The Lake District in Cumbria – Magnificent Lakeland

LAKE DISTRICT INTRODUCTION
The Lake District is to many people, without doubt, the most beautiful corner of England. Within its borders can be found the glorious majesty of Scafell, Crinkle Crags and the Langdales, the haunting solitude of Ennerdale and the Back of Skiddaw and the serenity of lakeland Grasmere and Rydal Water. These are little lakes in which are mirrored verdant meadows, purple fells and floating clouds, all blending in countless combination, ever-changing but always in perfect harmony. Somehow the Lake District gives the impression of being a mountainous area within dimensions that are modest. It is because the scale of the scenery is so perfectly right : the lofty heights, the sweeping hills, the valleys, the tarns and the lakes are all in proportion. Lakeland almost exudes beauty and to allow the senses to drink of it is unadulterated joy.
Yet, there is variety to this region of Cumbria; far to the west and south there is an extensive coastline and to the east and north the green lowlands of the Vale of Eden.

HISTORY & HERITAGE
There is slight evidence of very early settlement even as early as the Paleolithic period. A stone axe ‘factory’ has been found in the Langdales dating back to the late Mesolithic (about 4000 BC) and there are great stone circles, like Castlerigg, of the Bronze Age – but it was still a backward community when the Romans invaded from the west in the first century AD. They had a port at Ravenglass, built a fort, Mediobogdum, at Hardnott Pass, crossed the fells into Langdale and Ambleside and drove a road along the mountain tops of the High Street range. Anglo-Saxons settled the coast but it was Norsemen from Ireland that first colonised the area to any extent. By the time of the Normans , Norsemen and Celts were fully integrated but it was not the Norman barons who settled the land, it was the great religious houses. Agricultural development then took a great leap forward. Not a lot changed in this remote area, which Defoe found wild, barren and frightful, until the late 18th century when appreciation of scenery became fashionable and even romantic during the Victorian Age. The coming of the railway finally opened up the Lake District and gave birth to the huge, present day tourist industry.

CUSTOMS & CULTURE
As if the magical scenery of the Lake District were not attraction enough, other fibres have been spun into its glowing appeal: William Wordsworth and the ‘Lake Poets’; John Ruskin – the great social reformer, artist and art critic; Beatrix Potter; Turner; Arthur Ransome – of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ fame; they head a rich cavalcade of those who, in diverse ways, have enriched this ‘Land of Mountains and Lakes’. Such is the passion aroused by the wonderful scenery that Beatrix Potter’s friend, Canon Rawnsley of Keswick, together with Octavia Hill and Robert Hunter, founded in 1895, that unique British charity, the National Trust which now owns vast tracts of the Lake District in perpetuity. And inspiration from this perfect landscape gave rise to the seven volume love letter written in praise of Lakeland’s beauty by Alfred Wainwright which has become probably the finest guide book ever written.

LANDSCAPE & LANDFORMS
If it took Wainwright seven volumes to describe the landscape there is no way in which justice can be done here!. Three of the finest viewpoints in the British Isles will have to suffice. North of the town of Windermere is an easily accessible hill called Orrest Head. It was this view across Windermere to the Langdale Pikes and beyond to the central knot of hills including Scafell Pike, that is said to have inspired Wainwright’s love. The view from Castle Head, south of Keswick, is far more intimate. The sparkling gem of Derwentwater lies below mirroring the Cat Bells ridge and higher Gramoor range behind. To the north are the rounded summits of Skiddaw rising above Bassenthwaite Lake but, inevitably, the eye is drawn to the south and the Jaws of Borrowdale, Castle Crag and the high mountains beyond – an area described by Wainwright as the most beautiful valley in Britain. The view from Low Fell, between Crummock Water and Lowes Water, is no less than perfect in every way – and I can say no more!

PLACES TO VISIT & EVENTS
The Wastdale Games are held in October and provide a superb introduction to everything that is ‘Lake District’. Grasmere in August offers much the same, but can suffer from large crowds. However to really find out about and understand the Lake District, a visit to Brockhole National Park Centre, between Windermere and Ambleside, is a must for all ages. All the towns have excellent visitor facilities like the unusual motor museum at Keswick or the nearby Derwent Pencil museum and factory. Modern technology is used to illustrate the life of William Wordsworth at his home of Dove Cottage at Grasmere and another of his homes, Rydal Mount, is nearby. A fabulous path along the Loughrigg Terrace can be used to link both. Brantwood, the home of John Ruskin, set on Coniston Water’s eastern shore, depicts a child genius and much more. In fact there’s so much more everywhere one turns and all that can be said here is ‘Seek and Ye shall find’!

SPORTS & LEISURE
Helvellyn and Striding Edge are possibly the most climbed areas of the Lakes and Glenridding and Patterdale are excellent centres to do this. At Glenridding there is a regular boat service on Ullswater and also facilities for sailing and windsurfing which can also be enjoyed on Derwentwater, Coniston and Windermere, which offers water skiing and power boating as well. Riding is well catered for and hunting by foot is a popular Lake District exercise – this is John Peel country after all. There are tennis courts, bowling greens and pitch and putt facilities at Bowness and Keswick – but without doubt it is walking which dominates activities in this magnificent region.