Lake District Travel Guide - Towns and villages

Ambleside, at the heart of the southern Lake District, is beautiful but busy. Its scenic setting, one mile north of Lake Windermere, guarantees its popularity. Grey stone houses, B&B's, hotels, galleries, and shops catering to the tourists abound. more...
Ambleside, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Town
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Photo Credit: David Ross and Britain Express
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Appleby is a good base for a visit to the Eden Valley; large enough to boast a variety of accommodation and services, yet small enough to give a feeling of "getting away from it all". more...
Appleby, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Town
Location: On the A66 15 miles south east of Penrith
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A remote moorland hamlet which features the extraordinary 'Bewcastle Cross', a 7th-8th century cross with intricate carvings on all 4 sides. Beside the church stands the ruins of a castle, built in part with stone from Hadrian's Wall.
Bewcastle, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Town
Location: On a minor road 5 miles east of Roadhead, off the B6318
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The closest village to the western end of Hadrian's Wall, and the site of a Roman army camp. The church porch boasts a bell stolen from a Scottish church as revenge for a raid in which the Scots stole the church's original bell, only to lose it in Solway Firth on their return north.
Bowness, Lake District, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Town
Location: On a minor road 1 miles west of Port Carlisle
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Famous as the place where Edward I was brought after his death in 1297. Edward was on his way north to fight the Scots under Robert the Bruce when he died, and the king's body was brought to lie in state in the fortified church of Burgh-by-Sands. The course of Hadrian's Wall runs right through the village.
Burgh-by-Sands, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Town
Location: On a minor road 3 miles west of Carlisle
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This little village at the foot of the Caldbeck Fells is known as the final resting place of famed hunter John Peel (d.1854). Peel's grave is in the 12th century churchyard, under the gaze of the fells he hunted for 55 years. A popular song about his exploits was written by his friend, JW Graves. Caldbeck is a good walking centre, with access to High Peak and Carrock Fell.
Caldbeck, Lake District, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Town
Location: On the B5299 12 miles north east of Cockermouth
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Carlisle is the county town of Cumbria, and the only city. Not surprisingly, it is well-supplied with shopping ammenities, and the entire centre of the town has been made into an attractive pedestrian district. more...
Carlisle, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Town
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Situated between two hills, on the edge of the Lake District, the market town of Cockermouth is best known for its connection to the poet, William Wordsworth, who was born here on April 7, 1770 and spent his first 13 years in the town. more...
Cockermouth, Lake District, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Town
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A popular village at the north west corner of Coniston Water. The origin of the name is thought to derive from 'King's town'. Coniston has a long history as a centre for mining, with copper mines dating to the 17th century. More recently, slate mining has helped shape the landscape. However, it is primarily as a centre for walking that Coniston is rightfully known; the area is known for its superb recreational opportunities, and many of the most popular walks in the Lake District start or finish from Coniston.
Coniston, Lake District, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Village
Location: At the north west corner of Coniston Water, accessible by road from Ambleside to the north or from Torver to the south.
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The little village was home to the Musgrave family, subject of a ballad by Longfellow. According to Longfellow, the House of Musgrave was doomed if a 'fairy cup' in their possession was broken. The cup, believed to be 13th century Persian, is now in a museum in London, and the house is destroyed. The parish church is Norman, built on Saxon foundations, and several Musgrave monuments can be found in the interior.
Edenhall, Lake District, Cumbria, England

Attraction Type: Town
Location: 3 miles north east of Penrith, on a minor road off the A686
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