Holiday rentals and lettings in Cumbria

In the far north west corner, Cumbria is one of the most beautiful counties in the UK, predominantly rural, home to the Lake District, the spectacular National Park, the Eden Valley, the North Pennines and the Furness Peninsula. Cumbria is the perfect place to escape from the city and the hectic metropolitan rhythm. Take in the county’s scenery as this is the land of mighty lakes, dales, fells and stunning landscapes. Urban dwellers will be delighted having a unique shopping experience at the market towns of Kendal, Keswick and Cockermouth.

For a nature experience, Windermere and Ullswater will mesmerise everyone with its beautiful lakes and all the water activities on offer. Boating, canoeing, kayaking, wakeboarding or stand up paddle board. What’s your favourite one? The best-kept secret of the county is Eden Valley, on the east. Heading west, Buttermere and Wastwater will also satisfy any traveller’s expectations so the extra miles will be worth it. This landscapes have inspired many artists, poets and climbers over the years and still has the power to charm and thrill us today.

This is a paradise for hikers and nature lovers who will have the opportunity to explore the mountains, rivers, fells, dales and visit the tarns while discovering hidden spots in the woods, caves and spectacular waterfalls. There are also miles of recognised routes, some of them circular, for walking and cycling along the county. To keep your energy stock up at Romney’s. Get the original Kendal Mint Cakes and keep your sugar levels while reaching the peak! And if you are aiming for higher level walking, check one of the 50 webcams and the weather forecast before starting any route. Safety comes first!

A wealthy historic county, including some of the earliest stone circles in Great Britain, the remains of the Roman Empire such as the Roman Birdoswald fort, the Ravenglass Roman Bath House or the Milefortlet 21 in Crosscanonby. From all the abbeys, priories and churches dating from medieval ages, four of them can still be visited as they are used as parish churches - Cartmel, St. Bees, Lanercost and Holm Cultram. For those interested in more recent history and the industrial past, there are mines and water mills. The mines are closed now but some of the water mills are open to the public and still in a working state. The mining information of the area can be seen at the Millom Museum, Threlkeld Museum or the Nenthead Mine. The Solway aviation museum or the Steamboat Museum gather interesting information about different industries.

There is a total of 16 lakes in the National Park of Lake District. Windermere is the largest of them all and Bassenthwaite Lake is the only one named officially a lake. Ullswater is the second largest lake in the Park. Some of the lakes feature a ferry, steamer of launch service. If you take one of the routes around these lakes you will discover many other water formations, mainly tarns, which are usually small and not even named. Strolling around, hike to the top and get stunning views from the highest points is an unforgettable experience for years to come. Start making new memories!

Kids love trains and so do adults! In Cumbria there are four main Railway attractions so you can enjoy a ride with your family on a steam train, in the Lake District. The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway offer your a pleasant journey through the beautiful countryside calling at different stations. Get on the hard working steam trains of Lakeside & Haverthwaite for a leisurely journey contrasting lakes and river scenes. Between Alston station and Kirkhaugh runs the South Tynedale Railway. Finally, The Threlkeld Quarry and Mining Museum Steam Train can be visited from Easter to October.

In Lake District there is a tribute to one of the most famous children’s authors of all times. We are talking about Beatrix Potter. There are museums, exhibitions and attractions that explain the story of the writer and even a magical indoor recreation of her books and the famous characters, Peter Rabbit or Jemima Puddleduck amongst others at the World of Beatrix Potter. Spend some time at Wray castle, the grounds owned by her and the Peter Rabbit adventure, recently added.

With lots of acres to explore, Cumbria has tons of fun for the little ones. Spend a day at some animal parks, farm parks and animal sanctuaries or maybe visit an aquarium when the rain does not allow much outdoor activity. Cumbria is plenty of water activities and let’s face it, water is fun! Any water activity will make your day. Indoor pools are also there to save the day in winter or rainy days. For some storytelling, theatre or puppet shows, you will find them in Grasmere Village, Keswick or Penrith.

The National Trust’s most important work is focused on the preservation of the central fell area and the major valley heads of the Lake District National Park. Many properties and lakes are owned by the trust. You can visit Fell Foot in Newby Bridge, the Acorn Bank in Temple Sowerby, where its seventeenth century walls shelter a fantastic comprehensive collection of culinary and medicinal plants. Take a guided walk around the grounds of Sizergh Castle or visit Top Hill, home to Beatrix Potter that she left to the trust with the proviso to keep it exactly as it was.