T

he numbers alone say it all about this area. There’s more than 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of walking and cycling trails, 12 of the largest lakes in England – and enough teashops to last you a lifetime. In a nutshell – it’s everything a tea-drinking adrenaline junkie could wish for.

If biking’s your bag, head over to Grizedale Forest, where you can spend the day blasting between the trees, and testing your skills over rock-strewn descents. The guys at Grizedale Mountain Bikes will lend you a steed and a map; it’s then up to you how hard you push it on the legendary North Face Trail – a 10 mile (16 km), red-graded route that puts even experienced riders to the test.

If that’s not enough to make your palms sweaty with fear, the next day you could try climbing instead. Head over to Shepherd’s Crag, at Borrowdale, near Keswick, and you can pick a route to the top that matches your experience (or fear threshold). There’s also a rather handy café at High Lodore Farm, nearby – the perfect place to stock up on carbohydrates after a day outdoors.