Famous as the home of Wordsworth’s daffodils and children’s storyteller Beatrix Potter, the Lake District is one of England’s top tourist destinations. Crowds of day trippers descend on the area from all over the world, yet many of them get no further than the shops and lakeshore of Windermere before departing for home. This is a pity, for the traveller who is prepared to explore just a little further will be greatly rewarded.

The Lake District has been a National Park since 1951 though it has been attracting visitors for much longer. Back in the nineteenth century Wordsworth himself described it as a “national property in which every man has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive and a heart to enjoy”.

There is no better way to experience the Lake District than by pulling on your hiking boots and going for a long walk. The area boasts some of England’s finest walking, including the country’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike. This lies in the far west of the Park and is most easily accessible from Wasdale or Eskdale. Reaching these valleys can be difficult on public transport however, so for visitors with limited time in the area a wiser choice would be to tackle some of the more accessible peaks such as Helvellyn or the Old Man of Coniston, both of which offer commanding views over much of the Park.

You don’t really need to climb very high to get a spectacular view. Crouching next to Ambleside is Loughrigg Fell, one of the area’s smaller but best loved hills. The lower slopes of the fell are wooded and particularly attractive in the autumn whereas the top is rocky and bracken-covered, rising to a summit 335m above sea level. Easy paths criss-cross the fell with access possible from every side. The view from the summit is spectacular and, looking south along Windermere, you can feel slightly smug at the thought of all the tourists who never even venture this far.

Taking in Loughrigg from Ambleside is a circular walk which can be completed in three hours, though you may wish to take longer. Once you have reached the summit a popular descent is to the northwest before walking east along Loughrigg Terrace to see the caves. These are the product of old quarrying activity but are gradually being reclaimed by nature. After visiting the caves you have an easy stroll back to Ambleside where there are a good range of outdoor equipment shops and tearooms in which to while away some time.

The next town north of Ambleside is Grasmere, where Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage is a popular tourist attraction. The town itself is charming, packed with dark stone buildings and set in a wide valley at the heart of the National Park. There are several craft shops and the justifiably famous Sarah Nelson’s Gingerbread Shop from which you can pick up a truly original version of the popular delicacy.

Following the main tourist artery of the A591 north over the Dunmail Raise pass you reach Thirlmere which, improbable as it may sound, was dammed to provide distant Manchester with water. The road takes you on to Keswick, the main town in the north of the National Park and a good base for some further exploring.

For visitors with a car and a head for heights an excellent tour can be made south from Keswick along Borrowdale, past lovely Derwentwater and through the rocky ‘jaws’ of the valley before heading up and over the steep Honister Pass. There is a slate mining museum and a Youth Hostel on top of the pass from which excellent wild walks can be made southwards towards Great Gable. Over the pass is the valley of Buttermere, one of the true gems of the Lake District, a peaceful place hemmed in by steep fells and well worth visiting if tranquility is your thing.

A delightful path takes you from Buttermere village around the still waters of the lake and you can reward yourself with some good food at the Bridge Hotel when you are done. From Buttermere it is a short drive back over the Newlands Pass to return to Keswick.

If you wish to get closer to the water during your visit you may wish to head to Ullswater, the second largest lake. It is quieter than Windermere and so much better for hiring boats or canoes, or trying your hand at windsurfing. Ullswater has its own steamer service which is a popular way to view the surrounding mountains. Getting here is possible by bus from Windermere or Penrith and there are several good campsites in the valley.

Transport across the whole of the National Park is easiest by car, but it is possible to get around by bus with a little planning and patience. Accommodation is plentiful and though hotels can be expensive there are options for the budget traveller in the numerous Youth Hostels and campsites studding the map.

As well as enjoying the scenery and outdoor pursuits there is another good reason for visiting the Lake District, which is its food and drink. Local produce has undergone somewhat of a resurgence in interest recently and there are many shops specialising in freshly made farm produce, particularly in Ambleside and Keswick. No visitor should leave without trying a hearty plate of Cumberland sausage, preferably washed down with a pint of traditional Cumbrian ale. There are several breweries in the area producing excellent beers, from the dark malty brews of Jennings in the north to the newer offerings of the Coniston and Hawkshead breweries in the south. You may even want to try the world famous Kendal Mint Cake, an impossibly sweet confection made almost entirely from sugar which has fuelled many British mountaineers on far flung expeditions. For hungry visitors stepping off the train in Windermere your first port of call should be Booths supermarket next to the station, which has an excellent selection of local foods for you to try.

The Lake District can be a truly magical place to visit, but should you decide to head out into the hills, please be prepared. Wear proper footwear and take a map, warm clothing and a waterproof jacket, as well as food and water. Conditions can change quickly in the hills and it pays to be prepared. That being said, nothing quite matches the feeling of stretching out across the high moor land with the wind at your back, watching the sunlight twinkle off a placid lake. It may even make you think about writing some poetry…

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