Englands Lake District is famous for its lakes and mountains and breathtaking scenery. From Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit to Alfred Wainwright’s walks, the area has inspired visitors for many years.
However, you think you know the Lake District and every time you visit you will find something new that you have discovered. We have come up with 20 things you may not know about the stunning world heritage site.
- The Lake District national park is the largest national park in England at 2,292 square kilometres (884.9 sq mi)
- Lake District is home to a number of rare and protected native animals, including the red deer, red squirrel, Natterjack toads, barn owls, Peregrine falcons and even Golden Eagles and Ospreys.
- The Lake District is home to England’s deepest lake Wastwater
- Kendal Mint cake was taken on the first successful ascent on Mountain Everest by Edmond Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
- The Mountain range in the Lake District is older than the Himalayas, around 500 million years old.
- The Lake District is home to the best preserved Roman fort in the UK. Established in the second century under Emperor Hadrian, Hardknott Fort is the best preserved in the UK.
- With Windermere being England’s largest lake, it holds a very impressive amount of water 300 billion litres!
- The Sticky Toffee pudding was invented in the Lake District (no need to thank us!)
- Haweswater has a hidden village underneath its body of water
- There are 6 times as many sheep as there are people in Cumbria, most common is the Herdwick
- The crown of the last king of Cumberland is believed to lie at the bottom of Grizedale Tarn
- With the National Park home to 16 Lakes, officaly only one of them has the title with the word ‘Lake’ in, Bassenthwaite Lake, the rest are meres, tarns or waters.
- Alfred Wainwright first ever walk in the Lake District was Orrest Head which is just by Windermere Information
- The Schelly fish is found in only four Lakes in the world, Ullswater being one of them. It is incredibly rare to see them.
- It is home of the Cumberland sausage, in 2011 it was given the protected status
- Home of the adventure capital of the UK
- Pencils were invented in the Lake District in the 1550s from the graphite mine at Seathwaite (we even have museum)
- Walking has been a popular activity in the Lake District with over 1,342 miles of Footpaths, most of which have been documented by Alfred Wainwright
- Peter Rabbit and his friends were created by Beatrix Potter who lived at Hill Top Farm in Far Sawrey
- Was granted UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2017
