Whether you’re looking for an autumn break or want to wring out the last vestiges of a sadly lacking summer, the Lake District’s 2,292 square kilometres are sure to offer you sanctuary, serenity and hopefully sunshine after a pretty gloomy 18 months.
With the Lake District celebrating its 70th anniversary as a national park and now in its 5th as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the sheer expanse of this incredible landscape could be just the tonic after long stretches spent confined to our homes. Four walls of home? How does four mountains and sixteen lakes sound?
But where should I stay, we hear you ask? Or rather, we expect you typed into Google…
Well, a variety of accommodation possibilities, with stunning scenery, amenities and more at their door, are available in the region’s main towns; Keswick and its lake Derwentwater, Windermere, the biggest lake and second largest town in the Lake District, and Pooley Bridge, which connects to lake Ullswater.
With such diversity of hotel, hostel, B&B and private rental options available, it can be hard to narrow things down. We’re here to help make things easier; here’s where to stay in the Lake District.
VISITING THE NORTH LAKES
The Lake District is such a vast spectacle that it’s impossible to see it all in one staycation. Instead, it’s a good idea to focus your attention on just part of this glorious expanse.
Distinctive from the most well trodden destinations of Windermere or Ambleside, the North Lakes area is home to some of the most peaceful lakes where you will well and truly feel like you’re treading off the beaten path.
The market town of Keswick has become a focal point for visitors to the northern part of the Lake District and it’s certainly easy to see what draws visitors to the town and the surrounding countryside of Derwentwater and Ullswater; it’s stunning and the perfect place to drop anchor.
Alternatively, Crummock Water is two and a half miles long and owned by the National Trust. You can take a nine mile walk around the lake, following paths through the woods. Likewise, Loweswater is a stunning lake located in a peaceful wooded valley. Spot red squirrels on a four mile walk around the lake, or simply stop by for a drink or bite to eat…the choice is yours.
ARE YOU BRINGING A DOG?
Should you be travelling with your dog, then it’s important to be aware that accommodation in the Lake District is notoriously strict about accepting four legged companions. It’s understandable; all those muddy paws from long walkies in the Cumbrian countryside can wreak havoc on recently upholstered furniture and perfect white sheets.
That’s not to say that all hotels in the Lake District are dog defiant, but it is important to check in advance. Check out the Telegraph’s guide to the best dog friendly hotels in the Lake District for a decent rundown.
WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE YOU AFTER?
The Lake District is not just for contemplative strolls and penning peaktop poetry; it also offers the chance for a wide range of adventure sports. As you’d expect from anywhere with this amount of natural water, there’s more kayaking, canoeing and white-water rafting than you can shake an oar at. Additionally, the sheer faces of the mountains provide some hair-raising rock climbing and abseiling. If wheels are more your thing, mountain and quad biking are also a lot of fun here.
That’s not all; there’s also ArgoCat trips, assault courses, rifle shooting, 4×4 off-road experiences, fishing and horse-riding in the Lakes, but since it’s such a sprawling location, it’s essential you base yourself close to the activities you’re most keen to try.
Should you be keen on water sports, for instance, then you should search for accommodation close to Lake Windermere, the largest natural lake in England. If hiking is the main purpose of your trip, then ideally you’ll be booked into accommodation close to Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak. The best mountain biking, on the other hand, occurs in either Whinlatter Forest or Grizedale Forest.
COUPLES, FAMILIES & COMFORT
Accommodation in the Lake District ranges from 5 star hotels to simple, humble inns. Indeed, hotels in the Lake District come in many different shapes and sizes, prices and levels of comfort.
Should you be travelling as a couple, then you should consider staying close to Ennerdale Water (arguably the most remote and romantic place in the Lakes) in the nearby towns of Croasdale or Kirkland. Families, on the other hand, might prefer to find accommodation in the larger towns, with amenities and activities close to hand. If so, Keswick, with its climbing wall, adjacent Whinlatter forest and Gruffalo Spotters trail, Pencil Museum and more, offers loads for the kids to keep busy.
FOR FOODIES
Not a place you’d traditionally associate with fine dining and foodie forays, but the Lake District is a haven for culinary creativity. Indeed, if you’ve ever enjoyed Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon’s excellent comedy series The Trip, then you’ll have seen the duo exploring the foodie scene of the Lake District in its first season.
If you’re keen to do the same, then Cumbria is home to several Michelin-starred restaurants, the most famous being Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume, which featured on episode 2 of the programme. The chef’s ingredients-led, inventive British cooking is some of the best in the country, if not the continent, and is worth the visit alone. Should this sound like your kind of thing, then you should consider accommodation in Cartmel, where L’Enclume and another gem from the prolific chef, Rogan & Co, are both based.
But perhaps even more replete with excellent dining options is the town of Ambleside. Inventive, nordic-inspired Lake Road Kitchen is our pick of the bunch here; a wonderful place to relax and be fed next to the open fire (which they cook over) after a day of hiking.
If fine-dining isn’t your thing, some of the very best pub grub in the country can also be found in the Lake District. A couple of famous sweets also herald from the Lake district – Kendal mint cake and cartel sticky toffee pudding.
THE BOTTOM LINE
With such rich variety on offer, the Lake District is a must-visit destination for those looking to escape the doldrums of the previous 18 months. What kind of break will you enjoy there?