The Lake District National Park is the largest English National Park, established in 1951. Its 2,292 square kilometres cover high fells, rocky crags, lush green dales, still lakes, vibrant villages, quiet hamlets, sandy beaches and rocky tidepools.
The idea of National Parks dates back to the Romantic poets. Wordsworth, who lived in Grasmere, described the Lake District as a "sort of national property in which every man has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive and a heart to enjoy". The National Park Authority looks after this unique corner of England, encouraging people to enjoy and understand its beauty and helping those who live and work here.
Although the Lake District countryside may seem wild, its appearance is because of human activity, particularly farming. People have been living in the area for at least 10,000 years. Over 40,000 people live within the boundaries of the National Park.
With more than 3,500 kilometres of rights of way, you can walk, cycle and ride around the beautiful Lake District countryside to your heart’s content. You can canoe, sail or fish on the rivers, lakes or coast.
For something different, why not take a look at the distinctive sports of hound trailing, fell running, and Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling?
If you’d like a more laid-back experience, country fairs and shows provide a different sort of retail therapy. Check out the adventure playground, beautiful gardens or tasty cafe at the Lake District Visitor Centre overlooking Windermere.
Or simply enjoy wandering around the slate-roofed and limewashed cottages and houses of Lake District villages and towns, taking in the tranquil atmosphere of this special corner of England.
Find out more at the Lake District National Park Authority website at http://www.lake-district.gov.uk.
