The Lake District is an area of around 880 square miles in the county of Cumbria, in the north-west of England.

There are over a hundred lakes in the area, the largest and best-known being Lake Windermere in the south of the district.

The town of Windermere, on the banks of the lake, is also one of the largest towns in the National Park, and it serves as the main centre of the southern region of the Park.

Also close to Lake Windermere is the town of Ambleside, another popular base for exploring the region.

And nearby is the village of Grasmere, which is most famous for being home to William Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage.

To the west of Windermere is Coniston, which lies on the banks of Coniston Water and which is most famous for its 2,635ft high peak known as The Old Man of Coniston.

To the south-west of Windermere lies the town of Kendal, technically outside the boundaries of the National Park, but still a favourite base for visitors.

In the northern region of the National Park the main base is Keswick, which lies on the banks of Derwentwater. The town is a positive Mecca for walkers and mountaineers as is evident in the number of shops selling walking gear.

And to the north of Keswick lie the towns of Cockermouth to the west and Penrith to the east. Both of these technically lie outside the boundaries of the National Park, but are still excellent bases from which to explore the region.

The Lake District National Park covers a large area, with many parts being very remote and isolated, so if you wanted to travel extensively throughout the park you would need to drive.

However for shorter journeys the area lends itself perfectly to cycling, and there are some good cycling routes laid out if you don’t want to go off-road.

And of course the favourite way to get around the park is to put on a pair of sturdy walking boots to explore the hills and dales on foot.