Top Reasons to Go

Top Reasons to Go

Take a hike: Whether it's a demanding trek up England's highest mountain, or a gentle wander around a tarn (a small mountain lake), walking is the number-one pleasure and the way to see the Lake District at its rugged and spectacular best. Even in summer, there are fantastic opportunities to escape the crowds.

Mucking around in boats: Maybe you can't match the adventures of English children's classic Swallows and Amazons, but there's nowhere better for renting a small boat or taking a cruise on a vintage boat and discovering the pleasures of bobbing around on the water. You'll get a different perspective on the mountains, too. The Coniston Boating Centre is one place to start.

Wordsworth's daffodils: The Lakeland landscape has a rich literary history, in the children's books of Beatrix Potter, in the thoughtful writings of John Ruskin, and, most notably, in the poems of Wordsworth, which resonate deeper after you've seen his flowers dancing in the breeze. A stop at any of the writers' homes will enrich the experience.

Rejuvenating pints: Cumbria has some great microbreweries, and a pint of real ale in one of the region's atmospheric rural inns may never taste as good as after a long hard day up a mountain.

Sunrise at Castlerigg: The stone circle at Castlerigg, in a natural hollow ringed by peaks, is a rare reminder of the region's ancient history. Blenvathra and other mountains provides an awesome backdrop for the 38 stones. Sunrise here is magical.