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GREAT BRITAIN EYEWITNESS TRAVEL Discover more at traveldk.com PRINTED IN CHINA GREAT BRITAIN EYEWITNESS TRAVEL “No other guide whets your appetite quite like this one” The Independent “A pleasurable read with ravishing photography plus maps and plans of supreme quality” The Observer £17.99 Never has a travel guide been so easy to use – just turn to the area of your choice EYEWITNESS TRAVEL PACKED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS, ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS • THE FLAVOURS OF GREAT BRITAIN, REGION BY REGION • CUTAWAYS AND FLOORPLANS OF ALL THE MAJOR SIGHTS • HUGE SELECTION OF HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS • SIGHTS, BEACHES, MARKETS AND FESTIVALS LISTED TOWN BY TOWN • WALKS, SCENIC ROUTES AND THEMATIC TOURS Systematic information on more than Systematic information on more than 2,000 sights, restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues P E R + T Y O }   ~ k g 3 c @ 1 4 v ± # ¢ & 5 ^ 7 8 0 ¤ S 7 e : ÷ f * - n = ( Z G _  ˙ 0 ∆ ˚ z  n 3 1  v A J h b N 5 e m d P R E } + Y O  T £ £ g @ c KEY TO MAIN SYMBOLS Historic building, street, square Museum, gallery Church, cathedral, chapel, baptistry Castle, fortress Archaeological site, ruin Park, garden Wildlife reserve Area of natural beauty/interest Funicular/steam railway Industrial heritage site Cemetery Stables/riding Skiing Domestic airport International airport Ferry service Railway station London railway station Coach station Local bus station Underground station (London) River boat pier Tram service Population Tourist information Market day Festival Recorded information Open Closed Admission charge Church services Photography not allowed Wheelchair access (phone to check details) Guided tours available Restaurant Café Shop SYMBOLS FOR HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS Credit cards not accepted Swimming pool Wheelchair access (phone to check details) Outdoor tables Recommended wine list Lift Caters for children Restaurant Air conditioning Parking Fitness facilities Live music Formal dress required Pub games SYMBOLS FOR MAPS AND FLOORPLANS Tourist information Ferry service Railway station London railway station Underground station (London) Underground station (Glasgow) Tram service Coach station Local bus station Hospital with casualty unit Viewpoint Parking Police station Post offi ce Church, cathedral Lift Men’s and women’s toilets Cloakroom Building or area of historical interest Major church, cathedral, chapel Must-see museum, gallery Signifi cant archaeological site Area of natural beauty/interest Impressive castle/ fortress Attractive park/ garden Major wildlife reserve, zoo Industrial heritage site AREA COLOUR CODES LONDON pages 70–155 THE DOWNS AND CHANNEL COAST pages 164–189 EAST ANGLIA pages 190–215 THAMES VALLEY pages 216–237 WESSEX pages 246–271 DEVON AND CORNWALL pages 272–295 THE HEART OF ENGLAND pages 306–329 EAST MIDLANDS pages 330–343 LANCASHIRE AND THE LAKES pages 354–379 YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER REGION pages 380–413 NORTHUMBRIA pages 414–429 NORTH WALES pages 440–455 SOUTH AND MID-WALES pages 456–475 THE LOWLANDS pages 490–523 THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS pages 524–549 M E R T O N S T R E E T L O G I C L A N E M E R T O N S T R E E T L O G I C L A N E h EYEWITNESS TRAVEL EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GREAT BRITAIN LANCASHIRE AND THE LAKES 359 E Pencil Museum Carding Mill Lane. Tel 017687 73626. # 9:30am–5pm daily. ¢ 1 Jan, 25, 26 Dec. & 7 - = E Keswick Museum and Art Gallery Fitz Park, Station Rd. Tel 017687 73263. # 10am–4pm Tue–Sat & public hols. 7 = hand-painted wallpaper, and a panelled 18th-century drawing room. Several small museums occupy various outbuildings, and the gardens contain a fine collection of fragrant shrub roses and a huge silver fir. Sheep resting at Glenridding, on the southwest shore of Ullswater Keswick 5 Cumbria. * 5,000. n Moot Hall, Market Sq (017687 75738). www.keswick.org Popular as a tourist venue since the advent of the railway in Victorian times, Keswick now has guest houses, a summer repertory theatre, outdoor equipment shops and a serious parking problem in high season. Its most striking central building is the Moot Hall , dating from 1813, now used as the tourist office. The town prospered on wool and leather until, in Tudor times, deposits of graphite were discovered. Mining then took over as the main industry and Keswick became an important centre for pencil manufacture. In World War II, hollow pen- cils were made to hide espion- age maps on thin paper. The factory includes the Pencil Museum with interesting Ullswater 4 Cumbria. 3 Penrith. n Main car park, Glenridding, Penrith (017684 82414). www.lake-district.gov.uk Often considered the most beautiful of all Cumbria’s lakes, Ullswater stretches from gentle farmland near Penrith to dramatic hills and crags at its southern end. The main western shore road can be very busy. In summer, two restored Victorian steamers ply Sumptuous Chinese drawing room at Dalemain regularly from Pooley Bridge to Glenridding. One of the best walks crosses the eastern shore from Glenridding to Hallin Fell and the moorland of Martindale. The western side passes Gowbarrow, where Wordsworth’s immortalized “host of golden daffodils” bloom in spring (see p366). audiovisual shows. Among the many fine exhibits at the Keswick Museum and Art Gallery are the original manuscripts of Lakeland writers, musical stones and many other curiosities. To the east of the town lies the ancient stone circle of Castlerigg, thought to be older than Stonehenge. Outdoor equipment shop in Keswick 360 The rare red squirrel, native to the area Northern Fells and Lakes 6 Many visitors praise this northern area of the Lake District National Park for its scenery and geological interest (see pp352–3). It is ideal walking country, and nearby Derwentwater, Thirlmere and Bassenthwaite provide endless scenic views, rambles and opportunities for watersports. Large areas surrounding the regional centre of Keswick (see p359) are accessible only on foot, particularly the huge mass of hills known as Back of Skiddaw – located between Skiddaw and Caldbeck – or the Helvellyn range, east of Thirlmere. The Whinlatter Pass is an easy route from Keswick to the farmland of Lorton Vale. It gives a good view of Bassenthwaite Lake and a glimpse of Grisedale Pike. Bassenthwaite is best viewed from the east shore; however, accessibility is limited. Parking is easier from the west side. THE MAJOR PEAKS The Lake District hills are the highest in England. Although they seem small by Alpine or world standards, the scale of the surrounding terrain makes them look extremely grand. Some of the most important peaks are shown on the following pages. Each peak is regarded as having its own personality. This section shows the Skiddaw fells, which are north of Keswick. Derwentwater Surrounded by woodland slopes and fells, this attractive oval lake is dotted with tiny islands. One of these was inhabited by St Herbert, a disciple of St Cuthbert (see p419), who lived there as a hermit until 687. A boat from Keswick provides a lake excursion. Lorton Vale The lush, green farmland south of Cockermouth creates a marked con- trast with the more rugged mountain landscapes of the central Lake District. In the village of Low Lorton is the private manor house of Lorton Hall, dating from the 15th century. KEY From 1 Blencathra to 2 Cockermouth (see opposite) From 3 Grisedale Pike to 4 the Old Man of Coniston (see pp362–3) From 5 the Old Man of Coniston to 6 Windermere and Tarn Crag (see pp364–5) National Park boundary Blencathra Skiddaw Grisedale Pike Grasmoor Knott Rigg Helvellyn Great Gable High Street Scafell Hard Knott The Old Man of Coniston Wastwater Screes WORKINGTON CARLISLE A 6 6 B 5 2 9 1 B A S S E N T H W A I T E L A K E B 5 2 9 2 B 5 2 8 9 W H I N L A T T E R P A S S LOWESWATER L O R T O N V A L E N e w l a n d s B e c k D E R W E N T W A T E R B 5 2 8 9 BUTTERMERE A 5 9 1 Rive r De r w e n t THE NORTH COUNTRY • High Lorton Grange • • Braithwaite J J J J J J J 361 VISITORS’ CHECKLIST Keswick, Cumbria. c Keswick. n Mkt Sq, Keswick (017687 72645). (NT) Castlerigg Stone Circle # daily. www.keswick.org Skiddaw At 931 m (3,054 ft) Skiddaw is England’s fourth highest peak. Its rounded shape makes it a four- to five-hour walk for any- one reasonably fit and suitably equipped. Blencathra, also known as Saddleback because of its twin peaks (868 m; 2,847 ft), is a challenging climb, especially in winter. St John’s in the Vale This valley contains Castle Rock for climbers, and its old legends were used by Sir Walter Scott (see p512) in The Bridal of Triermain. Lakeland poet John Richardson is buried in the churchyard. Castlerigg Stone Circle Described by Keats (see p123) as “a dismal cirque of Druid stones upon a forlorn moor”, these ancient stones overlook Skiddaw, Helvellyn and Crag Hill. Thirlmere was created as a reservoir to serve Manchester in 1879. KEY Information Major road Minor road Viewpoint 0 kilometres 0 miles 5 3 Blencathra 868 m (2,847 ft) Hart Side Great Dodd Ullock Pike Helvellyn 950 m (3,116 ft) Great Cockup Great Calva Skiddaw 931 m (3,054 ft) Bassenthwaite Village Bassenthwaite Lake A591 B5291 A66 to Cockermouth Dodd Wood Keswick Lord’s Seat Derwentwater Ullscarf Lorton Fell Grisedale Pike 790 m (2,591 ft) Sale Fell BLENCATHRA OR SADDLEBACK 868 m 2,847 ft SKIDDAW 931 m 3,054 ft A 5 9 1 B 5 3 2 2 WINDERMERE T H I R L M E R E S t J o h n ’ s B e c k Keswick • Mosedale • A 6 6 PENRITH R i v e r G l e n d e r m a c k i n LANCASHIRE AND THE LAKES • Legburthwaite G l e n d e r a t e r r a b e c k J 362 THE NORTH COUNTRY Crummock Water, one of the quieter “western lakes” Cockermouth 7 Cumbria. * 8,000. 3 Workington. c n Town Hall, Market St (01900 821869). www.western-lakedistrict.co.uk Colourwashed terraces and restored workers’ cottages beside the river are especially attractive in the busy market town of Cockermouth, which dates from the 12th century. The place not to miss is the handsome Wordsworth House , in the Main Street, where the poet was born (see p366). This fine Georgian building still contains a few of the family’s possessions, and is furnished in the style of the late 18th century. Wordsworth mentions the attractive terraced garden, which over- looks the River Derwent, in his Prelude. The local parish church contains a Wordsworth memorial window. Cockermouth castle is partly ruined but still inhabited and closed to the public. The town has small museums of printing, toys and a mineral collection, and an art gallery. The Jennings Brewery invites visitors for tours and tastings. Newlands Valley 8 Cumbria. 3 Workington then bus. c Cockermouth. n Town Hall, Market St, Cockermouth (01900 821869); Market Sq, Keswick (017687 72645). www.lake-district.gov.uk From the gently wooded shores of Derwentwater, the Newlands Valley runs through a scattering of farms towards rugged heights of 335 m (1,100 ft) at the top of the pass, where steps lead to the waterfall, Moss Force. Grisedale Pike, Grasmoor and Knott Rigg all provide excellent fell walks. Local mineral deposits of copper, graphite, lead and even small amounts of gold and silver were extensively mined here from Elizabethan times onwards. Little Town was used as a setting by Beatrix Potter (see p367) in The Tale of Mrs Tiggywinkle. Blencathra 868 m (2,847 ft) Grisedale Pike 790 m (2,591 ft) Grasmoor 850 m (2788 ft) Wandope White Pike Robinson Great Dodd Dalehead Fleetwith Pike Raise Looking Stead Helvellyn 950 m (3,118 ft) Crummock Water Buttermere village Buttermere Knott Rigg Ennerdale Innominate Tarn and Haystacks Black Sail Pass Great Gable 899 m (2,949 ft) Pillar Mosedale Kirk Fell Kitchen, with an old range and tiled floor, at Wordsworth House E Wordsworth House (NT) Main St. Tel 01900 820884. # Mar–Oct: Sat–Wed. & non-members. = www.wordsworthhouse.org.uk P Jennings Brewery Castle Brewery. Tel 0845 1297185. # Mon–Sat (Jul, Aug: daily). 8 = www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk J 363 LANCASHIRE AND THE LAKES Buttermere 9 Cumbria. 3 Penrith. c Cocker- mouth. @ Penrith to Keswick; Keswick to Buttermere. n Town Hall, Market St, Cockermouth (01900 821869). Interlinking with Crummock Water and Loweswater, Buttermere and its surround- ings contain some of the most appealing countryside in the region. Often known as the “western lakes”, the three are remote enough not to become too crowded. Buttermere is a jewel amid grand fells: High Stile, Red Pike and Haystacks. Here the ashes of the cele- brated hill-walker and author of fell-walking books, A W Wainwright, are scattered. The village of Buttermere, with its handful of houses and inns, is a popular starting point for walks round all three lakes. Loweswater is hardest to reach and therefore the quietest, surrounded by woods and hills. Nearby Scale Force is the highest waterfall in the Lake District, plunging 52 m (170 ft). Verdant valley of Borrowdale, a favourite with artists Borrowdale 0 Cumbria. 3 Workington. c Cockermouth. n Town Hall, Market St, Cockermouth (01900 821869). This romantic valley, subject of a myriad sketches and watercolours before photo- graphy stole the scene, lies beside the densely wooded shores of Derwentwater under towering crags. It is a popular trip from Keswick and a great variety of walks are possible along the valley. The tiny hamlet of Grange is one of the prettiest spots, where the valley narrows dramatically to form the “Jaws of Borrowdale”. Nearby Castle Crag has superb views. From Grange you can com- plete the circuit of Derwent- water along the western shore, or move southwards to the more open farmland around Seatoller. As you head south by road, look out for a National Trust sign (see p29) to the Bowder Stone , a delicately poised block weighing nearly 2,000 tonnes, which may have fallen from the crags above or been deposited by a glacier millions of years ago. Two attractive hamlets in Borrowdale are Rosthwaite and Stonethwaite . Also worth a detour, preferably on foot, is Watendlath village, off a side road near the famous beauty spot of Ashness Bridge . WALKING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT Typical Lake District stile over dry-stone wall Wastwater Screes Wast- water Scafell Pike 978 m (3,210 ft) Hard Knott 550 m (1,803 ft) Crinkle Crags 924 m (2,816 ft) Blea Ta rn Langdale Pikes Hardknott Pass Eskdale Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway River Duddon Seathwaite Seathwaite Tarn Harter Fell Swirl How Grey Friar Carrs Dow Crag Old Man of Coniston 803 m (2,633 ft) Caw Two long-distance footpaths pass through the Lake District’s most spectacular scenery. The 70 mile (112 km) Cumbrian Way runs from Carlisle to Ulverston via Keswick and Coniston. The western section of the Coast-to-Coast Walk (see pp36–7) passes through this area. There are hundreds of shorter walks along lake shores, nature trails or following more challenging uphill routes. Walkers should stick to paths to avoid erosion, and check weather conditions at National Park information centres. 364 Convivial Wasdale Head Inn at Wasdale Head Wastwater q Wasdale, Cumbria. 3 Whitehaven. n Barrowdale (01768 777294) . A silent reflection of truly awesome surroundings, black, brooding Wastwater is a mysterious, evocative lake. The road from Nether Wasdale continues along its northwest side. Along its eastern flank loom walls of sheer scree over 600 m (2,000 ft) high. Beneath them the water looks inky black, whatever the weather, plunging an icy 80 m (260 ft) from the waterline to the bottom to form England’s deepest lake. You can walk along the screes, but it is an uncomfortable and dangerous scramble. Boating on the lake is banned for conservation reasons, but fishing permits are available from the nearby National Trust camp site. At Wasdale Head lies one of Britain’s grandest views: the austere pyramid of Great Gable, centrepiece of a fine mountain composition, with the huge forms of Scafell and Scafell Pike . The scenery is utterly unspoilt, and the only buildings lie at the far end of the lake: an inn and a tiny church commemorating fallen climbers. Here the road ends, and you must turn back or take to your feet, following signs for Black Sail Pass and Ennerdale, or walk up the grand fells ahead. Wasdale’s irresistible backdrop was the inspiration of the first serious British mountaineers, who flocked here during the 19th century, insouciantly clad in tweed jackets, carrying little more than a length of rope slung over their shoulders. Eskdale w Cumbria. 3 Ravenglass then narrow-gauge railway to Eskdale (Easter–Oct: daily; Dec–Feb: phone to check). www.ravenglass- railway.co.uk n Barrowdale (01768 777294) . www.eskdale.info The pastoral delights of Eskdale are best encountered over the gruelling Hardknott Pass , which is the most taxing drive in the Lake District, with steep gradients. You can pause at the 393-m (1,291-ft) summit to explore the Roman Hardknott Fort or enjoy the lovely view. As you descend into Eskdale, rhododendrons and pines flourish in a landscape of small hamlets, narrow lanes and gentle farmland. The main settle- ments below are the attractive village of Boot and coastal Ravenglass, both with old corn mills. Just south of Ravenglass is the impressive Muncaster Castle , the richly furnished home of the Pennington family. Another way to enjoy the scenery is to take the miniature railway (La’l Ratty) from Ravenglass to Dalegarth. Remains of the Roman Hardknott Fort, Eskdale Walna Scar Old Man of Coniston 803 m (2,633 ft) Buck Pike Dow Crag Swirl How Levers Water Landstones Lord’s Rake Scafell Pike 978 m (3,210 ft) Bow Fell Langdale Pikes: Pike o’Stickle, Harrison Stickle and Sergeant Man Skiddaw 931 m (3,054 ft) Yew Dale Coniston Water Coniston Village Crinkle Crags 924 m (2,816 ft) Tarn Hows Pike o’Blisco Wrynose Fell Little Langdale Great End Elterwater Elterwater Village Little Lang- dale Tarn Grasmere (lake and village) Thirlmere + Muncaster Castle Ravenglass. Tel 01229 717614. Castle # mid-Mar–Oct: Sun–Fri (pm) & public hols. Garden # Feb–Dec: daily. = & 7 ground floor and garden. - www.muncaster.co.uk THE NORTH COUNTRY 365 Autumnal view of Seathwaite, in the Duddon Valley, a popular centre for walkers and climbers Duddon Valley e Cumbria. 3 Foxfield, Ulverston. n The Square, Broughton-in-Furness (01229 716115; Easter–Oct only). www.duddonvalley.co.uk Also known as Dunnerdale, this picturesque tract of countryside inspired 35 of Wordsworth’s sonnets (see p366). The prettiest stretch lies between Ulpha and Cockley Beck. In autumn the colours of heather moors and a light sprinkling of birch trees are particularly beautiful. Stepping stones and bridges span the river at intervals, the most charming being Birk’s Bridge, near Seathwaite. At the south- ern end of the valley, where the River Duddon meets the sea at Duddon Sands, is the pretty village of Broughton- in-Furness. Note the stone slabs used for fish on market day in the square. Langdale r Cumbria. 3 Windermere. n Market Cross, Ambleside (015394 32582). www.southlakeland.gov.uk Stretching from Skelwith Bridge, where the Brathay surges powerfully over water- falls, to the summits of Great Langdale is the two-pronged Langdale Valley. Walkers and climbers throng here to take on Pavey Ark, Pike o’Stickle, Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell . The local mountain rescue teams are the busiest in Britain. Great Langdale is the more spectacular valley and it is often crowded, but quieter Little Langdale has many attractions too. It is worth completing the circuit back to Ambleside via the southern route, stopping at Blea Tarn. Reedy Elterwater is a pictur- esque spot, once a site of the gunpowder industry. Wrynose Pass, west of Little Langdale, climbs to 390 m (1,281 ft), a warm-up for Hardknott Pass further on. At its top is Three Shires Stone, marking the former boundary of the old counties of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire. Hawks- head Rydal Water Heron Pike Fairfield Helvellyn Striding Edge Ambleside Snarker Pike Ullswater Kirkstone Pass Troutbeck High Street High Rise Harter Fell Skeggles Water Tarn Crag Sadgill Selside Brow Green Quarter Fell Kentmere Troutbeck Bridge Windermere Windermere Town A592 A591 Sprint Kirkstone Chimney Stony Cove Pike LANCASHIRE AND THE LAKES 366 THE NORTH COUNTRY Rydal Water, one of the major attractions of the Lake District Grasmere and Rydal t Cumbria. Grasmere * 700. Rydal * 100. c Grasmere. n Central Buildings, Market Cross, Ambleside (015394 32582). www.lake-district.gov.uk The poet William Wordsworth lived in both these villages on the shores of two lakes. Fair- field, Nab Scar and Loughrigg Fell rise steeply above their reedy shores and offer good opportunities for walking. Grasmere is now a sizable set- tlement, and the famous Gras- mere sports (see p358) attract large crowds every August. The Wordsworth family is buried in St Oswald’s Church, and crowds flock to the annual ceremony of strewing the church’s earth floor with fresh rushes. Most visitors head for Dove Cottage , where the poet spent his most creative years. The museum in the barn be - hind includes such artefacts as the great man’s socks. The Wordsworths moved to a larger house, Rydal Mount , in Rydal in 1813 and lived here until 1850. The grounds have waterfalls and a summerhouse. Dora’s Field nearby is a blaze of daffodils in spring and Fair- field Horseshoe offers an energetic, challenging walk. The tiny Bridge House over Stock Beck in Ambleside Ambleside y Cumbria. * 3,400. c n Central Buildings, Market Cross (015394 32582). ( Wed. www.lake-district.gov.uk Ambleside has good road connections to all parts of the Lakes and is an attractive base, especially for walkers and climbers. Mainly Victorian in character, it has a good range of outdoor clothing, crafts and specialist food shops. An enterprising little cinema and a summer classical music festival add life in the evenings. Sights in town are small-scale: the remnants of the Roman fort of Galava, AD 79, Stock Ghyll Force waterfall and Bridge House , now a National Trust information centre. Environs: Within easy reach of Ambleside is the wooded Rothay valley. At nearby Troutbeck is the restored farmhouse of Townend , dating from 1626, whose interior gives an insight into Lakeland domestic life. WILLIAM WORDSWORTH (1770–1850) Best known of the Romantic poets, Wordsworth was born in the Lake District and spent most of his life there. After school in Hawkshead and a period at Cambridge, a legacy enabled him to pursue his literary career. He settled at Dove Cottage with his sister Dorothy and in 1802 married an old school friend, Mary Hutchinson. They lived simply, walking, bringing up their children and receiving visits from poets such as Coleridge and de Quincey. Wordsworth’s prose works include one of the earliest guidebooks to the Lake District. E Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum Off A591 nr Grasmere. Tel 015394 35544. # daily. ¢ 24–26 Dec, mid-Jan–mid-Feb. & 8 - = www.wordsworth.org.uk E Rydal Mount Rydal. Tel 015394 33002. # Mar– Oct: daily; Nov–Feb: Wed–Mon. ¢ 25–26 Dec. & 7 limited. = 367LANCASHIRE AND THE LAKES BEATRIX POTTER AND THE LAKE DISTRICT Although best known for her child- ren’s stories with characters such as Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle- duck, which she also illustrated, Beatrix Potter (1866–1943) became a champion of conservation in the Lake District after moving there in 1906. She married William Heelis, devoted herself to farming, and was an expert on Herdwick sheep. To conserve her beloved countryside, she donated land to the National Trust. Cover illustration of Jemima Puddleduck (1908) Windermere u Cumbria. 3 Windermere. c Victoria St. n Victoria St (015394 46499) or Glebe Rd, Bowness- on-Windermere (015394 42895). At over 10 miles (16 km) long, this dramatic watery expanse is England’s largest mere. Industrial magnates built mansions around its shores long before the railway arrived. Stately Brockhole , now a national park visitor centre, was one such grand estate. When the railway reached Windermere in 1847, it enabled crowds of workers to visit the area on day trips. Today, a year-round car ferry service connects the lake’s east and west shores (it runs between Ferry Nab and Ferry House), and summer steamers link Lakeside, Bowness and Ambleside on the north-south axis. Belle Isle, a wooded island on which a unique round house stands, is one of the lake’s most attractive features, but landing is not permitted. Fell Foot Park is at the south end of the lake, and there are good walks on the northwest shore. A quite stunning viewpoint is Orrest Head 238 m (784 ft) northeast of Windermere town. Environs: Bowness-on- Windermere, on the east shore, is a popular centre. Many of its buildings display Victorian details, and St Martin’s Church dates back to the 15th century. The Blackwell Arts and Crafts House is one of Britain’s most beautiful houses from the early 20th century. It still boasts all of its original features. The Windermere Steamboat Museum has a collection of superbly restored craft, and one of these, Swallow, makes regular lake trips. The World of Beatrix Potter recreates her characters in an exhibition, and a film tells her life story. Beatrix Potter wrote many of her books at Hill Top , the 17th-century farmhouse at Near Sawrey, northwest of Windermere. The house is furnished with many of Potter’s possessions and left as it was in her lifetime. The Beatrix Potter Gallery in Hawkshead holds annual exhibitions of her manuscripts and illustrations. Boats moored along the shore at Ambleside, the north end of Windermere E Townend (NT) Troutbeck, Windermere. Tel 015394 32628. # Apr–Oct: Wed– Sun; Sun & bank hol Mon: pm. & n Brockhole Visitor Centre On A591. Tel 015394 40800. # Feb–Nov: daily. 7 - = Y Fell Foot Park (NT) Newby Bridge. Tel 015395 31273. # daily. 7 - P Blackwell Arts and Crafts House Bowness-on-Windermere. Tel 015394 46139. # daily. & - E Windermere Steamboat Museum Rayrigg Rd, Windermere. Tel 015394 45565. ¢ for refurbishment – call to check. & 8 7 - = E World of Beatrix Potter The Old Laundry, Crag Brow. Tel 015394 88444. # daily. ¢ 25 Dec, mid-Jan–mid-Feb. & - 7 = P Hill Top (NT) Near Sawrey, Ambleside. Tel 015394 36269. # Feb–Oct: Sat–Thu (house); Feb–Dec: daily (garden). & E Beatrix Potter Gallery (NT) The Square, Hawkshead. Tel 015394 36355. # Feb–Oct: Sat–Thu. & = For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp582–585 and pp635–638 [...]... Abbot’s house Cloister Kitchen Monks’ infirmary hall Refectory Fountains Hall Built by Sir Stephen Proctor around 1611, with stones from the abbey ruins, its design is attributed to architect Robert Smythson It included a great < /b> hall with a minstrels’ gallery and an entrance flanked by Classical columns Fountains Mill is one of the finest monastic watermills in Britain < /b> Lay brothers’ infirmary Lay brothers’... Fountains Abbey 7 See pp390–91 Ripon’s Wakeman, blowing his horn in the Market Square 390 T H E Fountains Abbey N O R T H C O U N T R Y 7 Nestling in the wooded valley of the River Skell are the extensive sandstone ruins of Fountains Abbey and the outstanding water garden of Studley Royal Fountains Abbey was founded by Benedictine monks in 1132 and taken over by Cistercians three years later By the mid-12th... mid-12th century it had become the wealthiest abbey in Britain,< /b> though it fell into ruin during the Dissolution (see p50) In 1720, John Aislabie, the MP for Ripon and Chancellor of the Exchequer, developed the land and forest of the abbey ruins He began work, continued by his son William, on the famous water garden, statuary and Classical temples in the grounds Studley Royal and the Abbey became World Heritage... Salvation Army home at Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane (both outside the city centre), as well as the boys’ old homes The most visited site is Mathew Street, near Moorfields Station, where the Cavern Club first throbbed to the Mersey Beat The original site is now a shopping arcade, but the bricks have been used to create a replica Nearby are statues of the Beatles and Eleanor Rigby 377 VISITORS’ CHECKLIST... abbeys are Rievaulx and the magnificent Fountains The medieval city of York is a major attraction, as are Yorkshire’s beaches The Humber region is characterized by the softer, rolling countryside of the Wolds, and its nature reserves attract enormous quantities of birds Rosedale village in the North York Moors SIGHTS AT A GLANCE Bempton and Flamborough Head h Beverley j Bradford n Burton Agnes g Burton... Bradford n Burton Agnes g Burton Constable k Byland Abbey 0 Castle Howard pp398–9 s Coxwold q Eden Camp d Fountains Abbey pp390–91 7 Grimsby x Halifax Harewood House v Harrogate 3 Haworth m Hebden Bridge , Helmsley e Holderness and Spurn Head z Hutton-le-Hole y Kingston upon Hull l Knaresborough 4 Leeds b Magna @ Mount Grace Priory t National Coal Mining Museum / Newby Hall 6 North York Moors u North... sites in 1986 THE ABBEY The abbey buildings were designed to reflect the Cistercians’ desire for simplicity and austerity The abbey frequently dispensed charity to the poor and the sick, as well as travellers The Chapel of Nine Altars at the east end of the church was built from 1203 to 1247 It is ornate, compared to the rest of the abbey, with an 18-m (60-ft) high window complemented by another at the... PENRITH Thwaite Hardraw Hawes E WENSL YD LE A A6108 83 9 A6 Swale Castle Bolton 25 B6 A6 8 4 B6 270 Reeth Middleham A684 25 5 Aysgarth Exploring Swaledale B6 Masham DALE FE R A 160 WH B6 WINDERMERE 9 B 6 47 A6 5 Greenhow Hill Grassington Settle B6 B6 26 Bolton Abbey le A65 KEY Skipton Major road Minor road Other roads National Park boundary 0 kilometres 0 miles Swaledale’s prosperity was founded largely... sport Liver Bird on the and its universities Liverpool was the Royal Liver Building Capital of Culture in 2008 Victorian ironwork, restored and polished, at Albert Dock Exploring Liverpool Liverpool’s waterfront by the Pier Head, guarded by the mythical Liver Birds (a pair of cormorants with seaweed in their beaks) on the Royal Liver Building, is one of the most easily recognized in Britain < /b> Nearby are the... Ribble Valley h Lancashire 3 Clitheroe n Market Place, Clitheroe (01200 425566) ( Tue, Thu, Sat www.ribblevalley.gov.uk Clitheroe, a small market town with a hilltop castle, is a good centre for exploring the Ribble Valley’s rivers and old villages, such as Slaidburn Ribchester has a Roman Museum, and there is a ruined Cistercian abbey at Whalley To the east is 560 m (1,830 ft) Pendle Hill, with a Bronze . REVISED Visit traveldk.com to plan your trip, book online and receive exclusive offers. GREAT BRITAIN EYEWITNESS TRAVEL Discover more at traveldk.com PRINTED IN CHINA GREAT BRITAIN EYEWITNESS TRAVEL “No. along the screes, but it is an uncomfortable and dangerous scramble. Boating on the lake is banned for conservation reasons, but fishing permits are available from the nearby National Trust. shopping arcade, but the bricks have been used to create a replica. Nearby are statues of the Beatles and Eleanor Rigby. Albert Dock quay beside the River Mersey Albert Dock n 0151 708 7334.