Cumbria

Cumbria is home of the Lake District and is absolutely stunning. Located in the extreme north-west of England it borders Scotland and the Irish Sea with the Isle of Mann 60 or so km to the west. The coastal areas are fairly flat and industrial with the interior of Cumbria full of the lakes, mountains, and beautiful scenery of the Lake District National Park (free to visit).

One of the best ideas is to just stop somewhere and go for a walk with well-marked trails everywhere (though see the note about parking below).

With numerous small, winding roads making even short distances a challenge really a car is the only way to see the area effectively. There are trains to the coastal areas and local buses throughout but a car is needed if you want to really see the area. The area around Windermere, particularly the north-east corner (the towns of Ableside and Windermere) can be particularly busy often suffers from massive traffic jams as people visiting the area often only come to this particular bit as it is the most famous and closest to the motorway. Parking can be a problem with most car parks “pay and display”, even if in the middle of no-where and often cash (coins) only so it is best to have a large amount of change on hand (it is not unusual to have to pay upwards of £2/hour) at all times (car park machines accepting cards are generally only found in larger towns).

Bicycles can be seen throughout the park but roads are narrow and it can be difficult for everyone involved with bikes on the road. Distances can also be a bit deceptive so this is only really recommended on well-defined, off-road, paths.

For leisure travel there are steam trains and public boats throughout the area. The quintessential thing to do in the area is to go for a cruise on Windermere…

During my visit in late Summer 2018 we took some pictures:

For further information, please see:

• Cumbira - My (few) restaurant reviews from the area
• Cumbria Tourism - Official Site (Twitter)
• Visit Cumbria
• Visit Sedbergh