| Fun
And Relaxation In The Lake District
The English Lake District
by David J Murray
The
English Lake District Featured Hotels / Self-Catering
in the Lake District
 The
Lake District, in the northwestern corner of England is one of the most
visited areas of the country after the capital, London. In addition to
its outstanding natural beauty it is closely associated with English literature,
especially that of the nineteenth century when writers and poets such as
De Quincey, Coleridge, Southey and, most famously, the region's own son
Wordsworth relished the environment of rivers, lakes and mountains.
The Lake District is small
by international standards, around 800 square miles and less than fifty
miles across in any direction, but within it is a striking variety of scenery.
Most of it lies within the boundaries of the Lake District National Park,
and although until 1974 it included areas of three historic counties (Cumberland,
Westmorland and Lancashire) a major administrative boundary reform project
led to the creation of a new county, Cumbria, which covers the entire Lakes
area and more.
Cumbrian weather can be unpredictable.
If it were not for the rain, of course, there would not be the scenery
that people come to admire. What is more, when the weather changes the
lighting in the mountains, the reflections from the lakes, the colours
of the fellsides, all change with it, generating a kaleidoscopic beauty.
 All
told there are fifteen major lakes - Windermere, Ullswater and Coniston
Water being the three largest - and also many smaller meres and tarns.
The Lake District is an outdoor person's paradise with an enormous range
of options for walking, climbing, sailing, windsurfing, fishing and much
more. Furthermore in recent decades the variety of indoor attractions has
grown enormously, so that anyone who does not wish to don waterproof clothing
on the damper days still has plenty to do and to see. There are museums,
art galleries, visitor centres (including an excellent national park centre),
literary attractions (relating to Wordsworth, Ruskin and Potter), as well
as historic castles, stately homes and other ancient properties to tour
around.
Three of the lakes (Windermere,
Coniston and Ullswater) have pleasure steamer services, and on a hot summer's
afternoon it can be delightful to observe the passing scenery from the
deck of a boat.
Access to the Lake District
is easy. The north-south M6 motorway passes its eastern edge, train services
are available from many parts of the country, including from London. Kendal,
just inside the southern border of Cumbria is only about one and a half
hours' drive from Manchester International Airport which has a wide variety
of flights from most major countries of the world, including many daily
arrivals from North America.
Some years ago the regional
tourist board used the slogan, "The most beautiful corner of England."
Almost two hundred years ago William Wordsworth described the Lake District
as, "The loveliest spot that man has ever known." It lives up to its reputation.
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About the Author - David
Murray was born just a few miles outside the boundary of the Lake District
National Park. His professional life has taken him to every continent apart
from Antarctica but he has found nothing to compare with this most beautiful
corner of England. Among his other online interests David is web master
of "England's
Lakes". |
