Few

Few
places in England are as green or as pleasant as the Lake
District. “The fleeting hour of life of those who love the hills is
quickly spent, but the hills are eternal,” wrote fellwalker Alfred
Wainwright. “Always there will be the lonely ridge, the dancing
beck, the silent forest; always there will be the exhilaration of
the summits. These are for the seeking, and those who seek and
find… will be blessed both in mind and body.”

Indeed, this northwestern realm has inspired centuries of
painters, poets, wayfarers and thinkers. Beatrix Potter dreamed up
Peter Rabbit from Hill Top farmhouse; Wordsworth swooned over
dancing daffodils in Grasmere; John Ruskin developed the ideals of
environmentalism and equality between the tarns.

Designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2017, today the
Lake District National Park remains one of the country’s favourite
places for natural immersion. Soaring mountains such as Scafell
Pike – England’s highest – are mirrored in glassy lakes. Fells are
scored by valleys decorated with dense woodland. Stone-clad market
towns and chocolate-box villages have become hubs for ramblers,
watersport enthusiasts and independent creatives.

It’s estimated that almost 16 million people succumb to the lure
of the Lakes each year – most of them in summer. But in truth, it’s
a place that sings throughout the seasons, whether you’re admiring
wildflowers in spring, village-hopping in autumn or defrosting by a
pub fire after a winter’s walk. Accommodation choices are
plentiful, whether you’re seeking an off-grid log cabin, five-star
spa or simply want to pitch a tent. Meanwhile, Cumbria’s culinary
scene runs the gamut from 19th-century gingerbread to
Michelin-starred field-to-fork fare.

A comprehensive guide to the Lakes would be as sprawling as its
wild landscape. Instead, we’ve consulted locals, hiked high passes
fuelled by Kendal mint cake and rewarded ourselves with pints at
cosy inns to cherry-pick the best – and often under-the-radar –
places to stay and play.