Lake District
United Kingdom
- Countryside
- Mountains, lakes and meadows
- Country life
- Ramblers, writers and road trips
Cumbria’s dramatic, brooding landscape has inspired creative souls for centuries: poet William Wordsworth penned many of his most famous works in the Lake District, and it’s where Beatrix Potter settled with her beloved flock of Herdwick sheep.
With 16 beautiful lakes, unspoilt shorelines and 100 lofty peaks more than 2,000 feet high, this is the perfect place to go wandering ‘lonely as a cloud’. Silken‑surfaced waters and windswept fells certainly provide a moody backdrop for the region’s legion Arthurian legends and ancient stone circles: it’s no wonder the Lake District is such a magnet for hopeless romantics. Be warned, though – Cumbria’s good looks and pleasing manner can attract style‑cramping crowds in high summer. Flirt with life beyond the bigger towns and tourist traps, and you’ll be rewarded by Ruskin‑approved Arts and Crafts charm and breathtaking scenery.
Pictured: Samling
Boutique hotels in Lake District
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and boutique hotels in Lake District
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Getting there
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
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Worth getting out of bed for
Highlights the best Lake District has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.
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Eating, drinking & dancing
We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Lake District.
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Smith Maps
This interactive map of the Lake District clearly marks the location of your Smith hotel and will also help you find your way around the surrounding hills and valleys.
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Road trip
An A-road amble through classic Cumbria, an essential destination for creative souls ever since Wordsworth wandered there. It’s also a paradise for gourmets, inspiring paeans to its sticky toffee pudding and top-drawer gastropubs. Our route north follows the shore of Lake Windermere – easy to drive, and hard not to love.
moreLocal knowledge
- Taxis
- The only option is a good local minicab company, although these are limited in the Lake District; in Kirkby Lonsdale, try 24‑7 Taxis (+44 (0)1524 273395). Your best bet is to ask your hotel to arrange drop‑offs and pick-ups for you.
- Tipping culture
- As in the rest of the UK, a 12.5–15 per cent tip is expected in restaurants; sometimes it’s included in the bill, sometimes not.
- Packing tips
- Walking shoes and a waterproof jacket, in case you fancy a hike; wine cooler and picnic basket for gathering foraged foodstuffs to consume en route.
- Recommended reads
- Wordsworth’s poems (try a Selected Poems volume) are infused with his love of the Lake District. Arthur Ransome’s children's classic Swallows and Amazons is set on Coniston Water. Cumbrian author Sarah Hall’s acclaimed historical novel Haweswater includes vivid descriptions of the local landscape.
- Regional specialities
- The region produces a wonderful array of gourmand goodies, from Cumberland sausages to Grasmere gingerbread. Yew Tree Farm Heritage Meats sells delicious cuts of Cumbrian Herdwick lamb and Belted Galloway beef. Visit the farm shop in Coniston or order fleece‑lined recyclable hampers online (+44 (0)1539 441433; www.heritagemeats.co.uk). In Lyth Valley, Savin Hill Farm (+44 (0)1539 568410; www.savin‑hill.co.uk) raises pure‑bred British White cattle and Middle White pigs to produce its delicious hams and marbled beef.
- Currency
- Pound sterling.
- Time zone
- GMT.
- Dialing codes
- Country code for the UK: 44.
- Do go/don't go
- June, July and August are the best months for British weather, but be warned that the better-known lakes will be busy with tourists. Visit during spring and autumn for lakeside seclusion.
