Western Lake District

The Western Lakes and Fells provide a breathtaking backdrop of beauty for the coastline with its long beaches and cliffs adds peace and serenity. Here Scarfell Pike (977m) is England’s highest mountain, also the deepest Lake, Wastwater (86m) and smallest church, St Olafs, and the longest sunsets and biggest liar.

On the Solway Firth is the Victorian town of Silloth-on-Solway has cobbled streets and marvellous views of Scotland. Around Silloth the coast is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Maryport, has connections to Thomas Ismay, the founder of the White Star line (owners of the Titanic) and to Fletcher Christian, the mutineer on The Bounty. Other attractions at Maryport is Aquaria and Roman Museum and at Allonby the award-winning beach and Roman Mile Fortlet at Crosscannonby.

At Workington, a market town are the ruins of a 14th century Workington Hall that provided shelter for Mary Queen of Scots. Henry Bessemer later introduced his steel process. Workington and Whitehaven are the starting points for the ‘Sea to Sea’ cycleway and complete the Reviers Cycle route.

Whitehaven, a Georgian town has a rich social, industrial and maritime history which you can discover at the award-winning Beacon where you can also monitor, forecast and broadcast the weather. Whitehaven was once a larger port than Liverpool and was the main target for John Paul Jones, founder of the American Navy.

South of Whitehaven is the cliffs of St Bees, which is the only Heritage Coast between Wales and Scotland and is also the home of an RSPB reserve. St Bees has a ‘Coast to Coast’ walk that starts on the shores and is 190 miles long. You can also visit Sellafield Visitor Centre for an educational experience.

From the Burgh-by-Sands to Ravenglass is part of Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site. Here there are lots of things for the family around Ravenglass. Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, runs through some beautiful countryside in the heart of Eskdale. And on this line runs La’al Ratty, a narrow gauge steam locomotive. Part of the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site is the Roman Baths, which you can visit. Muncaster is known for its gardens and world Owl Centre and close by is the Muncaster Water Mill with its own history. At Millorn on the southern tip, has a folk museum and an amazing iron ore mining display.

After the gentleness of Duddon Valley is Hardknott and has the steepest pass in the Lake District at 1 in 3. At Wastwater, are the excellent screes coming out of the water and the peacefulness of Ennerdale. Around Buttermere the favourite hills of Wainwright is peaceful and the scenes and moods are much softer. And with the beauty of Crummock Water and Loweswater.

In between this peaceful landscape are the villages of Gosforth, Calderbeck and Ireby. Cockermouth a busy market town has lots of interesting museums and Wordsworth House, the birthplace of William and Dorothy Wordsworth. The Lakeland Sheep And Wool Centre and CUMWEST visitor centre which tells the history of the culture and landscape of Cumbria’s Western Lakes and Coast.