You are here: Home > Explore Cumbria > Areas of Cumbria > The Lake District
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
Celebrate the energy of the winter solstice with forest bathing in the beautiful Whinlatter forest.…
Get ready to swing into the holidays with the UK's No. 1 jive and swing band, the Jive Aces! The…
Saturday 21st December Live music from singer Glen Anderson Party anthems and feelgood…
Come and join us for a festive afternoon in our Hilltop room with the wonderful Graham Tyson doing…
A busy weekly Market each Thursday from Mid February to end December.. A wide range of food, fresh…
Enjoy a traditional afternoon at Allan Bank singing carols around the Christmas tree with local…
oin us for three days of the much anticipated and fabulous Yew Tree Barn Christmas Festival Market!…
Hosted by the talented local florists, Bluebell & Ivy, this hands-on workshop is your ticket to…
Written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson | Adapted by John Hewer Hambledon Productions are…
Saturday 30 November (14:30/18:00) Add some homemade charm to your festive celebrations this year…
Thursday 5 | Friday 6 | Saturday 7 December (Doors open at 6.30 pm for a 7.00 pm start) Direct…
Join JAG Outdoors for a walk around the forest at night. The walk will cover up 5 - 7 miles…
Discover two remarkable Arts & Crafts houses in the Lake District in one afternoon. Blackwell – the…
Join Clara at a delightful Christmas Eve party that becomes a magical adventure once everyone else…
Busy Weekly Market with 80 stalls. Food, Crafts and Gifts.
Join us for a very special Father Christmas Tea Party in our amazing winter wonderland. We’ll be…
Food Smoking Course Experience a unique food smoking course in the Lake District at Wild Boar…
ELVIS at The Ryebeck Hotel, Bowness-on-Windermere . Get ready for a rockin' night at The Ryebeck!…
A high-flying adventure for all the family… Raised in the Indian jungle, Mowgli the man cub spends…
Wrap up warm and join us one a spellbinding storytelling walk through the woods this December at…
Ever wondered how Santa navigates the skies on Christmas Eve? Join Jo from JAG Outdoors for a…
The award-winning Dyad Productions, (A Room of One's Own, I, Elizabeth, Austen's Women, Female…
We warmly invite you to our Holiday Market where local crafters will be selling locally handmade…
Wild Wreath Making Workshop Enjoy a wonderful evening with your friends, listen to your favourite…
The Lake District Where modern tourism was born
Number of results: 442
, currently showing 141 to 160.
Windermere
We offer 7 different glamping options at Park Cliffe so you’ll find one that perfectly suits your needs. Each will give you a great experience and a bit more comfort than a traditional camping holiday – it’s a brilliant way to enjoy the great Lake…
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
907 reviewsWindermere
Matson Ground Holiday Cottages offers four charming, self-catering cottages in the heart of the Lake District. A stay in one of our cottages supports conservation and biodiversity projects on our 500 hectare organic farm.
With two cottages…
Coniston
Outdoor provider based in the Lake District. Rob Green Guiding offers fantastic outdoor experiences from a qualified Mountain Leader; guided mountain days out, navigation training and general mountain skills coaching and training.
Ecclerigg, Windermere
The 5* Langdale Chase is a Luxury. exclusive, Lake District Hotel with unbeatable Windermere views. At Langdale Chase, you can do as much as you wish, or kick back and fine tune the art of doing absolutely nothing either on your own, as a couple,…
Penrith
The Quiet Site is a family-run site situated in a secluded position amongst the stunning fells that overlook Lake Ullswater. This is a superbly maintained and very picturesque site, and there are many beautiful walks that you can start from right…
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
1191 reviewsLakeside
Relaxing with our afternoon tea experience, less than a stone's throw away from the water's edge of Lake Windermere.
Ravenglass
Standing proudly in the center of the village of Ravenglass the Pennington Hotel has 22 well appointed and relaxing bedrooms, with quality bathrooms, smart TV’s, and comfy beds, all areas offer high speed internet which has been complete upscaled…
Millom
Wayside Cottage 1637 is a charming old (circa 1637) two bedroom cottage attached to The Wayside. Designed for visitors that seek relaxing stay in an idyllic & traditional setting within the Lake District with modern comforts.
Lakeside
A spectacularly located site on the quieter western shores of Windermere, England’s largest lake and with stunning views our Lakeside site has it all in spades. Each of our yurts here have stunning lake views and are a hop, skip and a splosh away…
Windermere
Visitor centre with interactive exhibitions, Mawson gardens, adventure playground, shop and information centre. Lakeshore access for all.
Penrith
Master the 'Art of Nordic Walking' with our , Nicky Merrett, AKA Nordic Nic, or Sean Bolland our new expert instructor. Both Nicky & Sean are qualified instructors with British Nordic Walking. They will take you through the ‘10 Steps to Nordic…
Coniston
Located on the shores of Coniston Water with sensational lake and fell views, this classic Lakeland slate building has undergone an exciting restoration to create a stunning pub with rooms. Open all day, every day for food, drinks and rooms.
Cockermouth
A unique and special cafe experience on board the replica Orient Express train and restored station buildings, with a level-access path along the former platform and through woodland teeming with wildlife. Serving interesting and fresh cafe food,…
Ambleside
For a fun and accessible adrenaline hit, stepping out over a 150ft drop is hard to beat! We offer abseiling throughout the Lake District, all venues are stunningly beautiful and offer different abseil lengths so we can pick a venue to suit you best.
Ambleside
The more popular mountains can become busy during holiday periods, so why not avoid the crowds by making an early (or late) start and watch the sunrise from a mountain summit?
Windermere
Our modern, fully furnished and equipped caravan holiday homes are situated in a quiet area, adjacent to the main touring park yet within easy reach of all the park amenities.
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
907 reviewsWindermere
Our three warm and cosy pods are situated behind the main farm steading in a quiet setting away from the road and next to a small beck. The pods all have underfloor heating so you are guaranteed to be warm no matter the season. Unfortunately we…
Windermere
Specialist bike hire for everyone from 3 great locations around Lake Windermere. Electric bikes. Mountain bikes. Kid's bikes. Kid's seats and trailers. We have planned routes for you available as maps and downloads.
Pooley Bridge
With two dedicated camping fields, camping at Hillcroft Park is a really lovely choice. Camping field Angle Tarn is set amongst our Pods, so if some of you are traditional campers but perhaps other family members prefer something more substantial…
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
421 reviewsBowness-on-Windermere
A delicate restoration to the Grade 2 listed hall, Fallbarrow Hall celebrates its history while leaving ensuring it’s equipped to host a modern, 21st century get together for up to 36 people. Located in Fallbarrow Holiday Park, relax and unwind in…
Receive all the latest news, special offers and information from the Lake District, Cumbria
Cumbria Tourism, Windermere Road, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 9PL