'''Cumbria''' [http://www.golakes.co.uk/] is a county in the North West of England. One of the most famous tourist attractions is the '''Lake District National Park'''.

Cities,towns and villages

Cities

  • Carlisle
  • Towns

  • Ambleside
  • Bowness-on-Windermere
  • Barrow-in-Furness
  • Brampton,Cumbria
  • Cockermouth
  • Coniston
  • Kendal
  • Keswick
  • Kirkby Lonsdale
  • Penrith
  • Sedbergh
  • Ulverston
  • Whitehaven
  • Windermere
  • Workington
  • Villages

  • Dent
  • Eaglesfield
  • Other destinations

  • The Lake District '''[http://www.lake-district.gov.uk/ Lakes]''' - Bowness, Windermere, Coniston, Ullswater, Grasmere, Hawkshead, Keswick, Pooley Bridge, Borrowdale, Waterhead and Ambleside. Proposed World Heritage site.
  • '''[http://www.hadrians-wall.org/ Hadrian's Wall]''' - North of Carlisle, on the border with Scotland. An 80-mile long wall built by the Roman Governor Hadrian to keep the Scottish tribes out. A UNESCO World Heritage List site.
  • The '''Pennines''' - the northern section of the range of hills that divides Northern England.
  • Eskdale Valley
  • Cartmel
  • The Eden_Valley
  • Understand

    This modern county was formed in local government reforms in the 1970s, and comprises the traditional counties of Cumberland (to the North and West), Westmorland (to the East), and parts of Lancashire (to the South). Geographically it is dominated by the Lake District at its centre, which is England's only true mountain range and which presents a natural barrier to travel across the county.

    To the West of the county the towns of Workington and Whitehaven lie on a disused coalfield, which in the last twenty years has led to relatively high unemployment and low property values. Further South along the coast are the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant, and the shipbuilding town of Barrow-in-Furness.

    To the East lies the Eden_Valley and the western slopes of the Pennine Hills.

    To the North is a low-lying plain containing the border city of Carlisle before the Solway Firth forms the natural border with Scotland.

    Talk

    People from Cumbria have extremely strong accents. It is not uncommon to have a conversation with someone and come out of it not having any idea what was just said to you.

    Get in

    By road: Motorway M6 from Birmingham. Connects to Lancaster (S of main Lake District but good urban centre), Kendal (main town in SE of Lakes, convenient for Windermere, Coniston etc.), Penrith (in N centre of Lakes) and Carlisle (N of main Lake District but good urban centre). For Barrow and W coast, take A590 from junction 36. The motorway also provides access to the W side of the Pennines, and, from Carlisle, to Hadrian's Wall and to the NE corner of England.

    By rail: Railway runs to Lancaster (with branch to Grange-Over-Sands and Barrow), Oxenholme (branch to Kendal & Windermere), Shap (very high, very cold, no houses) & Carlisle.

    Get around

    Sleep

    There is a huge range of accommodation available in Cumbria

  • '''Hotels'''
  • The County has quite a few well regarded luxury hotels. Examples being Sharrow Bay [http://www.sharrowbay.co.uk and Miller Howe [http://www.millerhowe.com].Away from the lake district there is the Appleby manor hotel [http://www.applebymanor.co.uk]

  • '''Bed and Breakfast/Guest Houses'''
  • '''Inn/Pub Accommodation'''
  • '''Self-catering'''
  • Good examples being Wetherall cottages [http://www.wetheralcottages.co.uk/] and Tottergill farm [http://www.tottergill.co.uk/]. '''Rockwood''' [http://www.rockwood-lakedistrict.com/] is an example of a fine traditionally built lakeland residence, which sleeps 10-12 and is only 10 mins quiet walk from the centre of the village. '''Oak Apple Barn''' [http://www.oakapplebarn.com/] is a beautifully converted 17th century barn, which sleeps 2-4, in a wonderfully quiet location just 15 minutes walk from the centre of this most English of English villages.

  • '''Camping'''
  • The Lake District has many fine campsites to chose from. Some will be just a field on a farm, whilst others will offer all amenities.Examples are Church Stile Farm holiday park [http://www.churchstile.com/] and the Ullswater camping ,caravan and marine park [http://www.uccmp.co.uk/].

  • '''Pod-Camping''' [http://www.discovercumbria.co.uk/Pod-Camping.html Camping Pods] are an innovative alternative to tent camping. They are eco-friendly and have the advantage of lockable doors. The are designed to sleep a family of four. Pods are essentially 'wooden tents' you will need to take everything that you would for a camping holiday, minus the tent.
  • '''Camping Barns''' An excellent alternative to self-catering or Youth Hostelling. [http://www.discovercumbria.co.uk/Lake-District-Camping-Barns.html Camping Barns] are normally converted farm buildings/barns and are usually individually owned by the farmer. The Camping Barn basically as a stone tent, facilities vary, but most have only minimal facilities.
  • '''Youth Hostels''' The [http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/the-lake-district/index.aspx YHA] has a diversity of accommodtion to offer the visitor to Cumbria. From the impressive[http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/the-lake-district/hostels/Ambleside/index.aspx Waterhead Youth Hostel] on the shores of Lake Windermere to [http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/the-lake-district/hostels/Black-Sail/index.aspx Black Sail] converted shepherd's bothy only accessible on foot.
  • Budget

  • Lakeland Leisure Park. akeland Caravan Park. oor Lane, Flookburgh, LA11 7LT.. orth of Blackpool, Southern Lake District. 44 871 2310883. http://www.haven.com/parks/north_wales_blackpool/lakeland/. One of the parks of the Haven Holidays chain.

    Mid range

    Splurge

  • Staffield Hall. taffield Hall Country Retreats. taffield, Kirkoswald, Penrith, Cumbria, UK. CA10 1EU.. he hamlet of Staffield is just 1.5 miles away from the village of Kirkoswold, 3 miles from Lazonby and 2.5 miles from Armathwaite.. 44 1995 61574 . ttp://www.staffieldhall.co.uk. A luxury 5 star Victorian manor house, tastefully refurbished to the highest standards, offering romantic self catering holiday apartments, a luxury alternative to self catering cottages in the lakes district. Access to the northern lakes is good: Ullswater lake side is 20-25 minutes and Keswick is just over half an hour. Visit the Northern Pennines, Hadrians Wall as well as the beautiful and peaceful Eden Valley whilst at Staffield.

    See

    Itineraries

    Do

    Eat

    '''Cumberland Sausages''':One of the most famous traditional Cumbrian foods has to be the coiled [http://www.discovercumbria.co.uk/cumberland-sausages.html Cumberland Sausage]. The uniqueness of the Cumberland Sausage is that it is sold in a coils rather than by links. The sausage is also more heavily spiced than regular sausages.

    '''Kendal Mint Cake'''

    '''Sticky Toffee Pudding'''

    '''Grasmere Gingerbread'''

    Drink

    Cumbria is home to 23 breweries and brew-pubs including '''[http://www.bitterend.co.uk/ The Bitter End Pub & Brewery]''' in Cockermouth

    '''Damson Gin''' The Lyth Valley is famous in Cumbria for damsons. Many pubs offer a locally made 'damson gin', which is particularly popular as a pre-dinner drink around Christmas.

    Stay safe

    A relatively quiet and rural county, the most obvious signs of crime are the police signs in Lakeland car parks warning you not to leave valuables on show in your car. As usual in England, it's best to avoid the centre of larger towns at night (such as Barrow, Workington and Carlisle) as they're prone to the regular assortment of drunks and fights.

    Get out