The Lake District
The Lake District is located in the mountainous heart of the north-west county of Cumbria. Widely considered to be one of the most beautiful regions in the United Kingdom, it is not surprising that it is the only UK National Park to have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Undoubtedly, the best way to discover the Lake District is through walking. Aside from the breathtaking lakes, walkers can explore the Lakeland world of dramatic mountains (fells), photogenic valleys and woodlands and attractive villages. The English are passionate about rambling and the Lake District tops their list of favourite destinations, so walkers are very well catered for.
The southern section of the Lake District centres around England’s largest lake, the glorious Lake Windermere, and the more isolated Coniston Water. Here you will find the lively Lakeland towns of Bowness, Windermere and Ambleside, as well as the villages of Coniston (starting point for the day walk up to the revered Old Man of Coniston) and Grasmere (near to several of the celebrated poet Wordsworth’s homes).
Further north, Keswick enjoys a wonderful location surrounded by fells (most notably, Catbells, Skiddaw and Blencathra) and alongside the idyllic, island-strewn Derwentwater. Keswick is a vibrant, attractive town with an interesting history. It’s a well-established centre for many outdoor activities, so provides an excellent base for a walking holiday.
The Lake District offers many day and multi-day walks and there are a number of tour operators offering a variety of walking trips.
The most well-known of the longer multi-day walks are:
The Cumbria Way that runs south to north over 115 kilometres.
The Coast to Coast path, the first third of which runs west to east through the centre of the Lake District (approximately 95 kilometres).
The Lake District Circuit, a circular walk of 119 kilometres that takes you to the most iconic villages, lakes and fells.
However, there are innumerable shorter multi-day walks and the walking tour operators have been very inventive in crafting walking itineraries that link landscape and man-made highlights. We can help you choose a walk and an operator that best suits your needs.
The Cumbria Way, the Coast to Coast path and the Lake District Circuit are just some of the Lake District walks we can tell you about, and help you to plan and complete.