National Park: Cumbria
One of Britain's most celebrated landscapes 2,292 sq km/ 885 sq miles
England's largest National Park and one of its best loved, with a famous landscape of high fells, rocky crags, lush dales, long still lakes and attractive towns and villages in the central part of Cumbria. Designated in 1951.
Local authority
Promoted routes
Tourist Information Centres
at Bowness, Coniston, Grasmere, Hawkshead, Keswick, Seatoller, Ullswater or Waterhead. Click here for details.
Forest and Country Parks
- Fell Foot Newby Bridge, Ulverston LA12 8NN, tel 015395 31273
7.3ha/18 acres of lakeside parkland at the southern end of Windermere in the south of the National Park, managed by the National Trust. - Grizedale Forest Park Grisedale, Ambleside LA22 OQJ, tel 01229 860010
www.forestry.gov.uk/grizedalehome
Famous for its sculpture trail, many waymarked walks and visitor centre. In the centre of the National Park, between Windermere and Coniston Water south of Hawkshead. Managed by the Forestry Commission. - Whinlatter Forest Park Braithwaite, Keswick CA12 5TW, tel 017687 78469
www.forestry.gov.uk/whinlatterhome
England's only mountain forest, walks, visitor centre. In the northwest corner of the National Park, northwest of Keswick. Managed by the Forestry Commission.
Maps
OL4,
OL5,
OL6,
OL7 Harvey maps Lake District Outdoor Atlas, ISBN 1 85137 490 6, £14.95. Complete 1:40 000 waterproof mapping of the National Park in a single spiral bound volume.
Single Superwalker 1:25 000 waterproof sheets, £7.95 each
Lakeland Central, ISBN 1 85137 292 X
Lakeland East, ISBN 1 85137 152 4
Lakeland North, ISBN 1 85137 297 0
Lakeland South East, ISBN 1 85137 358 6
Lakeland South West, ISBN 1 85137 357 8
Lakeland West, ISBN 1 85137 327 6
Public transport
- Rail. The West Coast Main Line passes to the east of the Park, with Virgin and ScotRail intercity services connecting Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith and Carlisle with London and Glasgow. First North Western operates regular services from Manchester and Lancaster to Kendal and Windermere in the heart of the Park, and along the Cumbrian Coast Line to Carlisle via Barrow-in-Furness and Whitehaven. There are also two private railways: the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway (see ukhrail.uel.ac.uk/lhr.html) and the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway (www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk). The famous scenic Settle and Carlisle Line also passes nearby, with Dales Rail services in summer (see the Yorkshire Dales page).
- Ferries. Various ferries and cruises operate on Lake Windermere between Ambleside, Bowness, Far Sawrey and Lakeside, with bargain 24-hour tickets available: ring the information hotline on 015395 31188. Ullswater Steamers link Glenridding, Howtown and Pooley Bridge, with connecting walks and a connecting bus service with combined tickets available: see www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk. Boat services also operate, sometimes seasonally, on Derwentwater and Coniston Water.
- Buses. Local buses, many operated by Stagecoach, connect Lancaster, Kendal, Windermere and Carlisle with Ambleside, Coniston, Keswick and a number of other centres in the park. Some services also run on summer Sundays and there is a limited Sunday service on main routes throughout the year.
- Give the driver a break Suggestions for days out by public transport, including walking routes, are downloadable from the Visitor Information section of the National Park website (see below), or ask for the leaflets at information centres. See Cumbria regional page for a list of these and other publications with details of car free walks.
Ticket deals and transport information in Cumbria
National public transport contacts
Contacts
- Lake District National Park Authority Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal LA9 7RL, tel 01539 724555
www.lake-district.gov.uk
Visitor information and walk suggestions: contact TICs (see above)
Brockhole Visitor Centre tel 015394 46601 - Friends of the Lake District Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal LA9 7SS, tel 01539 720788
www.fld.org.uk
Cares for the countryside and wildlife of the Lake District
