The Lake District, Cumbria

The Lake District National Park is one of the most picturesque national parks in the UK. It is a  popular location for peaceful cottage holidays, within an area of outstanding natural beauty.  Whether you are walking or driving this really is an exceptional area; you will be driving through winding country roads and  passing through some of the most spectucular countryside in the UK.

Distance: 67.8m

Roads: A5284, A591, A66, A5091, A592

Key Villages in The Lake District

The A591 begins in Keswick and winds for 29 miles through the picturesque Lake District national park en route to Keswick. As you drive between two of the regions’ most popular tourist towns, there are spectacular views of the Lakeland fells and the calming lakeside scenery along the banks of Lake Thirlmere and Lake Windermere.

The beautiful village of Grasmere and the surrounding countryside inspired poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. Dove Cottage is a popular attraction for those wishing to learn more about Wordsworth, and his former residence is now a museum .  (£7.50 adults/£4.50 children).  Useful postcodes for your satnav: LA22 9SQ (Dove Cottage – Wordsworth Museum)

Travelling east from Keswick takes you along the A66, en route to Penrith. However, by taking a turn onto the A5091 at Hutton, you can embark on a drive along the country roads that will take you towards Ullswater.

Ullswater is renowned for its  ‘Steamers’ which provide visitors with tours of the second largest lake in the Lake District. Steamers leave from the village of Glenridding (tours from £5.60 for adults and £2.80 for children*). Sat Nav postcode – CA11 0US (Ullswater Steamers)

Glenridding also offers a base for hikers and ramblers, with fell trails that lead to the summit of Helvellyn, the third highest mountain in the UK at 3,117ft. For a strenuous walk, try the  Striding Edge of Helvellyn. For something more leisurely,  you might wish to try the  Lakeland fell trails and  easier walking trails that begin in Glenridding.

*prices shown based on a single trip from Glenridding or Pooley Bridge to Howtown