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Recommended Accommodation

Kaber Chapel Luxury Cottage	Lane Head Farm Country Guest House
Bowness Lodge	The Dash
The Undercroft Luxury Cottage	Smallwood House
The Glenburn Hotel	Blenheim Lodge

Lake District National Park - History

History and information about this wonderful area of Northern England

The Lake District is the UKs largest National Park extending over an area of approximately 880 square miles. The Lake District first gained National Park status in 1951.

The National Park Authority look after The Lake District National Park, they protect and conserve the landscape, and also promotes the enjoyment of this beautiful region but also the public's understanding, especially environmental issues. Located in the North West of England, The Lake District runs from Lindale in the south to Caldbeck in the north, and Shap in the East to Ravenglass in the West.

Brockhole a beautiful country house on the shore of Lake Windermere was purchased in 1969 by the Park Authority and became England's very first National Park Visitor Centre. Regardless of the weather, Brockhole is a great place to visit for all the family, with exciting and innovative displays, which bring the traditions, history, flora, fauna and geology of the Lake District to life.

Farming has historically been the major industry in the region. Sheep farming in particular has been a main stay of the economy over the years, with the tough Herdwick breed being most closely associated with the area. To this day sheep farming remains an important factor both to the economy of The Lake District, as well as in preserving the stunning landscape which attracts visitors and hence income to the region.

Man has made a major contribution to the way in which the landscape in the Lake District has changed. The region remains one of the main sources of both granite and slate used in the building industry, and quarrying has inevitably left its marks on the landscape. Certain lakes provide a source of drinking water and man made reservoirs and dams have also added to the landscape.

The Lake District and the history of English literature in the 18th and 19th centuries go hand in hand. The poet whose name was first connected with the region is Thomas Gray, who documented his Grand Tour in 1769. However, it was William Wordsworth who really put The Lake District on the map for lovers of English poetry. Wordsworth spent much of his life in and around the lakes and mountains, first as a schoolboy at Hawkshead, and afterwards living in Grasmere (1799-1813) and Rydal Mount (1813-50).

The Lake District National Park & Cumbria, is the chosen destination for millions of tourists who every year come to take on the challenges the mountains and fells have to offer, or the pleasures of hiking, sailing, and horse riding, and also to visit the numerous and varied attractions. events and festivals.