Cotswalds & Lake Region

We have visited the Cotswolds (used Chipping Campden as a base for 6 days) and The Lake District (Keswick for 3 days).
We visited Oxford, Blenheim Palace, Stratford Upon Avon and two full days exploring the Cotswolds.
We are in our seventies and hiking long distances is not our thing, but those options are available for both areas. The Cotswolds includes some great cities that you shouldn't miss and the Cotswolds area is quite large, as is the Lake District.

We did a great drive around the huge lake in the Lake District, it was recommended in a guidebook.

When are you traveling?

Have a car?

Who is “ we all imagined it would be.”

The Cotswolds and the Lake District are not party places so you don’t have to worry about that.

In both places, if you enjoy walking you can easily get away from the crowds and out into the quieter spots. You can buy lots of different walking books or look online.

Both areas are well known for having ‘gastro pubs’ which offer high quality food at prices to match. The Lake District also has some of the country’s best restaurants including Michelin star places., eg L’enclume. These areas get a lot of weekend visitors from the cities and people like to indulge when they’re away.

There are really very few walks in the Lake District which are "touristy walks". They could probably be counted on the fingers of two hands, or not much more.

It's not strictly the Lake District, but is very much in that general area- the Howgills, where I happen to have been today.

You will certainly be far away from the "madding crowds" there- but magnificent walking country.

A few towns, Keswick among them, are rather over-run. As a local I would debate whether there are more crowds than pre pandemic. Rather the season has been extended. We used to have Easter, then a break until May, and a lull in September. Now it is March to October without a real lull.

But very easy to avoid them.

You will get lots of really good Ordnance Survey maps where ever you go in the Lake District.

Good examples of good walking routes would be the western section of the Dales Way, or the Cumbria Way from north to south of the Lake District- Ulverston to Carlisle.

But, for a guided trip- then try HF Holidays. In the Howgills we have the HF centre at Sedbergh, and in the Lake District itself at Monk Coniston and Derwent Bank (Coniston). We have a number of forum members who are happy HF users including one currently on 3 (I think) HF Holidays back to back

Hi JosiePosie -

Stuart’s (isn31c) suggestion of the Cumbria Way through the Lakes is a good one. If you are short of time I’d suggest the sections from Coniston through to Keswick, but if you have time, by all means do the full thing - the first ‘approach’ stage from Ulverston to Coniston is usually quiet as is the northern section beyond Keswick, ‘back o’Skidda’, although the final ten miles or so into Carlisle are reputedly (I’ve not done it) a bit dull. The really interesting bits between Coniston and Keswick will be, by virtue of being in the central Lake District, busy, but by no means rammed. When we did it, we saw very few people once out of the towns. As for pubs, seek out the Black Bull or the Sun in Coniston, the Britannia at Elterwater and the Old Dungeon Ghyll (ODG colloquially) in Langdale and the famous Dog and Gun in Keswick, although I quite liked The Bank last time I was there, which is admittedly some time ago. All do food from the ‘pie and a pint’ basic stuff to more sophisticated dining, but advance booking is advised at all. The Eltermere Hotel was an excellent dining experience last time we were there but again, booking in advance absolutely compulsory.

Stuart is right about the Howgills not being in the Lakes - technically, although not in Yorkshire, they have been co-opted into the Yorkshire Dales National Park. They are a hidden gem and not much visited. Also in Yorkshire (most of the way at least) is the Dales Way which I have a soft spot for, not least because I can step out of my front door and walk to the start point in Ilkley. There’s also it’s cousin the Dales Highway which takes to the hills with different start and end points, Saltaire to Appleby, whereas it’s older sibling largely sticks with the rivers leaving Ilkley along the Wharfe to end in Bowness on the shores of Windermere (the finish marker is actually in a field as you enter Windermere town, but I’ve always headed down to the lake, which feels more ‘final’!). Plenty of excellent stops and pubs along either route!

The Cotswolds is a big area and very popular, but, like the Lakes, once you are out of the towns, especially the ‘honeypots,’ my experience is that is a lot quieter, people wise. I’m not local to there so can’t offer much up to date advice other than, in general many, many people don’t wander far out of town on foot. Places like Broadway tower are an obvious exception. The obvious walk, or part thereof, is the Cotswold Way (a National Trail) but this very much hugs the western edge and escarpment of the area.

Hope you find somewhere that is the rural idyll you seek! For me I find that, like Eldorado, it’s always around the next corner, but there are plenty of places that will do until you get there! Feel free to ask questions if you need to plan further!

Ian

This list is of the 11 Michelin starred restaurants in the Lake District- https://www.sallyscottages.co.uk/guides/guide-cumbrias-michelin-starred-restaurants

And this of a new dining Club at the Skiddaw Hotel, Keswick- https://www.lakedistricthotels.net/discover/unveiling-the-skiddaw-hotels-new-and-exclusive-dining-club/