‘The fleeting hour of life of those who love the hills is quickly spent, but the hills are eternal’
Alfred Wainwright
The Lake District covers an area of 855 square miles in the North West of England. It is a region of outstanding beauty punctuated by small towns, villages, hamlets and sheep farms. Its hills and mountains, lakes and forests provide boundless opportunities for walking, climbing, wild camping, wild swimming, mountain biking and fell running; surely making it the most popular of all the national parks.
Awarded World Heritage Site status in July 2017, the area has long literary, artistic and poetic associations and continues to inspire artisans today in many fields; brewing, baking, jewellery making, pottery and textiles to name just a few. The area also hosts literary and mountain festivals, sporting events and traditional agricultural shows, providing year round interest for those less inclined to tackle the high hills.
Beautiful hotels and guest houses, many with either lake or mountain views cater for everyone or there are cosy self catering cottages to choose from if you prefer slightly more independence. There are fabulous, hard to find pubs dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries with beams, open fires and muddy boots and dogs welcomed, and a host of lovely cafes and restaurants to appeal to all palates and budgets.
Buttermere
A sublime area for walkers. The valley contains Buttermere and Crummock Water, surrounded by the high western and north western fells with their stunning views out to Scotland. There are two lovely hotels in Buttermere village; the Bridge Inn and the Fish Inn and both serve food to non-residents. Walks for all abilities are possible from almost everywhere. A flat and easy five mile walk will take you right round Buttermere lake, a gentle ramble from outside the Bridge Inn, up through Ghyll Woods and up onto the Rannderdale Knotts ridge is beautiful and can be taken slowly, but will reward you with stunning views up and down the valley. A walk through the meadows to Crummock Water is lovely on a warm, sunny afternoon.
Borrowdale
A favourite of many for its magnificent setting, Borrowdale offers the adventurous many options. The vibrant town of Keswick sits at the northern end of Derwentwater, ringed by fells, making it a stunning place to visit, with plenty of cafes and good pubs. The lake itself is serviced by Derwent launches taking you either right round the lake, or to seven stopping off points, enabling you to walk or picnic then take a launch back to Keswick. There is also a 10 mile lakeshore path circling the lake. Catbells is a popular walk for many; a fairly straightforward fell with a little scramble at the top but with utterly breathtaking views.
Langdale
Great and Little Langdale are two beautiful valleys with fabulous walking opportunities and outstanding views. At the end of Great Langdale is the iconic Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel and its Hikers Bar; a popular watering hole for walkers coming off the fells to gather and talk over their day. The area is a great starting point for a number of well known fells such as the dramatic Langdale Pikes, mighty Bowfell and the sublime Crinkle Crags ridge, but there are lovely low level paths along the valley bottom if you prefer a more leisurely pace. Little Langdale is gentler, featuring Little Langdale Tarn and the famous Slaters Bridge, which can be combined with a circular walk round the valley bottom from Great Langdale. A delight, especially in summer.
Patterdale
The villages of Patterdale and Glenridding sit at the head of beautiful Ullswater, ringed by high fells. There are a number of good hotels, cottages, pubs and cafes for a small area, both of which are very popular with walkers. For those enjoying longer distances, the Ullswater Way is a 20 mile walk round the lake, but it is possible, and anjoyable, to take a steamer and walk part of the way back. Those climbing the fells are spoilt for choice; Glenridding is a poplar starting point for Helvellyn, or climbing Boredale Hause takes you onto the High Street ridge, and the ridge over Hartsop above Howe leads on to the Fairfield fells. There are stunning views everywhere you look.
Wasdale
Wasdale has the deepest lake, the highest mountain and the smallest church. It is remote, and utterly stunning. The fabulous and world famous Wasdale Head Inn, lying at the head of Wast Water, is known as the home of British rock climbing and is the only inn in the valley. The hiking here includes some real Lakeland icons, such as the Scafells and Great Gable, and is incredible walking country, but not for the faint hearted. The area is extremely popular with rock climbers and of course, Scafell Pike forms one of the National Three Peaks. There are lots of lovely places to sit and picnic at the side of the lake, if you simply want to drink in the views.
