The forces of nature spent 500 million years shaping the soaring peaks and water-filled valleys of the Lake District, but it’s a mere 200 years since the Romantic poets put it firmly on the visitor map. Where Wordsworth penned his lyric verses, other writers – from children’s author Beatrix Potter to guidebook creator Alfred Wainwright – soon followed, drawing inspiration from their surroundings. Two centuries later, this UNESCO-listed landscape remains a stunning destination to explore, whether you opt for a Lake District walking holiday or an indulgent break with Michelin-starred meals.
BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN THE LAKE DISTRICT
As you’d expect from the name, the Lake District has bodies of water of all shapes and sizes. Windermere is England's largest natural lake and perfect for all kinds of boating; peaceful, sinuous Ullswater is a magnet for climbers thanks to its border of rugged slopes; while Derwentwater has circular ferry routes, walking trails and historic houses.
Dive into the world of Beatrix Potter at Hill Top near Sawrey, the farmhouse where she created many of her books. William Wordsworth called Dove Cottage in Ambleside ‘the loveliest spot that man hath ever found’, and his former home is just as delightful today. And there’s more charm in villages such as Grasmere, Ambleside, Windermere and Buttermere, with their picturesque slate-built cottages.
Many local footpaths count as destinations in their own right, such as the five-mile route that loops around Haystacks, a small peak that was one of Wainwright’s favourites. If you don’t fancy tackling Skiddaw, whose windswept summit provides striking 360-degree views, there are various paths to the top of the Old Man of Coniston, so you can go up one way and descend another.
LAKE DISTRICT HOTELS
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Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Windermere
Family-run Gilpin comprises two properties run by the same team. The hotel has 30 rooms, from elegant retreats in the main house to contemporary cabins with hot tubs in the 21-acre grounds, while the Lake House – a 1.3-mile shuttle ride away – sleeps just 12 lucky guests.
The Samling, Windermere
This luxurious little bolthole comes with 12 individually styled rooms, suites and cottages, a Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant and 67 acres of sensitively landscaped fellside overlooking Windermere. This, and the pitch-perfect level of service, combine to create a supremely soothing atmosphere.
Another Place, The Lake, Ullswater
With its colourful and quirky décor, impressive to-do list and prime position on the edge of Ullswater, this informal country-house hotel attracts travellers of all ages. Join daily group open-water swims, paddle a kayak or retreat to the spa or library between meals at a trio of restaurants.
Linthwaite House, Windermere
Gaze down over Windermere’s sparkling waters from this Edwardian country villa with contemporary interiors. Wrapped in 14 acres of manicured gardens, it has 36 rooms and suites, a laidback Simon Rogan-helmed restaurant and gentle pleasures from giant outdoor chess to rowing on the private tarn.
WHAT’S ON IN THE LAKE DISTRICT
The themes and rhythms of the farming year underlie the Lake District’s regular round of country fairs and shows, and if you want to rub shoulders with the locals there’s no better way to do it. The annual Coniston Country Fair, held in July, celebrates traditional Lakeland life, with a dry-stone-walling contest, terrier races and local-style wrestling bouts on the programme. August brings the Rydal Sheepdog Trials & Hound Show, where you can see sheepdogs as well as beagles, foxhounds and terriers being put through their paces. Towards the end of the month, the Keswick Show – dating back to 1860 – is a classic agricultural show to its core, with rosettes on offer for the best ponies, sheep, poultry and other farm creatures. September means the Westmoreland County Show, one of Cumbria’s oldest and most popular; as well as the livestock competitions, dog shows and wrestling matches, there are marquees stuffed with the work of local craftspeople and culinary whizzes.
BEST PLACES TO EAT IN THE LAKE DISTRICT
The Drunken Duck, Ambleside
A pub for around 300 years and a farmhouse before that, this cosy country inn has a stellar reputation for its elevated but unpretentious cuisine. Book ahead for lunch à la carte or the evening set menu; there are also 12 bedrooms if you’d like to linger.
L’Enclume, Cartmel
This gastronomic superstar in what was once a 13th-century blacksmith’s workshop owes its three Michelin stars to its exceptional, ever-evolving cuisine and sense of place. Chef Simon Rogan was an early champion of farm-to-table dining, so expect refined dishes made from seasonal and hyper-local ingredients.
Rogan & Co, Cartmel
At L’Enclume’s cottagey and more relaxed sister restaurant, the three-course set menu is less experimental but no less accomplished, and there’s the same focus on locally sourced produce, much of it from their farm. Be aware that, like L’Enclume, it’s closed on Sunday and Monday.
Old Stamp House, Ambleside (Ryan Blackburn, Michelin)
Book a table at this intimate cellar restaurant in the heart of Ambleside for dishes inspired by Cumbria’s heritage, people and landscape. The creation of local chef Ryan Blackburn – whose brother Craig runs the front of house – this imaginative approach has drawn plenty of plaudits, including a first Michelin star.
GETTING AROUND THE LAKE DISTRICT
Hiring a car allows you to explore every corner of the Lake District, stopping exactly where and when you choose. One of the most scenic routes is the Keswick Loop, a 37-mile circuit that takes in Derwentwater, Buttermere and Crannock Water. Along the way, you can discover the last remaining fragments of England’s rainforest, wander through quaint villages and savour the photogenic vistas from a clutch of viewpoints.
More experienced drivers will relish the challenge of some of the region’s most famous roads, with spectacular panoramas thrown in. The famously steep Hardknott Pass snakes its way between Eskdale and the Duddon Valley in a dizzying series of hairpin bends, while the nearby single-track and almost-as-steep Wrynose Pass follows part of a Roman road.
BEST TIME TO GO TO THE LAKE DISTRICT
March and the start of spring bring a flush of fresh green to the landscape, with swathes of yellow from the daffodils that Wordsworth loved – and when they fade in April, native bluebells take their place. Summer is usually warmer and drier, but busier; make the most of the fine weather (and escape the crowds) on walking tracks that lead through peaceful wooded valleys to quiet spots for wild swimming. In autumn, those same trails are a blaze of orange, red and gold foliage, and the chilly evenings are the perfect excuse for a fireside seat in a snug local pub.
