Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LAKE DISTRICT
national park
Despite the reverence with which the
English treat the Lake District, it
required an act of Parliament in 1951 to
protect its natural beauty. Spread over
885 sq. miles of hills, eroded mountains,
forests, and lakes, the
Lake District
National Park
is the largest and one of
the most popular National Parks in the
United Kingdom, receiving over 8 million
day visitors a year. Lured by Romantic
Lake poets' work, visitors arrive to take
in the mountains, wildlife, flora, fauna,
and secluded waterfalls. Much of the
area is privately owned, but landowners
work with National Park officers to pre-
serve the landscape and its 1,800 miles
of footpaths.
Alas, the park's popularity is now one
of its major drawbacks. Hordes of week-
end tourists descend, especially in sum-
mertime and on bank holiday weekends.
Despite the crowds, great efforts are
made to maintain the trails that radiate
in a network throughout the district,
preserving the purity of a landscape
16
that includes more than 100 lakes and
countless numbers of grazing sheep.
Before setting out to explore the lake,
stop in at the
National Park Visitor Cen-
tre
(
&
01539/446601;
www.lakedistrict.
gov.uk), located on the lakeshore at
Brockhole, on the A591 between Wind-
ermere and Ambleside. It can be
reached by bus or by one of the lake
launches from Windermere. Once here,
you can pick up useful information and
explore 12 hectares (30 acres) of land-
scaped gardens and parklands; lake
cruises, exhibitions, and film shows are
also offered. Lunches and teas are
served in the tearooms.
Tourist information offices within the
park are richly stocked with maps and
suggestions for several dozen bracing
rambles. Regardless of the itinerary you
select, you'll spot frequent green-and-
white signs, or their older equivalents in
varnished pine with Adirondack-style
routed letters, announcing
FOOTPATH
TO
. . .
Coniston Water; sailings to Brantwood run throughout the summer. Service is subject
to weather conditions, of course.
Coniston Pier/Boat House.
&
01539/432733.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-gondola. £8.50
round-trip for adults, £4.50 children 5-16, £22 family ticket. Discount vouchers available for Brantwood
and Ruskin Museum with ticket. Times vary according to capacity and weather conditions; bookings
advisable.
Hill Top Farm
HISTORIC HOME It's a 2-mile walk from Hawkshead to
Near Sawrey, a pretty country village where you can visit Beatrix Potter's former
home. If driving, park your car beside the ticket office, but come first thing (before
opening if you can), as entry is timed and waiting can be lengthy in peak season. The
cottage is a few minutes' walk along the road. Enter through the gate beside the shop
where a path leads past a tangle of wild flowers (in the summer) to the entrance. You
might have time to explore the herb and vegetable garden before going inside, but
don't miss your time slot! Inside, the world of Beatrix Potter comes alive. Almost
unchanged, you'll see her paintings and personal items throughout, and guides are on
hand to embellish them with a few tales.
Near Sawrey, Hawkshead.
&
01539/436269.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-hilltop. £7 adults, £3.50
children 5-16, £18 family ticket. Discount at Beatrix Potter Gallery with Hill Top ticket. Mid-Feb-Mar Sat-
Thurs 10:30am-3:30pm; Apr-end May and early Sept-Oct Sat-Thurs 10:30am-4:30pm; end May-early
Sept 10am-5pm; last entry 30 min. before closing. Shuttle bus from Hawkshead/Ferry House.
