The Lake District and Cumbria

The Lake District, one of the most beautiful regions of the UK, is located in the heart of Cumbria, a predominantly rural county in the far north west of England.

World famous for its beautiful lakes and mountainous fells, carved out long ago by glaciers, the Lake District today is a playground for walkers and outdoor enthusiasts.
As well as the whole of the Lake District, also known as The Lakes or Lakeland and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cumbria includes the Eden Valley, the North Pennines, the Furness Peninsula, and a small part of the Yorkshire Dales.

The bustling small towns of Ambleside on Windermere lake and Keswick on Derwentwater are particularly popular with visitors.

Visit the Lake District – Visit Cumbria, the Big Site

Famous Lake District writers include William Wordsworth, one of the most famous of the Lakes Poets, and Beatrix Potter of Peter Rabbit fame. You can visit a number of properties where they lived and where they set their works, as well as numerous historic houses and gardens.

The Lake District fells are still explored today by walkers using the Alfred Wainwright guides, as well as modern technology. A Wainwright wrote his seven Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells over 13 years, finishing the last in 1965. That they are still relevant today is testament to the unchanging and unspoilt landscape of the Lake District National Park.

Use the menu bar to find over 1,500 pages of information on everything to do with the Lake District & Cumbria. Where to stay, places to visit, indoor and outdoor activities, what’s on and so, so much more.

Visit Cumbria also has its own internal search engine. Enter a keyword in the search box at the top of any page to find more information.

You’ll find thousands of hotels, bed and breakfast, holiday cottages, camping and caravan parks, hostels, holiday parks, glamping, lodges through our Lake District accommodation pages.

Where is Cumbria?

Situated in the far north west corner of England, the northern boundary of the county runs along the Scottish Border, known as the “Debateable Lands”, where the ancient border city of Carlisle is found. The west of Cumbria is bounded by the Irish Sea. The Pennine range divides Cumbria from Northumberland to the east. The South of the county is bordered partly by sea and partly by the Yorkshire Dales and Lancashire. See the Map here >>

…and where is the Lake District?

The English Lake District is found in the mountainous heart of the county. The South Lakes, most accessible from the south of England include Windermere, Coniston Water and Grasmere. The North Lakes are just a very short distance further to drive. This area is centred on Keswick and its lake Derwentwater, and is very popular with outdoor activity enthusiasts.

Getting to The Lake District & Cumbria

Coming from the south the main motorway is the M6. The West Coast Mainline has trains stopping at Oxenholme near Kendal, Penrith and Carlisle. A local line connects Oxenholme to Windermere station. Buses run from Penrith and Carlisle stations to Keswick.

From Scotland the same West Coast train line applies, and the A74 motorway joins the M6 just north of Carlisle.

From the east the A66 runs across the Pennines to connect towns and cities along the M1 region to Cumbria. The A69 runs from Newcastle and Northumberland to Carlisle and the M6.

You can find a lot more information on travel to and around Cumbria here >>

With over 6,000 photographs and maps and over 1,500 original information pages Visit Cumbria is renowned as the Encyclopaedia for Cumbria and the Lake District.

Looking for a self catering property for your Lake District Holiday? Our partners Sykes Cottages have over 1,000 holiday properties in Cumbria