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With its lakes, fells and mountains, this is one of the most beautiful places in Britain. Cumbria is a mainly rural county and includes the whole of the Lake District, also known as The Lakes or Lakeland, the Eden Valley, the North Pennines, the Furness Peninsula, and part of the Yorkshire Dales.

Japanese visitors love the Lake District because of Peter Rabbit (Beatrix Potter lived in the area) and cream teas. The main bases are Keswick in the north, Windermere and Bowness in the south. Cockermouth and Coniston are less touristy.

Hotel accommodation ranges from luxurious and expensive to simple if sometimes quite basic and there are lots of youth hostels. Much of this national park is administered by the National Trust. Visit Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage and museum in Ambleside, and the family’s graves at St Oswald’s church in Grasmere.