, modern and new plays and has won multi-starred reviews.
Grange, Keswick
Our country house hotel is the best-kept secret in the Borrowdale Valley, with log fires, wonderful Lakeland-inspired cooking and warm, comfortable bedrooms updated in classic, modern style - a real home-from-home.
Newby Bridge
A full day's experience learning the key skills of bushcraft and survival with our expert instructors, such as firelighting, shelter building and more.
Windermere
At Gilpin Hotel all 30 bedrooms have lovely Lakeland views, most leading directly onto the gardens – All 6 Junior Suite and 6 Garden Suites have decked or slate patios with their own outdoor hot tubs, 5 Spa Lodges have their own ensuite spa…
Keswick
Located next to Theatre By The Lake in Keswick, Lakeside Café Restaurant has perhaps some of the country's best views. Our locally-sourced produce helps us create delicious dishes to complement the fantastic views, making it truly an experience to…
Penrith
The Byre was formerly used for keeping cattle on the ground floor, with hay stored on the first floor i.e. in the hay loft. The Byre has been converted to a very high standard with oak wood used throughout, retaining the original beams.
Ambleside
Our air-conditioned Brasserie is open to both residents and non-residents for Lunch & Dinner and our menus feature the finest fresh produce from the region.
Newby Bridge
Situated on the picturesque River Leven at the southern tip of Lake Windermere, this 17th-century coaching inn is full of character and charm, but also offers well-equipped rooms, first-class leisure facilities and a fabulous new Holte Spa. Enjoy…
Coniston
The team at The Crown Inn takes great pride in the food we prepare; serving fulfilling dishes made with the freshest, Cumbrian produce.
Troutbeck, Penrith
Wide range of activities including Horse Riding, Quad Biking, Go-Karting, Archery, Clay Pigeon Shooting and Stalwart Army truck, Paintballing, Air Rifles and many more!
Ambleside
Biketreks Grizedale is a bike hire centre and shop in Grizedale Forest, offering mountain bike and E-Bike hire all year round. Our shop stocks a wide range of clothing, accessories and new and ex-hire bikes.
Troutbeck, Windermere
Cumbrian produce with a French Twist. Set within 7 acres of landscaped gardens, with our expertise in bespoke dining, quality of service and attention to detail ensures we are simply somewhere special.
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Cumbria Tourism, Windermere Road, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 9PL