Traditions and culture in the Lake District

The Lake District has long been a holiday destination for Britons and the tourist aspect of the area has been developing gradually for over 300 years and rapidly in the past century.

It was closely intertwined with English literature during the 18th and 19th centuries, with many poets residing around its quiet lakes as they penned their work.

Indeed, William Wordsworth was one such scribe and his famous poem 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud' was inspired by the sight of daffodils on the shores of Ullswater.

Before that, the area was renowned for being a major source of stone axes in Neolithic times, while farming (particularly of sheep) has always been strongly associated with the region.

In more recent times, children's author Beatrix Potter resided at Hill Top Farm and set many of her popular 'Peter Rabbit' books in the Lake District.

Things to do in the Lake District

There is plenty in terms of lakes, 'fells' (large hills) and wildlife to take in for anyone planning to book cheap flights to the north-west and head to the Lake District.

The region has a total area of around 885 square miles and boasts characteristics such as U-shaped valleys, glacial cirques, open moorland in the lower fells and oak and pine woodlands.

Some of the most popular tourist outposts are Ambleside - which is part of the lowest-lying area - while the Langdale Pikes are also a major attraction for walkers.

There are a total of 25 notable peaks to experience for hikers, including Scafell Pike, the highest in England, and there are also a large number of major lakes such as Coniston Water and Windermere.

Weather in the Lake District

Despite the Lake District's undoubted charms, a combination of its location in the country and its mountainous terrain makes it very susceptible to rain - not always ideal holiday conditions.

In addition, the region tends to be windy, although there is a large discrepancy in the effects of this between the sheltered valleys, coastal areas and fell tops.

The maritime climate means that temperatures can be relatively consistent, ranging from an average of around 3C in January to 15C in July.

Destination checklist for the Lake District

The Lake District is on GMT/UTC time.

The official currency is the pound.

English is the official language spoken.

The region's international dialling code is +44.