Places to visit in the Lake District

If you are visiting the Lake District for the first time,and you like to get off the beaten track, take your time to explore the villages, towns and hamlets around the region.

Whinlatter Pass

The pass from Keswick to Cockermouth climbs between Grisedale Pike and Lord's Seat. Near the summit is a visitors' centre showing various film and slide shows, a display on Thornthwaite Forest, a bookshop and forest walks. On the eastern side of the pass is a car park offering fine views over Bassenthwaite Lake to Skiddaw.

Portinscale village

The village is just off the main Keswick-Cockermouth road, near the foot of Whinlatter Pass. It is a peaceful, scattered village. The road south passes along the western shore of Derwentwater to Grange giving many splendid views. Lingholm Gardens to the south of Portinscale are open daily, except Sunday, April to October. Post office, shop, cafe, garage, boats for hire. Fishing permits from Derwentwater Hotel. Newlands Valley. This peaceful valley is watered by Newlands Beck. Stair is a small hamlet in the centre of the valley. The head of the valley is riddled with old copper mines under the impressive peak of Dale Head. A road leads west over Newlands Hause to Buttermere.

Cockermouth the Lake District

This town stands on the river Cocker. It was the birthplace of William Wordsworth; the house stands in the main street and is open to the public. At the opposite side of the road, facing the house, is a bust of Wordsworth placed there to celebrate the bicentenary of his birth. He was born in the house on April 7th, 1770. When his mother died he was sent to Hawkshead Grammar School with his brother. His father's grave can be seen in the churchyard.

The castle at Cockermouth played its part in the border conflicts. It was besieged in the Civil War and dismantled afterwards. The castle is still inhabited; the grounds and gardens are open to the public at certain times of the year. The town has numerous inns, shops, banks, garages, etc.

Bassenthwaite village

The village nestles in a hollow under Skiddaw, 3,053 feet. Bassenthwaite Lake, the third largest in Lakeland, can be seen from the village. At the northern end of the lake is a large sailing club. The colourful sailed yachts skimming over the water make a fine sight.

Castle Inn Hotel, Sun Inn. Post office. Bus service to Keswick, Carlisle and Cockermouth. Pony Trekking: Robin Hood Riding Centre, and Hill Farm, Bassenth waite.

Thornthwaite hamlet

A pleasant hamlet at the southwestern end of Bassenthwaite Lake. The hamlet has an ecclesiastical figure in the form of the Bishop of Barf. Looking up on to Barf, 1,536 feet, from the Swan Hotel you can see a white rock. This is the bishop that occasionally gets a fresh coat of paint. It is a rock pinnacle surrounded by shattered slates. Looking across Bassenthwaite from the village there is a fine view of Skiddaw. Swan Hotel, Thwaite Howe Hotel. Garage, licensed cafe, art gallery, studio. Bus service to Keswick and Cockermouth.

Applethwaite the Lake District

A small hamlet at the foot of Skiddaw. A rough road climbs up to a col between Latrigg and Lonscale Fell. A path to the right leads to Latrigg, 1,203 feet. The path on the left climbs on to the top of Skiddaw, 3,053 feet. A short distance along the track is a monument to three men of the Hawell family who were shepherds in the area. About two miles north of the hamlet is the Dodd Wood Forest Trail.

About Ruthwaite

We are now in John Peel country. It was at Ruthwaite that John Peel died on November 13th, 1854. The house where he died is on the left as you walk down the short back lane in the hamlet. In 1848 John Peel took part in one of his longest fox hunts. After the kill they calculated the hunt had covered 60 miles.

Ireby village

The village used to be a market town with a Moot Hall. This was one of the places where John Peel spent many nights celebrating after his successful chases over the surrounding fells. The old market cross still stands 50 yards from the crossroads in the centre of the village. Black Lion Inn, Sun Inn. Post office, store, filling station. Bus services to Keswick, Wigton and Carlisle.

Uldale the Lake District

This small farming community nestles under the northern edge of the Skiddaw range. At Uldale Mill, on the lreby road, is the small, interesting and old church of St. James. The unfenced road eastwards to Caldbeck passes across open grassland giving some pleasant views. Mary White, daughter of a prosperous Uldale farmer, married John Peel. Mary's mother objected to the marriage so John Peel collected her one night and they eloped to Gretna Green and were married by the blacksmith.

Post office. Bus service to Keswick and Carlisle. Typical fell-foot Lakeland cottage as seen from the Keswick-Cockermouth road in dramatic lighting conditions. (E. Emrys Jones). Caldbeck. The village is famous as the birthplace of John Peel. His fame is due to two other men. In 1829 John Woodcock Graves was sat by his fireside with John Peel. His eldest child was being sung to sleep, so Graves decided to write a song about John Peel, took up pen and paper and composed the song which has become known the world over. The song was originally sung to a tune called Bonnie Annie. It was set to its present tune by William Metcalfe who did a great deal to publicise the song. It was first sung in the Oddfellows Arms at Caldbeck.

John Peel's grave can be seen in the churchyard. It is on the left as you approach the church. Also in the churchyard is the grave of Mary Butermere. She was the daughter of an innkeeper at Buttermere who, while still young, married John Hatfield. He was an imposter pretending to be a member of the Duke of Rutland's family, and had earlier been Imprisoned at Scarborough for debt.

He talked a lady from Devon into clearing the debt, married, and then abandoned her. He arrived in Keswick posing as Lord Hopetown and hearing of the beautiful Mary of Buttermere, courted and married her. Within a year he was found out, tried for forgery, and hanged. Mary later married a Caldbeck farmer.

The church has a lepers' window set in one wall; this enabled lepers to hear the service without entering the church. Behind the church is a small bridge over Parkend Beck. Beside the bridge is a well, said to have been used by St. Kentigern to whom the church is dedicated. The beck passes through a particularly scenic stretch called the Howk. John Peel Inn.

Hesket Newmarket

A quiet peaceful village situated around a village green. At one time the village was a market town. On the green stands a small covered market where produce could be displayed and sold. Old Crown Inn. Post office/shop. Youth hostel (Carrock Fell). Bus service to Penrith. Mungrisedale. The village lies at the foot of Bowscale Fell, 2,306 feet. The small church is more interesting than many places five times its size. A church has stood on the site since 550 A.D. when St. Kentigern journeyed through the area. Many of the places he visited have churches dedicated to him (Caldbeck, Keswick, etc.). Inside the church is a three decker pulpit dated 1679.

Above the doorway, as you enter, is a bell dating from 1491. There is a prayer book containing the commemoration to the martyrdom of Charles I and a Black Letter Bible of 1617 containing the signatures of the curates from 1680 to 1715. It is recorded that the book cost forty four shillings.

Lake District walks

If you are planning to explore the Lake District on foot, you can get information about walks, hikes and climbs from any tourist information centre in the Lake District.