The Lake District is a well-loved getaway location, with its stunning landscape, many great towns and villages, and historic country houses with magnificent gardens. It has a rich cultural heritage as well and can lay claim to being home to England’s tallest mountain and deepest lake.
Because it’s such a special location the Lake District can get very busy during the summer months – so autumn brings the perfect opportunity! A visit during the autumn months will mean you get to see this fabulous part of the country just as the crowds dissipate and the trees begin to turn into a glorious flash of seasonal colour.
Here we have a few ideas for you, which should help you out with planning your trip…
Keswick
The name Keswick, meaning ‘cheese farm’, hints towards how this town originally began. It later grew to prosperity in the sixteenth century with the extraction of minerals from the surrounding hills, first copper and lead, then later graphite. This lead to the opening of around 14 pencil manufacturing businesses in the area, one of which was producing pencils in the town until 2007. To get a clear picture of all of this history it’s now possible to visit the Keswick Pencil Museum, which makes a great day out for the whole family and gives a wonderful insight into the area. There are many great shops and cafes in the town and some stunning countryside to explore in the surrounding vicinity, especially Derwentwater, which is one of the more spectacular of the Lakeland lakes. If you want to take a break there this autumn, check out late availability cottages online.
Coniston
Located at the top of Coniston water underneath the dramatic Coniston Fells, you’ll find the pretty town of Coniston. The town’s early prosperity was from copper and slate mining, though today the main industry is tourism. Water sports, hill walking, horse riding and many other activities are available in the local area, making it a great location for adventure lovers. For art and history lovers John Ruskin’s home, Brantwood House, which is found on the eastern side of the lake, makes a great place for a day out. The town has a whole host of wonderful tearooms and pubs too, so you won’t be short of somewhere to find refreshment after a trip out of the town, or a long autumnal walk. There are plenty of great B&B options to choose from for accommodation, as well as many good holiday cottages in the area too.
Lake District (photo by Dylan J C)
Ravenglass
This Lakeland village offers an intoxicating mix of coast, mountains scenery and some great attractions. Once a Roman fishing port and town, it marks the spot where three rivers meet to form a large estuary – the wonderfully named Esk, Irt and Mite.
Ravenglass and Eskdale steam railway runs into the town, making a great attraction for children and railway enthusiasts alike. If you are looking for an adventure further a field nearby Muncaster Castle also makes a great trip for the whole family as well as hosting a whole load of regular events. Look up late availability cottages if you want to find somewhere to stay in this area this autumn.
Loweswater
This is a small hamlet, which sits by Loweswater and Crummock waters. The area first attracted settlers because of its low pastureland, protected by fells, which was historically grazed by cows rather than sheep. In the late eighteenth century tourism arrived and this still provides a large amount of the industry in the town today. It’s a very picturesque spot for a getaway and the village has many great places to stay as well as the famous Kirkstile inn, which has been providing food and shelter for 400 yrs. This is a perfect spot to hang out on an autumn afternoon as it has log fires, oak beams and a wealth of local history, with six cask ales available and a scrumptious food menu too.
It’s the ideal time to get up to the Lakes and enjoy everything that the area has to offer, so why not treat yourself – have a look at last minute self-catering cottages online and plan you and your loved ones a brilliant trip this autumn. We’re sure you’ll be glad you did!
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
