Places to visit
Cockermouth is a busy market town with many traditional and contemporary pubs and restaurants. It has a sports and leisure centre complete with gym and pool, and it is home of the famous Jennings brewery, which offers tours to visitors, and a chance to sample their prize winning real ales. More real ales can be sampled at the micro brewery and pub, 'The Bitter End' in the town centre. Cockermouth is also famous for being the birthplace of William and Dorothy Wordsworth. The National Trust has recently refurbished the Wordsworths' house, and it now offers the chance to experience at first hand, life as it would have been in the 19th century.
Beyond Cockermouth lie the dramatic Western fells of the Lake District, with their exceptionally beautiful and breathtaking scenery. This area is therefore popular with artists, photographers and naturalists, who come to enjoy the area's rich and varied wildlife. For those who like to don their walking boots, there are plenty of high and low level walks around the peaceful lakes and fells of Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater. Here you can stop for a picnic on the shore, or visit one of the local village pubs, offering traditional Cumbrian food, and real ale, perhaps even brewed on site.
For those who are more energetic and adventurous, the Keswick area and Borrowdale Valley have spectacular views and some of the highest fells in the Lake District, to test the bravest. The Forestry Commission has recently opened the longest purpose-built mountain bike trail in the Lake District. The Altura Trail puts the mountain back into biking and has been built for experienced riders with good off road skills and a higher level of fitness and stamina. Visit www.forestry.gov.uk/alturatrail to find the latest information.
This area also offers climbing, sailing, canoeing, fishing, off road drving, paragliding, parachute jumping, horse riding, pony trekking and golf. Visit www.lakedistrictoutdoors.co.uk/ for more details, or click on "the great outdoors" page.
Keswick, Derwentwater and Loweswater were some of the stunning locations featured in the recent film, 'Miss Potter', along with many others around Windermere, Coniston, and Ambleside.
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Views of Derwentwater from Ashness Bridge, near Keswick
Five miles away from Bush Cottage, Bassenthwaite Lake is popular with sailors and canoeists, and is known locally as the location of the only nesting Ospreys in the Lake District. In the breeding season, these can be seen on CCTV in the nearby Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre, or from viewpoints in nearby Dodd Wood.
Further to the east, are the popular Lakeland towns and villages of Ambleside, Windermere, Bowness and Grasmere, with all their tourist attractions. To the south, are the dramatic lesser known valleys of Ennerdale, Eskdale and of course, Wasdale, recently voted "Britain's Favourite View". A half hour's drive to the north takes you to the historic city of Carlisle, with its intriguing castle, museum and shops and from here, you can pay a visit to nearby Hadrian's Wall.
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Carlisle Cathedral
email: bushcottage@fsmail.net tel: 01946812091