Say what you remember about the lake district lands
Say what you remember about the lake district lands
Unit 11. Consolidation Two
1. Say what you remember about:
• the Lake District
• Land’s End
• Hadrian’s Wall
• Oxford
• Brighton
• Heathrow Airport
• the County of Kent
• Oliver Cromwell
• Stratford-upon-Avon
2. Imagine that you are going to meet Prince William, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson. Prepare 8—10 questions that you would like to ask him.
3. How well do you know London? Give names to the places in these pictures.
4. Say where in London you can:
• watch the changing of the Guard.
• see the Crown Jewels.
• feed the pigeons.
• see a very large clock at the top of a tower.
• listen to concerts of classical music.
• listen to a speaker talking to the public.
• do some shopping.
• see collections of English and European pictures.
6. Complete the dialogue. Compare your version with the version on the tape. Act the dialogue out, 
42.
Ben: Well, Alice, did you enjoy the play?
Ben: I think it was wonderful. I like Shakespeare’s plays. I’ve always wanted to see “Romeo and Juliet” in Stratford.
Ben: Oh, yes. The actors were really good, especially the actress playing Juliet.
Alice: How did you like the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre? It’s the biggest I’ve ever seen.
Alice: Now I understand why we have come to Stratford all the way from London. I enjoyed every minute of the play.
Alice: Really? Did Shakespeare live all his life in the same house?
Alice: I didn’t know that. Did Shakespeare have a large family?
Alice: I’d like to know more about William Shakespeare and see all his plays in the theatre.
7. Describe the pictures using the words.
а)
a ceremony an avenue a procession a royal coach 1 a monarch residence a crown at the exact time a politician to rule the country
б)
teenagers to scream at the top of one’s voice for a while such an exciting film tragedy to hold up the ship wicked pirates
с)
highlands holidaymakers a waterfall scenery to admire a valley/meadow/plain to attract/ attractive exciting/to be excited
1 a royal coach — королевская карета
8. Role play the situation.
a) You are taking part in a TV programme “My Discovery of England”. Everyone is asked to speak about the place in England that he/she has discovered for himself/herself.
The list of characters:
1 a host/hostess of the programme — ведущий передачи
b) Imagine you are taking part in a British TV programme “My Discovery of Russia”. What places in Russia will you describe?
пожалуйста нужна помощ. Подскажите как это переводиться, и что вы знаете об этих вещах.
Национа́льный парк Лейк-Ди́стрикт или Озёрный край (англ. Lake District) — национальный заповедник Англии. Эта территория была объявлена заповедником в 1951 году, чтобы сохранить всю красоту природы края для будущих поколений. Озёрный край знаменит своими живописными горными и озерными ландшафтами. Здесь начинаются Чевиотские холмы, служащие естественной географической границей с Шотландией. Крутые горы, низкие зелёные долины, загадочные озёра.
О́ксфорд (англ. Oxford) — город в Великобритании, столица графства Оксфордшир. Известен благодаря старейшему в англоязычных странах и одному из старейших в Европе высших учебных заведений — Оксфордскому университету. Этот университет является вторым по рейтингу (после Кембриджа) в Великобритании и дал миру около 50 Нобелевских лауреатов.
Оксфорд стоит на берегу Темзы. Примечательно, что протекающий через город участок реки длиною в 10 миль принято называть The Isis. В 2004 году население составляло 145 100 человек.
Бра́йтон (англ. Brighton) — город на южном побережье в Англии в графстве Сассекс, на берегу пролива Ла-Манш. Удалён на 50 миль (80 км) по железной дороге от Лондона. Административно объединён с соседним городом Хоув, и по сути являются одним городом (Brighton and Hove или Brighton & Hove).
Хи́троу (англ. Heathrow Airport/London Heathrow Airport; ИКАО: EGLL, ИАТА: LHR) — крупнейший международный аэропорт Лондона. Cчитается одним из наиболее загруженных аэропортов в мире. Расположен в 24 км (15 милях) к западу от центрального Лондона. Включает пассажирских 4 терминала и один грузовой.
Стратфорд-на-Эйвоне (англ. Stratford-upon-Avon) — город в графстве Уорикшир в Великобритании, расположенный на реке Эйвон. Стратфорд находится в 35 км от крупнейшего города графства и второго по величине города страны Бирмингема и в 13 км от административного центра графства Уорика. Население города в 2001 году составляло 23 676 человек. Стратфорд известен как родина драматурга Уильяма Шекспира.
29 Things You Didn’t Know About the Lake District
Ok, I admit I don’t know what you already know about the Lake District National Park! Most people know it’s one of the most picturesque places in England, and a highly popular weekend break destination, a great place for walking, and for fun family adventures too. But there’s a lot more to it than that!
I’ve compiled some of the most common questions people have about the Lake District and random facts about the area. If you already know it or have visited the Lake District yourself, why don’t you see if you can find something you didn’t know within them?
And you never know when questions like these will come up in a pub quiz!
Let’s start off simply…
1. Where is the Lake District?
The Lake District National Park is located in the northwest corner of England and was recently awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status. It includes lakes, mountains, farmland, and charming towns and villages!
2. How big is the Lake District?
The Lake District National Park is 2,362 km², and it’s the largest national park in England. That’s 1.5 times bigger than the Isle of Skye, bigger than London city, or almost 40 times bigger than Manhattan!
3. How was the Lake District formed?
The Lake District was formed by volcanic activity about 450 million years ago. The mountains in the Lake District are actually older than the Himalayas, which are only about 50 million years old.
4. How many people live in the Lake District?
Just over 40,000 people live in the Lake District National Park. For comparison, 1.6 million people live in Manhattan, and 8.7 million people live in London which are both much smaller in size.
5. How many people visit the Lake District every year?
The Lake District gets around 15 million visitors every year. They come for many reasons such as the beautiful scenery or to take part in outdoor activities like fell walking. Tourism in the Lake District stretches back to the late 18th century!
6. How many lakes are there in the Lake District?
Officially, there is only one lake in the Lake District, called Bassenthwaite Lake, located near Keswick. However, there are 16 bodies of water considered to be the main “lakes” of the Lake District.
7. Why is Windermere not a lake?
Because only Bassenthwaite Lake is traditionally called a lake. Other large bodies of water in the Lake District are named as “meres” or “waters” and smaller bodies are called “tarns”. For example, Windermere, Ullswater, and Angle Tarn.
8. Where do those words come from?
Many Cumbrian words come from Old Norse and can be seen on older maps of the Lake District.
9. What is the deepest lake in the Lake District?
The deepest “lake” in the Lake District is Wastwater, which is 74 metres or 243 feet deep. It’s also the deepest lake in England!
10. What is the largest lake in the Lake District?
If you don’t count Wastwater, the deepest lake, then the longest lake or largest by surface area is Windermere which is 10.5 miles long and 5.69 square miles in size. It’s also the largest lake in England!
11. What is the highest mountain in the Lake District?
The highest mountain is Scafell Pike, at 3,210 feet, and it’s also the highest mountain in England. Actually, the ten highest peaks in all of England are located within the Lake District; Scafell Pike, Sca Fell, Helvellyn, Ill Crag, Broad Crag, Skiddaw, Great End, Bowfell, Great Gable, and Cross Fell.
Eskdale campsite is near Scafell Pike to attempt to climb it!
12. How do you get to the Lake District?
You can drive to the Lake District, or consider public transport options. You can take the train to Windermere, or some of the stations on the coast that will give you access to walking tracks. Otherwise, you will need to take a bus to the Lake District and use one of the many routes within the Lake District to get around.
13. Can you fly to the Lake District?
There are airports near the Lake District but not in it. Manchester is the most convenient airport with the quickest access to the Lakes by train or car.
14. Should you take a tour of the Lake District?
There are day tours offered by companies within the Lake District itself, or you can take a Lake District tour with a company like Rabbie’s, from London or Edinburgh. A tour is a great way to get around if you’re short on time and want to see a lot, or you’re nervous about driving yourself around the narrow roads.
Read More: Exploring the Lake District in Three Days
15. Where do Herdwick Sheep come from?
Originally Herdwick sheep may have come from Scandinavia, but they are now considered to be native to the Lake District. Aside from their unique colouring, which sees their wool starting out brown/black and going grey as they get older, they also have unique properties that mean they can withstand the changeable and sometimes blistering cold weather in the Lake District.
16. What is Kendal Mint Cake?
Although it’s not technically in the Lake District, Kendal is only 9 miles from Windermere. It’s famous for its sugary confectionary flavoured with peppermint that’s popular with walkers and hikers. Kendal mint cake was taken on the first ascent of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary (a Kiwi!) and Tenzing Norgay.
17. What about Grasmere Gingerbread?
Grasmere Gingerbread was invented in 1854 by Sarah Nelson, who made and sold it from her home in Grasmere, which was built in 1630. It is still the shop for Grasmere Gingerbread, which people now queue up to buy! The Gingerbread is a sort of a cross between a biscuit and a cake… and it’s delicious!
18. What happens to all the water in the Lake District?
Over one million homes in Manchester get their water from the Lake District. Water from Thirlmere has been carried along a 96-mile aqueduct since 1894. Because they were raised to be reservoirs, Thirlmere and another body of water, Hawester, actually have the remains of villages at the bottom of them.
19. Does it rain a lot in the Lake District?
Actually, the Lake District is home to the wettest inhabited place in England. It has an annual rainfall of over 3 metres. The heaviest annual rainfall ever recorded in the whole UK was at Sprinkling Tarn in 1954 when over 6 and a half metres of rain fell.
20. What is Honister Slate?
Honister Slate Mine is the last working slate mine in England. It’s known for it’s green-tinged slate that can be found on the roofs of Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Ritz Hotel in London. You can visit the mine at the top of Honister Pass.
21. Can you ski in the Lake District?
If the conditions are right, then you can ski at Alston, or if you join the Lake District Ski Club you can ski on the slopes on Raise, next to Helvellyn.
22. Can you ice skate in the Lake District?
With all the bodies of water, you’d think you could find somewhere to ice skate in the Lake District. Unfortunately, it doesn’t usually get cold enough for the lakes to fully freeze over. However, in 1895, Lake Windermere completely froze over for 6 weeks, allowing ice skating right across the lake!
Read More: Visiting the Lake District in Winter
23. Can you go orienteering in the Lake District?
Yes! The world’s first permanent orienteering course was created in 1992 at Whinlatter in the Lake District. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved it at school so I might have to go back to the Lake District and give it a go.
24. Why are so many houses and buildings painted white?
Lake District cottages were coated in red lead and limewashed to keep out the damp, but people have now continued to paint them white to keep with tradition.
25. Can you go diving in the Lake District?
Yes, you can go diving in the Lake District! The water isn’t always clear, but Windermere is considered to have clearer water than most, although you’ll need a torch at depth. You can see freshwater wildlife and some wrecks. Also, the crown of the last King of Cumberland is believed to be at the bottom of a tarn near Grasmere… I don’t know if you can dive there but what an amazing find that would be!
26. What did Beatrix Potter have to do with the Lake District?
Beatrix Potter spent many childhood holidays in the Lake District, and it’s widely acknowledged that she found much of her inspiration for Peter Rabbit and friends books from the stunning scenery of the area. Later in life she bought Hill Top farm and other farms and estates in the Lake District and used the land to breed Herdwick Sheep, which were at the time nearing extinction. When she died she left her Lake District land to the National Trust.
27. How about Wordsworth?
The Lake District is well-known for having inspired famous poets, particularly during the 19th century. The most notable is William Wordsworth, who lived in the area most of his life. You can visit Dove Cottage near Grasmere or Rydal Mount, where he lived until his death. He’s buried with family at the Grasmere cemetery, next to the Daffodil Garden. Visit the Lake District in Spring to actually see daffodils!
28. Why are there so many stone walls in the Lake District?
Drystone walls were used to divide up the land. They’re built without using any cement or mortar and it takes a considerable amount of skill to build and maintain them!
29. Why is there a Pencil Museum at Keswick?
If you didn’t notice, there’s a Pencil Museum at Keswick… and it receives over 100,000 visitors a year. During the 16th century, graphite was discovered in local hills. Originally it was used to mark sheep but then it was discovered that pencils could be made out of it!
And there you have it! 29 things you should know before you visit the Lake District, that you may or may not have known before. Did you learn anything new?
If you liked it, pin it! 
Sonja is from New Zealand but now lives in Scotland with her husband and little boy, after having lived in 5 other countries along the way including the USA, Australia, Canada, and Spain. Travelling has always been her passion and she has now made it her full-time job and worked in the industry for the last five years. She shares her living abroad experiences and best tips to make your travel experiences the best they can be!
22 thoughts on “ 29 Things You Didn’t Know About the Lake District ”
Lake District is so beautiful and photogenic I can’t believe that it’s even real. All of the greens are stimulating my senses and it’s calling my name! I need to try out the Grasmere Gingerbread too. It sounds divine!
Discover the Lake District, England
Article supporting senior couples and solo travellers with articles of interest about England, the romantics of the lake district. As well as tours and walks in the Lakes.
7 Sep 21 В· 8 mins read
Discover England’s Lake District.
The Lake District, nestled in the north west corner of England, is home to some of the most spectacular and dramatic scenery in the United Kingdom. Designated as a national park in 1951, this breathtaking region of craggy hill tops and spectacular view(s) has attracted visitors for centuries. Known primarily for its landscapes, the region is also famous as the birthplace of British Romanticism.
The Lake District as a National park
The Lake District, part of the county of Cumbria, is the largest of the United Kingdom’s National Parks. The national park contains 16 lakes, including Lake Windermere, England’s largest natural lake, and more than 150 high peaks, four of which are over 1,000 metres, including England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike.
About 18 million people visit the Lake District each year, eager to experience the Lake District’s beautiful scenery and panoramic views, injecting roughly £1.2bn into the local economy. Visitors and travellers create some 18,000 jobs in the Lake District.
The Lake District was declared a World Heritage Site in 2017, which will protect its natural beauty into perpetuity. It joins such iconic landmarks as Stonehenge, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Taj Mahal in the ranks of sites with international significance. It is the first national park in the United Kingdom to be granted this status.
The UNESCO committee singled out the area’s beauty and agriculture. They also noted the inspiration it has given to a diverse range of artists and writers, including JMW Turner, John Ruskin, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Beatrix Potter.
The preservation of the Lake District’s natural beauty continues. In June 2019, the National Park Authority purchased Brackenthwaite Hows. A popular stopping point for tourists in the Georgian and Victorian eras, the hill top view was immortalised by JMW Turner in his 1797 watercolor, Crummock Water, Looking Towards Buttermere.
Geography of the Lake District
The vast majority of the Lake District National Park comprises three broad bands of rock. These formations trend from SW to NE. This rock band is made up of the Skiddaw Group in the northwest, formed about 500 million years ago. Skiddaw mainly consists of metamorphosed mudstones. The Borrowdale Volcanic Group has outcrops in central Lake District. This region comprises lava and ash flows that erupted during a cataclysmic period of vulcanism, which occurred over 450 million years’ ago. The Windermere Group, in the Park’s southeast, includes slates, siltstones, sandstones, and limestones formed in shallow tropical seas. Hidden beneath is a batholith of granite. This batholith has moved them upwards, over millennia, into a central dome of mountains.
The Central Lake District is ringed by a glaciated massif of mountains and ridges intersected by wide, steep-sided U-shaped valleys often occupied by ribbon lakes. The southern Lake District fringes are typified by limestone ridges flanked by wooded slopes and lake-filled valleys. On the mountain fringes the fells give way to more muted scenery; low hills and valleys often filled by drumlin suites. The coast is a mixture of sandstone cliffs and depositional dunes, which also occur in the south along the fringes of wide, silt filled estuaries with large tidal ranges.
The Lake District is a textbook instance of glacial landforms. The landscape still bears evidence of the fact that it was formed, millions of years ago, by a series of ice flows moving out from a central core. This ancient geological process gives the region the distinctive geography that tourists enjoy exploring to this day.
A Geographically Distinctive Region
The Lake District’s rich soil has built up over the course of millennia, and is largely the result of high rainfall. What makes the National Park especially wet and the rainfall more intense is the process of relief (orographic) rainfall caused by the upland area of fells. The young, characteristically shallow, acid, stony soils formed of glacial till found in the high fells are known as rankers. Excessive leaching led to the formation of podsols: pale, sandy bands beneath the organic horizon, often underlain by an iron pans. Brown Earths, loesses and rendzinas occur over the foothills of the Lake District where drainage is improved, and marine sediments can be found around the shores of Morecambe Bay.
The National Park includes nearly all of the Lake District, though the town of Kendal and the Lakeland Peninsulas are currently outside the park boundary. Its landowners form a diverse group, and includes United Utilities, private landowners/farmers, the National Trust, and the Forestry Commission.
The region’s dramatic lakes and mountains form impressive scenery. Farmland and settlement have altered the natural scenery, and the ecology has been modified by human influence for millennia and includes important wildlife habitats. Having failed in a previous attempt to gain World Heritage status as a natural World Heritage Site, because of human activities, it was eventually successful in the category of cultural landscape and was awarded the status in 2017.
Tourism in the Lake District
Tourism in the Lake District began in the late-eighteenth century. Previously, it had been considered too wild and desolate. While untouched peaks and craggy valleys inspired the imaginations of previous Britons, it was for the most part uninhabited and inhospitable to travelers. Daniel Defoe summed up perspectives on the Lake District in 1724 when he called it the “wildest, most barren and frightful of any that I have passed over in England.”
Eighteenth-Century Visitors to the Lake District
However, in the late eighteenth-century, attitudes towards the lakes began to change. In 1778, Father Thomas West published A Guide to the Lakes, in which he recommended the best spots for visitors to take in the landscape.
By the turn of the century, the Industrial Revolution meant that cities were increasingly polluted and unpleasant, and travellers began to see the natural world as a place to restore health.
The same period also saw the beginnings of the Romantic movement in literature and art. In contrast to the Enlightenment ideas that dominated the 18th century, which emphasised rationality and looked to the classical world of Ancient Greece and Rome, the Romantics stressed the individual, and saw intense emotion as the source of true art. For William Wordsworth, one of the most important English Romantic poets, poetry was the вЂspontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’.
At the centre of Romantic art was the love of nature. They did not care for the classical, ordered gardens of their predecessors, and found beauty in nature at its most wild and untamed. The Lake District, once seen as desolate, attracted many of the Romantics because of its rugged scenery.
Before long, the writings of poets such as Wordsworth, Robert Southey, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge were promoting the beauty and splendour of the landscape to a nation eager to escape the growing cities. In 1799, Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy moved to Dove Cottage, in the Lake District town of Grasmere, where they would live for over eight years.
Wordsworth, who had grown up in the region, emphasised the natural beauty of the lakes in many of his poems, perhaps encapsulated best by his most famous poem, вЂI wandered lonely as a cloud’ which begins:
I wander’d lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Wordsworth was determined to protect the Lake District from encroaching industrialisation, and campaigned against a proposed train line. At the same time he wished to share the beauty of his home with responsible visitors, and in 1820 published A Guide through the District of the Lakes in the North of England, which sold rapidly. His readers were eager to experience the sites described for themselves, and take in the sublime landscapes he evoked. Indeed, Wordsworth’s evocative description of the area generated a great deal of tourism in subsequent years. Political unrest across Europe in this period motivated wealthy Britons to explore the interior, instead of heading overseas for Grand Tours.
Other Romantic poets such as Wordsworth’s friend, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, took a different perspective. Unlike Wordsworth, who found solace in the lakes, Coleridge emphasised the gothic elements, the dramatic and craggy landscape.
Catbells, Lake District, England
Daytrippers in the Lake District England
The expanding British railway network had an enormous impact on tourism in the nineteenth century. In 1847, the railway was extended to Windermere, which made short day trips possible from many parts of the UK. In later years, extensions to Lakeside and Keswick made the area even more accessible to tourists. These new transport possibilities allowed for an easy day’s return journey from cities such as Newcastle, Manchester, and Liverpool.
At the same time, improved conditions for Britain’s working classes allowed a new subsection of British society to enjoy the Lake District. Various gains in labour conditions – including a shorter working week, paid holidays and sick leave, and higher wages – allowed the working class to experience the area. In the twentieth century, motorways and private car ownership made a day Lake District tour even more accessible to visitors.
Further promoting the region was the popularity of Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons series. Published between 1930 and 1947, the novels captured the imagination of children across Britain. The stories focus on the Walker Family, who sail a dinghy named Swallow, and the Blackett children, who sail a dinghy called Amazon. With the Walkers considering themselves explorers and the Blacketts pirates, adventures naturally ensue.
The series has been adapted into films in 1973 and 2016. Though fictional, the locations in the book are clearly derived from real places in the Lake District: the lake that the children sail on is based on Lake Windermere, while the surrounds are based on the countryside around Coniston Water. The Swallows and Amazons series continues to attract tourists to the Lake District today.
The Lake District Today
The spectacular scenery and stunning views of the Lake District continue to attract tourists today. On the shores of Lake Windermere are the quaint country towns of Ambleside and Windermere, packed full of local shops, cafes and restaurants to walk around and explore Engand’s lake district. Hire a boat and, like the Swallows and Amazons children, paddle around the lake.
For literature fans, a visit to Dove Cottage in Grasmere, where William and Dorothy Wordsworth lived, is also a must. The humble cottage, surrounded by natural beauty, was a great inspiration to Wordsworth. Today, the cottage remains mostly unchanged, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the lives of the Wordsworths.
The Wordsworths’ Dove Cottage.
For those looking to escape the man-made world, the Lake District is also home to numerous walking trails that cater to varying abilities, ranging from an easy walk to a hike. Also essential for walkers is the nearby Yorkshire Dales National Park. Here the landscape is more rugged, a limestone plateau with scattered dwarf trees and other unusual plants. Look for the ancient stone walls – the largest man-made feature in Yorkshire, measuring over 8000 km in total. While dating walls is not easy, some are believed to have been built as long ago as the Bronze Age.
Odyssey Tours to the Lake District
Odyssey is offering travellers an unforgettable experience of Ireland and the Lake District England through our popular Small Group Walking Tour for Retirees. This eighteen-day walking holiday tour has been specially designed to cater to the active senior. The tour offers a guided walking tour through the beautiful countryside of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Northern England including Lake District National Park. Together, we spend up to five nights in each locality and head out each day for a walk to explore the surrounding area in some depth following a set walking route. A good level of fitness is required for this walking tour, but the effort expended will be well rewarded. Walking tours Lake district England and walking holiday in Ireland will provide you with spectacular scenery and visits to many hidden gem(s) in England’s lake district.
Our tour begins in Eire (the Republic of Ireland). It then continues on in the UK’s Northern Ireland, the Lake District England, before finishing in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. These regions each provide dramatic and unique scenery. Each one contains remote wilderness areas waiting to be explored, along with fascinating, living history and picturesque villages. There is something on this tour of Lake District for almost everyone.
For more details, and a full itinerary, please visit this link. You may also be interested in our popular small group tour, “Discovering the art and literature of England; Jane Austen, Shakespeare.” You can find more details on this tour here.
The Lake District, discover more!
If you’re curious to learn more about the Lake District England, take a look at our article on The Lake District Poets. Other useful resources include:
A Little Beauty… The Ultimate Guide to Walking in the Lake District, England
Last updated on September 6, 2021
Sparkling lakes glistened in the warm evening light as my train sped through England to the far northwest corner, where Lake District National Park sits like a jewel. I had just come from London and the chance to immerse in nature called to me. I admired spectacular rolling hills in rich green hues and the dots of white speckling the creek as sheep wandered their pastures, oblivious to the glorious sunset unfolding over the English countryside.
The charm of the Lake District instantly captivated me. It was like entering a Jane Austen novel. After London’s bustle, I welcomed the chance to walk and boat around the Lake District with no set plans, just a series of days ahead that could progress at a pace of my choosing. The country is lush and green and filled with fresh air. With 16 lakes and a number of mountains and hills bubbling over the earth, the Lake District is exactly how I’ve always pictured England from reading books like Pride and Prejudice (an obsessive favorite) and Jane Eyre. If you’ve also read your fair share of books set in Victorian England, then plan ample time here, where you can take long walks from Lake Windermere, cruise to nearby towns like Ambleside, and putter around admiring English gardens just like a page out of Beatrix Potter’s books.
Table of Contents
Best Things to Do in the Lake District of England
Cruise Lake Windermere from Bowness Bay
I stayed at a cozy hostel in Windermere that was well connected to town and offered me a heap of advice. Since I wasn’t booking much of my trip ahead of time, my hostel was essentially the only one left with just a week’s notice—the area books up quickly! Since my priority was clearing my lungs and getting to know the Lake Windermere area, I bought a boat ticket from the red cruise on Windermere Lake Cruises, and then walked the 20 minutes downhill from Windermere town center to the lakeside town of Bowness. Budget accommodation is all in the town, while pricier places are right on the lake. Although I could have stayed in Ambleside, I liked having a lot of food options, as well as ample places to seek advice on tours and walks.
Lake Windermere heaves with tourists during the summer season, and although the town had a fair number, it’s a crush of people by the waterside. A bit overwhelmed, I bought myself an ice cream cone from the homemade ice cream shops liberally dotting the shoreline, which gave me a focus besides the elbowing crowds as I headed to the docks for the 30 minute boat ride to Ambleside, a smaller and more consumable little town further up Lake Windermere.
The boat ride is stunning.
Cruising Lake Windermere is a memorable activity and keeps you far from the crowds that form in town.
As the end of my round the world trip nears, I am splurging more on the activities that make a trip memorable. Although the GBP was really strong against the USD, the Lake District is not the place to pinch pennies—small splurges like taking a boat to Ambleside rather than driving are worth the price. Sitting on the water, I was a pinprick of life amidst vast green surrounding mountains.
The scale is incredible and best viewed from the water, where you can see everything rise up around you. The open-top boats allow for fantastic views, and I cruised across the waters with the cold wind pinking my cheeks and the crew sharing a small history lesson about the region.
The boats are also great for people watching. On the way back from Ambleside, I caught sight of a train of children in small individual boats. They were all strung together in a line of four small boats with two eight-year-old-sized children in each boat. An adult headed this parade of children as he motored toward shore. As I watched these small boats glide past me, life-jacketed and enthusiastic kids waved, nearly tipping themselves in the process. But the kids in the last boat weren’t waving. Both little kids were using small buckets to empty water from their sinking boat. Unsure of what to do, a group from our boat hailed the captain to let him know what was happening! Thankfully, the parade of children was close to shore and all made it out. The kids in the last boat were dripping wet and yet, in the careless fashion of children, seemingly unfazed by the fact that they nearly had to swim 200 meters to shore!
Rent a boat on Lake Windermere on a pretty day for a memorable trip! 
Boats dockside at Windermere-on-Bowness. 
Views of the countryside from a boat on Lake Windermere. 
Notice the poor boat in the rear that’s gaining water!
Enjoy the Ambleside Waterfall
The Lake District in England is the perfect place for “just a bit of a wander,” as guesthouse owners and locals say. This quaint phrase is just lovely. Framing a walk with the idea of “having a bit of a wander” sets a different mood than, say, “going for a walk”—even going “out for a stroll” just doesn’t have quite the same charming ring to it.
With a wandering mentality front and center after disembarking from my cruise to Ambleside, I hit the ground wandering. Ambleside, like Windermere, is not actually at the water’s edge. Instead the town is a mile inland and a solid 25 minute walk. A small trolley-like car loaded up the families and elderly for a few pounds each, but I chose to hoof it up to the town so that I could explore the local parks along the way, as well as Roman ruins. It’s a perfectly lovely walk for a bit, then it’s rather fenced and decidedly not lovely for about 10 minutes, until you reach the town center. For others, likely just take the trolley.
And since getting lost seems to be the theme of my travels, as readers well know, let’s just say that I have really, really explored Ambleside. The tourist lady in Windermere hooked me up with a map of Ambleside before I arrived and she marked a rough route through town that would take in the best parks, and then cap off my time with a 45 minute walking loop to the scenic Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall near Ambleside.
The path out of town and to the waterfall is not well marked! But asking the locals for directions, backtracking, walking down the wrong small and tiny winding lanes, and then finally locating the right street was half of the fun. 🙂
Ambleside is a touristy town. All of the Lake District is touristy in August, as I mentioned, so it’s important to take walks out of town to truly experience the best of the nearby nature. Sidewalks in these small towns overflow with sticky children paying more attention to their ice cream cones than the sidewalk, frazzled moms pushing strollers, and families chasing after the above mentioned sticky toddlers! It’s a fun vibe, but not the immersive nature most people hope for when planning a trip to the Lake District.
Considering the number of people in Ambleside, surprisingly few walked to the waterfall route. Which is a shame! It’s a simple trail and you can pack snacks and eat lunch near the river, which was what I did.
Besides the waterfall, huge parks on the outskirts of the town offer tons of green space for kicking a ball or setting up a picnic, too. After resting in the grass—my “rest” turned into an accidental and impromptu nap—I wandered back through town, past the many boutiques and souvenir shops, and to the docks, which would take me back to Windermere for the night.
Being on a backpacker budget in the United Kingdom, and without a car, I wasn’t fortunate enough to visit many of the small Lake District towns dotting the region, but a couple staying at the hostel came from the northern Lake District and were quick to share that every town they visited oozed charm and offered its own scenic walks. Additionally, I was staying in Windermere both because I liked being in the city, but also because the region was fully booked. On a future trip, I would love the chance to move around some, staying in different towns and exploring Hadrian’s Wall, too, which is close to the Lake District and well worth the visit according to other backpackers.
Best Walks & Sights from Windermere Town
The green sheep pastures of the Lake District were so stunning that I erupted into spontaneous dances of joy. I mean, if you know that you’re completely and truly alone—with only sheep as witness—how could you not revel in the nature, the clean air, and the solitude?
I made a pact with myself at the beginning of my yearlong trip that I would learn how to cartwheel by the end of the year. It didn’t happen. While I still can’t cartwheel (drats!), I spent a good while frolicking in the pastures practicing, and it was lovely to simply be in this gorgeous area.
Visit the Home of Beatrix Potter
England’s Lake District inspired poets the likes of William Wordsworth. It inspired fits of fancy from Beatrix Potter, creator of the Peter Rabbit stories. Potter so loved the region that she donated all of her land in the Lake District to the National Trust. Today, thanks to her generosity, the National Trust owns huge swaths of land that welcome tourists like me to wander the lightly marked paths, to zigzag the English countryside, and to witness the unparalleled beauty of the lakes. Her home is now a museum, Hill Top Farm, and it’s pristinely preserved. Even if you don’t have kids, you can still imagine Peter Rabbit might emerge the beautiful gardens!
Take the Orrest Head Walk
The Orrest Head Walk offers some of the most stunning views in the Windermere region, and the start of the walk is just a short distance from the Windermere town center. Even though the formal route is short, it’s a nice and moderate hike up to a viewpoint, I packed a lunch and decided to make more of a day out of it. I wasn’t game for a strenuous hike, so I took the recommendation of the helpful woman at the information center, who recommended a lightly signposted path that leaves the peak and heads back to town on a large lazy loop through the surrounding farms.
She issued the six words I love to hate: “Don’t worry, you can’t get lost.”
Well, I assured her that I could and would and that it doesn’t bother me in the least. With an apple, water, and boiled egg and cheese sandwich packed into my daypack, I set off to explore the rolling green hills and gently sloping mountains around Windermere.
The view is all they say it will be. Stunning. Seriously stunning.
I was content to eat my lunch from a small stone bench at the top, and then I had a grand time winding my way back through the green fields while baa-ing at the sheep in their pastures the whole way back to town. Although the Lake District area is crawling with tourists I didn’t see another soul once I hit the pastures.
Word of caution: Although the walk to Orrest Head Walk is short and close to town, carry directions from the your guesthouse or the information center because it the trail is not well marked! Even with directions, I backtracked several times before I found the route. And on the other side of the walk, I now think there’s a chance that I wasn’t even on the right path for most of the time!
So many sheep on the alternate path from Orrest Head Walk. 
So inspired by the beauty of Lake Windermere 
Pretty white sheep dotting the English countryside.
Backpacking the Lake District is perfect for solo travelers like me, who can enjoy a good party, but are more content to explore the nature, culture, and history of a place. Being an active area of the country, the other backpackers were similarly minded—everyone was visiting for the walking, hiking, and boating. I loved that each night in the common room we all gathered and ended a hard day of walking with hot cups of tea and a fierce games of Cluedo.
Hikers are, by and large, a friendly group. The physical nature of the activity creates a selection process of others keen to take in fresh air and exercise. Everyone on the trails were friendly—they said “hi,” stopped for a chat when I was at a lookout, and generally made me feel less alone even though I walked and hiked solo each day. Hiking is one of the ways that I survived living in Los Angeles LA for two years—it got me out of the city and showed me that there were actually others who needed a break from the sheer LA-ness of the big city.
The Lake District, despite being insanely touristy, is fantastic because you can escape from the bustle of day-trippers and sink into nature. You can explore the bigger towns, and the tiny ones, too. Also, I cannot stress enough the helpfulness of the tourist information offices. Because of the huge volume of tourists coming through every summer, they can sort you on most anything you want to do in the region, from biking to walking, hiking, and even some more daring adventure activities. I used the Rough Guide at the hostel for an outline of what I might most like to see, and after a short visit to the tourist information office, I had guidelines for a handful of classic walks ranging from easy-peasy to walks that really got my blood pumping.
Quick Tips: Plan Your Time in Lake District National Park
Getting Around
You’ll be enjoying a national park and as such a delicate habitat. England, in general, has amazing public transportation, and the Lake District specifically has extensive options of buses, explorer buses, trains, ferries, and boats that make it very easy to explore without a rental car (and they deeply encourage travelers to opt for this route). The National Park’s website has links to timetables for public transport in every city and region and is a great starting point.
When to Go
Summer is the best time as you have a chance at sunshine, a bit less rain (lowest rainfalls occur between April and August), and the countryside is stunningly green. It can be blustery cold on the walks in winter, and some passes and roads close during heavy rains.
Where to Stay
It’s a big area, so depending on your budget and your goals, you may choose to stay in Keswick, Windermere, or the smaller towns. In Keswick, which is the most highly-rated town for tourist-to-nature ratio, the YHA Keswick is both budget and in a beautiful location, while Howe Keld is just an exceptional B&B ideal for mid-range travelers. The YHAs in Windermere and Ambleside are both great budget options, or for midrange opt for Puddle Duck Lodge in Bowness-on-Windermere or The Fisherbeck in Ambleside. (Bonus: If you’re new to Booking.com, ALA readers receive a discount on your first booking.) You could also find a great Airbnb if you’re traveling in a group—this is a fantastic way to have access to a kitchen, and also accommodate a lot of people on a budget.
Festivals of Note:
In late summer, most towns in the Lake District have a bevy of festivals. Look out for the Keswick Beer Festival, Lake District Summer Music Festival, Borrowdale Fell Race, and others. The National Parks site keeps a full event calendar.
Things to Do
There’s a lot to see depending on where you stay. A road trip might allow you to see more, and there are some gorgeous drives, but you can also see a lot using public transport options.
What to Read
The Rough Guide to the Lake District is the best guidebook if you want the nitty-gritty details and a good bit of history, too. If you’re looking for a more mid-range overview of what to see and do, you the Top 10 Eyewitness Guide for the era is just great. And if you are a true Potter fan, then Walking with Beatrix Potter is fabulous—great walks and details you’ll love, too. For fiction, freshen up on I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, a famous poem by William Wordsworth that was inspired by the region. There are all sorts of modern mysteries and thrillers set in the region if you prefer the light and fanciful reads. The Shepherd’s Life: Modern Dispatches from an Ancient Landscape—is hands-down the best non-fiction book and it’s a beautiful, highly rated must-read.