Cumbria - short break

[WomaninGreen]

hi all
wonder if anyone can advise on this area

if we want to visit Cumbria, from London, by train, mostly just to walk and look at nature - what's the best part to visit? North, South, Eden Valley?

Ideally like for everything to be as compact as possible so just for nice scenic walks. No rushing about. Self catering preference. I realise there's bound to be a taxi from a station involved but apart from that I'd like to walk everywhere.

thank you for any suggestions. If you have any b&b recs, even better!

If you’re going by train I think you can go into Kendal or Penrith or up to Carlisle, so I would probably take that as a starting point. I don’t live up there but I would think it was a pain without a car.

However havea look at HF holidays they have a hotel on Derwent Water where they run walking/family/activity holidays do would organise all additional travel for you. I’ve been on quite a few of their holidays and they’re excellent.

thanks Didus, I'll have a look

just in case anyone sees this and wants extra info, I was hoping for a place with just walks and even one pub, so relaxing rather than any additional travel to specific places.

In that case I would do the train to Penrith and then take a taxi and stay somewhere around Keswick. I really fancy this place:

www.cottages.com/cottages/valley-crest-uk1191

Think I could just look at that view all day. I love the Lake District

thanks Didius, that looks fab!

I would suggest Ambleside. You can get to Windermere by train and from there take a bus or taxi. Ambleside is lovely with plenty of appealing shops and restaurants and lots of local walks. There are regular bus services in summer so you can, for example, walk to Grasmere which is also lovely but smaller, and then take the bus back. There are plenty of places to stay, hotels, B&Bs and self-catering in the village.

This website shows some of the walks:

www.walkingenglishman.com/lakesambleside.html

Mid Cumbria and S Lakes is quite well connected by train and bus. There's the 555 Lakes bus which goes all over the place. I second Ambleside!

thanks...making notes on all this.

about to disappear into the hell of the Underground but will be researching all these, thanks so much.