Lake District towns and villages

Some of England´s most beautiful villages and towns are situated in the Lake District, and whether you want to explore the famous towns of Windermere and Grasmere, or discover the hidden villages and hamlets, you will find plenty of things to see and do en route.

Cark

A village situated on the railway line between Grange-over-Sands and Ulverston. The nearby village of Flookburgh is associated with the shrimping industry. To the northwest of the village is Holker Hall, a sixteenth century house with later additions. The house and gardens are open to the public. A large herd of fallow deer in the park is one of the oldest in the country.

Inns: Engine Inn, Rose and Crown. Store, craft shop, toilets, post office. Railway to Lancaster and Ulverston. Bus service to Grange-over-Sands, Newby Bridge and Ulverston. The resort has a long promenade and there is a fine swimming pool. The promenade gives views across Morecambe Bay, but the sands are poor. There are also bowling greens, tennis courts and a putting green. The resort was originally a grange of Cartmel Priory and grew in popularity with the coming of the Furness Railway in 1857. Towering up behind the town is Hampsfell, 727 feet.

There is a fine view from the hospice at the top, which can be reached by a sign posted path on the northern side of the town. There are a number of shops, cafes, banks, inns and hotels. Tourist Information Office. Rail service to Lancaster and Ulverston. Bus service to Cartmel, Ulverston and Kendal. Golf: 18 hole golf course. Riding: Guides Farm, Cart Lane, Grange.

About Lindale

A pleasant village just off the Kendal to Ulverston road. Near the crossroads in the village, on the southern side, is a forty foot high iron column, a memorial to John Wilkinson. He was an iron-master who reputedly made the first iron boat.The column has a plaque of the man and records his death on the 14th of July 1808, aged 80 years. Inn: Lindale Inn. Garages, toilets, post office, store, cafe (half mile east). Bus services to Kendal, Ulverston and Grange.

Levens Hall the Lake District

The hall incorporates a fourteenth century Pele tower for protection against the raiding Scots. The large Elizabethan mansion has been built around the tower. The fine gardens were laid out between 1701 and 1704 in 100 acres of parkland, they include some impressive topiary work. The hall has a collection of steam engines which are in steam when the house is open. Gardens open daily from Easter to end of September, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. House and steam collection open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, also Bank Holiday Mondays, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Sizergh the Lake District

A small village with a fine Pele tower built in 1360 as protection agaInst Scots raiders. The castle has been the home of the Strickland family for over 700 years. It contains some fine paintings, panelling and furniture. Hotel: Strickland Arms Hotel. Castle and gardens open Wednesday and Sunday, April to end of September, and Thursdays in July and August, 2 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. Sedgwick. The village is situated above a pleasant stretch of the Kent where the river tumbles over a series of rocks. In the centre of the village is a bridge which used to carry the Lancaster-Kendal canal over the road.

The Central Lakes

Troutbeck Bridge is a small community situated between Windermere and Ambleside at the foot of the road leading up to Troutbeck. On the A592 road to Troutbeck and the Kirkstone Pass are Holehird Gardens. The gardens are maintained by Cumbria County Council who lease part of them to the Lakeland Horticultural Society. The gardens surround a Cheshire Foundation nursing home and are open free to the public. There is a fine rock garden and a good display of rhododendrons, azaleas and flowering shrubs, and a fine view over Windermere. Hotel: Sun Hotel. Filling station, post office, restaurant, cafe, swimming pool, youth hostel. Bus service to Patterdale, Ambleside, Windermere and Kendal. Minibus service to Patterdale and Ullswater.

About Troutbeck

A long straggling village of grey stone houses with many interesting nooks and corners. The road which descends to Troutbeck Bridge and Ambleside discloses some fine views. Town End, a house at the southern end of the village, is a Statesman's house. It was built about 1626 and belonged to the Browne family for 300 years. It is now owned by the National Trust.

The church contains some stained glass by Burne Jones. The Mortal Man Inn owes its fame to its sign. The original sign was painted by Julius Caesar Ibbotson, a painter of some merit, to settle a debt he owed the innkeeper. The sign showed two men and the words: o mortal man, that lives by bread, What is it makes thy nose so red? Thous silly fool that, lookist so pale, 'Tis drinking Sally Birkett's ale.

Brockhole National Park Centre

Brockhole is the Lake District National Park Centre. The large house was built for a Manchester businessman in 1900 and became Britain's first National Park centre in June 1969. The house and gardens overlook Windermere and there is a fine view over to the Langdale Pikes and Scafell Pike. There is a permanent exhibition of Lakeland life and history; there is also a series of film shows throughout the day.

Picnic site, putting green, cafeteria. Open 10 a.m. to 6.45 p.m. Bus service past the entrance from Ambleside and Windermere.

Ambleside information

A town set at the head of Windermere. The pleasure boats which ply along Windermere pick up their passengers at Waterhead Pier. The town is near the centre of Lakeland and throughout the summer is packed with tourists, walkers and locals because of its good selection of shops.

At the head of Windermere, in Borrans Field, are the remains of the Roman fort of Galava. A model of the two forts which were built on the site can be seen at Brockhole. Ambleside is the scene each July of a rush-bearing ceremony when children carry flowers and rushes to church. The ceremony dates back to the time when the church floors were only clay and once a year the rushes on the floors were changed.

On the Keswick road out of Ambleside is Bridge Cottage, a quaint little house situated over Stock Ghyll Beck. It is now used by the National Trust as an information centre. At the other side of the road, look upstream, you can see a water wheel in use. The Lake District History Centre in Lake Road contains a 120 square foot relief map of the area. There are also displays of many facets of life in the Lakes over previous centuries. There is a Dolls House Museum just off the road to the Kirkstone Pass. One of the best short walks in the district is to Stock Ghyll Force, a fine split cascade of water falling some seventy feet into a rock pool.

The path to the waterfall is sign posted from the right-hand side of the Salutation Hotel. Towering above the town, and reached along the same path, is Wansfell Pike, 1,581 feet high, a notable viewpoint. A mile to the west of Ambleside, near the Hawkshead road junction, are White Crags gardens at Clappersgate. The gardens contain rare shrubs, rhododendrons, azaleas and alpine rock plants. They are open at all reasonable times and there is no charge. A mile to the south of Ambleside is the Skell-ghyll nature trail.

There are numerous shops, hotels, inns, garages, banks and cafes. Bus services to Keswick, Windermere, Crear Langdale, Hawkeshead and Conisron. Minibus service over Kirksrone Pass ro Parrerdale and UIlswater, and through Lillle Langdale to Eskdale, Cosforth and Wasdale. Angling: Licences from Cycle Shop, Bridge Street, Ambleside. Tennis. The Lake District Informarion Service issues a leafier describing walks around Ambleside.

Rydal village and Wordsworth

The village has become so well known because of its associations with Wordsworth and De Quincey. It is situated at the eastern end of Rydal Water. The lake and village are in a picturesque setting, surrounded by trees. Rydal Mount was the home of Wordsworth from 1817 until his death in 1850. One of the finest sights in Lakeland is Dora's Field, near the church, when the daffodils are in bloom. Some of the daffodils were planted by Wordsworth himself and he gave the field to his daughter, Dora. In 1935 it was presented to the National Trust by the poet's grandson.

A little nearer Grasmere the road bypasses a cottage. This is Nab Sylvan lakeside scene at Grasmere: swans and boats enjoy a quiet moment. (John Hill). Cottage, at one time the home of De Quincey. He lodged with Farmer Simpson, fell in love with the farmer's daughter, and married her. De Quincey wasn't the only literary character associated with Nab Cottage. The tragic Hartley Coleridge spent the last eleven years of his life at the cottage.

One of the most popular villages in Lakeland. The visitors come to see Dove Cottage, at the eastern side of the main road. This was the house where Wordsworth lived from 1799 to 1808. It is now a museum. De Quincey also lived for a number of years at Dove Cottage. In the cottage Wordsworth wrote The Green Linnet and The Daffodils among other works. In 1802 Wordsworth brought his new wife, Mary Hutchinson, to live in the cottage.

The church is a quaint old building with a raftered roof. It is the scene of a rush-bearing ceremony on the first Saturday in August. In the churchyard can be seen the graves of Wordsworth, his wife, and Dorothy his sister. Not far from their graves lies the grave of Hartley Coleridge, poet, friend of Wordsworth, and son of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Backing on to the churchyard is a quaint old shop selling gingerbread which is made on the premises. The sign outside proclaims: Sarah Nelson's celebrated Grasmere gingerbread, made here for 110 years. The Grasmere Sports usually take place in the third week of August. The sports include hound trails, Cumberland wrestling and the famous guides fell face to Butter Crags and back. There is a studio displaying the works of W. Heaton Cooper and showing Lakeland in its many moods.

There are a number of hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops, a perfumery, filling station, post office, toilets, etc. Boats for hire on Grasmere. Bus service to Ambleside and Keswick.

Dunmail Raise information

This is the lowest pass through the mountains and is crossed by a modern road. On the left, going north, is Helm Crag, a small mountain. There are various rock outcrops on the summit; when seen from the road they resemble a lion and lamb and also a large gun. At the summit of the pass, 782 feet, in the centre of the dual carriageway, is a large cairn of stones. This is said to mark the grave of King Dunmail, the last King of Cumbria.

Lake District places to stay

Some of the Lake District´s best hotels and guest houses can be found in the central lakes. Explore Windermere and Bowness, and check out the local spa hotels and boutique hotels which are situated in this stunning part of the region.

Wythburn and Thirlmere

Thirlmere comes into sight as you descend Dunmail Raise towards Keswick. The lake is now a reservoir for Manchester. A road leaves the main road near the head of the lake and passes around the western side. This road gives some fine views across the lake to Blencathra, 2,847 feet, and rejoins thc Keswick road at the foot of the lake.