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The
Lake District National Park
Only about
1½ hours by car along the M61 and M6 motorways from Manchester,
the English Lake District is a protected National Park and is
the largest in Great Britain. It is a land of mountains and lakes,
and a Mecca for walkers, tourists and climbers alike. England's
highest mountain, Scafell Pike is located here in the Langdale
Pikes (Hills) overlooking Grasmere.
The National Park is located entirely in the county of Cumbria
(what used to be known as Cumberland, Westmorland and the most
northern tip of Lancashire), although all of the county is not
a National Park.
It is a very popular location with day-trippers from Manchester
and from all over the north-west of England and the industrial
Midlands, and after London and Stratford-on-Avon, ranks as Britain's
third most popular tourist attraction.
The
Lakes of Cumbria
Actually,
although known as the Lake District, technically there's only
one "Lake" as such (Bassenthwaite Lake) - the rest are "meres"
or "waters" (as in Windermere and Derwentwater). It's many lakes
vary a great deal in character from the remote and bleak north-western
lakes like Wastwater and Ennerdale Water, to the more friendly
and populated Southern Lakes like Grasmere, Rydal and Windermere.
Of these
southern lakes, Windermere is the largest in Britain, being over
10 miles long, and forms a popular boating haven for yachtsmen.
The lake of Thirlmere has for more than a century provided all
of the drinking water for the City of Manchester, being piped
the 100 miles or so through underground pipes.
Apart
from the Lakes themselves, the landscape is dominated by the mountain
peaks, like Helvellyn and Scafell Pike, which separate and overlook
them. The crags and fells of the Lake District give it its most
distinctive character, and provide England with its tallest mountain,
Scafell Pike.
The
Lakes are easily accessible by road, being well signposted and
served from the M6 motorway exits 36 to 40 by fast dual carriageway
roads. There are also regular daily coach services from Manchester
and train services run to Windermere, which, along with neighbouring
Bowness, is a good base for an extended visit of the region. Keswick
forms an ideal touring base for the central and northern lakes.
Remember
to take warm waterproof clothing - the lakes are there, (not
surprisingly), because it rains a great deal over the mountains
- even in summertime - that's where lakes come from - (Doh!)
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‡ Blea Tarn
‡ Castlerigg
Stone Circle
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Towards Helvelyn from Keswick
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Thirlmere
in Autumn
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