The Western Lake District is possibly Britain's area of most diverse interest. If it can be done or it can be seen then it's likely to be here. There's the opportunity for sporting activities to the extreme, to browse the local heritage, indulge in a personal hobby (mine's food) or to relax and let the world go by amidst a variety of spectacular and beautiful scenery.
From the Solway Firth to The Duddon Estuary the Cumbrian coast has in places long sandy beaches or rugged sea cliffs broken by estuaries and coves. Opportunities abound for all sea sport from surfing to power boat racing, from kayaking to tall ship regattas, from fishing to just having fun. Sea stories are endless, tales of smugglers and rum importers, stories of building great ships, mines under the sea, Roman legions and (so far) the last land raid on a British town. Allonby is typical of the relaxed bustle free seaside villages along this coast.
A narrow coastal plain parallels the coast; rolling hills shelter unspoilt villages and hamlets,a hidden treasures amidst traditional rural farming scenery. An area to browse with the occasional foray into the hills or down to the coast.
Moving inland the valleys of Duddon, Eskdale and Wasdale carve with spectacular grandeur into the Lake District Hills. Travelling from The North Lakes to these valleys by road and in particular public transport can be time consuming. An experienced hill walker will reach the valley head quicker by foot. Ennerdale is easily accessible by road but being a truly unspoilt dale only to the bottom end. An easy walk on a good track leads to the remoteness of Black Sail Bothy now a youth hostel favoured by coast to coast walkers and hardy mountain bikers. Walking in from Borrowdale, Buttermere or Wasdale is some what more challenging. Kirkland provides a good base for exploring the Ennerdale and Buttermere areas.
There are some things all visitors to the Lakes (and Locals) should do at least once. "Ride the Ratty" a narrow gauge railway from Ravenglass built to support mining in Eskdale ( the trains and carriages have been much improved of recent and it is no longer necessary for the agile to leap out and give a helping shove up the inclines). Tour Muncaster Castle with its excellent natural history and heritage presentation. Experience a mine trip. Visit Rosehill Theatre, there's not another quite like it - try the pre performance dinner with pudding in the interval. And what about a spot of Go Kart Racing or Para Gliding - ok so some things are not for everybody.
Wastwater in the Lake District was voted by viewers nationwide as the winner of the ITV series Britain's Favourite View. Sixteen beauty spots competed for the title and each was championed by a well known personality. The other three finalists in the last programme of the series were Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, the Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland and Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower Penninsula in Wales. Sally Whittaker, the Coronation Street star who picked up the award said: “I’m really thrilled and hopefully even more people will go off to the Lake District now. There are so many beautiful views in the Lake District – every view is amazing and it is such an inspirational and magical place to be.”
Wastwater, situated to the West of the Lake District, is the deepest lake in England and is surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the country including Great Gable, Red Pike, Lingmell and England's highest mountain Scafell Pike. It is three miles long and half a mile wide. The Lake is owned by the National Trust who also own Scafell Pike. Just beyond the lake is the hamlet of Wasdale Head consisting of a handful of cottages and Inn which due to its remote location is very popular with walkers and climbers. For those not wishing to tackle a mountain climb a popular path runs the length of the lake.
