Cumbria

A county in northwest England, known for the lakes and mountains of the Lake District National Park, a top destination for hiking and literary pilgrimages.

Cumbria lies in northwest England, bordering Scotland to the north and the Irish Sea to the west. The Lake District National Park within the county is a World Heritage Site, where lakes such as Windermere and Derwentwater sit alongside Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain. The homes of the poet Wordsworth and of Beatrix Potter (Hill Top farm) attract many literature lovers. In the north, Carlisle has a castle and cathedral, and the western section of Hadrian's Wall also passes through the area. May to September is the best time for hiking and lake cruises. Take the West Coast Main Line train and change at Oxenholme for Windermere; Manchester Airport is relatively close.

Destinations

• Lake District
• Hadrian's Wall & Hexham
• Yorkshire Dales

Itineraries

• Great Britain Classic Loop: England & Scotland – A classic British road trip from London, looping through Bath, the Lake District, Edinburgh, and York.
• Durham, Hadrian's Wall & Northumberland Coast – Head north from Durham to see the Roman Wall, castle coast, seabird islands, and Lindisfarne.
• Yorkshire Coast, Moors and Dales in – From York, cross the North York Moors to Whitby, then head west through the Dales and back.
• Lake District by Bus and Boat, Car-Free, in – By train, the 555 bus and boats, from Windermere north to Keswick and Ullswater.