Landscapes filled with lakes, estuaries buzzing with birdlife and revolutionary cities with sporting histories: the North West has something for everyone. Explore iconic cities that are as famous for their music scenes as their grand industrial buildings and museums. Hear The Beatles resonate from street corners in Liverpool and the Stone Roses and Oasis rock in fashionable Manchester. Switch off the sound in the Lake District as you retrace trails between ethereal peaks, fells and tarn lakes. Or head for the bright lights of the seaside under hedonistic Blackpool's blazing seafront illuminations. Welcome to a sports lovers' paradise with county crickets grounds, iconic horse races and Premiership football clubs to boot.
North West England
Tuck into a home cooked meal at The Kirkstile Inn
Enjoy a delicious menu made from the best Cumbrian produce, washed down with a pint of freshly brewed ale at the Kirkstile Inn in the heart of the North Lake District.
Location: Loweswater, Cumbria
Wander like Wordsworth around Ullswater
Take a trip to Ullswater and enjoy the fabulous lake and the crowd of golden daffodils which inspired the poet William Wordsworth.
Location: Ullswater, Cumbria
Release your inner Wordsworth with Words by the Water Festival
Don’t miss this exciting literature event, a festival of words and ideas, set by the lake surrounded by the Lake District fells.
Location: Keswick, Cumbria
Enjoy luxury by the lake at Storrs Hall Hotel
Perched on the edge of the famous Lake Windermere, this Grade-II-listed Georgian mansion is surrounded by 17 acres of neatly trimmed grounds – plus the obligatory folly (in this case a temple).
Location: Windermere, Cumbria
Steam into spring on board the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
Jump on board the Lake District’s oldest, longest and most scenic railway.
Location: Ravenglass, Cumbria
Spread the joy at the World’s Original Marmalade Festival
Unleash your inner Paddington Bear on a visit to the World’s Original Marmalade Festival, which will be held on the historic Dalemain estate in Penrith.
Location: Penrith, Cumbria
Take a tour of Beatrix Potter's Lake District
Mountain Goat offer superb minibus tours of the Lake District – discover much-loved author Beatrix Potter’s favourite countryside on a half-day trip.
Location: Lake District, Cumbria
Blow away the cobwebs and explore the new Ullswater Way
The Ullswater Way is a stunning 20-mile walking route around one of the Lake Districts most beautiful lakes.
Location: Ullswater, Cumbria
New Michelin stars make Cumbria foodie heaven
Sample delicious menus of quality produce at four different Michelin star restaurants.
Location: Cumbria
Stay in your very own hobbit hole in the Lake District
Escape on a budget break to the Quiet Site in Cumbria, a family-run site overlooking Ullswater in the north of the Lake District.
Location: Ullswater, Cumbria