There’s so much to see in this welcoming market town. With its incredible mountain backdrop and Derwent Water, Keswick is the gateway for walking, sailing and scenery. Explore Derwent Water on the Keswick Launch, or enjoy the stunning lake views from the National Trust’s Friar’s Crag walk.

A lively town with a plentiful selection of outdoor equipment shops and a very popular Saturday market, it boasts three parks and two museums.

Aira Force is a showcase for the power and beauty of nature; it’s a place to escape the ordinary.

For 300 years visitors have been drawn here, where rainwater runs from the fells into Aira Beck and thunders in one 65-foot leap over the falls. Yet, Aira Force is much more than an impressive waterfall.

A network of trails weaves its way from Ullswater lakeshore to Gowbarrow summit, passing towering Himalayan firs, rare red squirrels, woodland glades, picnic spots and views out across Ullswater. You can start your day in Glenridding and arrive by boat, taking in the sights of Ullswater Valley along the way, then stroll back to Glenridding through Glencoyne Park and along the lakeshore.

Ullswater valley is truly breathtaking, with its beautiful lake nestled amongst towering fells. The epic scenery and relative underdevelopment compared to other areas of the Lake District gives Ullswater a secluded and tranquil feel.

Glenridding can be found at the foot of the famous Kirkstone Pass at the southern end of Ullswater Lake and it is the main centre for the Ullswater area.

Glenridding was once the centre of the lead mining industry, now this is in the past, the area is mainly for the tourists who come to view one of the most beautiful areas in the Lakes.

Very popular with walkers with many walks to suit all levels from the easy to the more demanding. One reason a lot of walkers come here is to do the classic Helvellyn walk along Striding Edge. A walk not for the fainted hearted with Helvellyn reaching a height of 3,116ft (950m).

Close to Glenridding, at the foot of Ullswater is the small village of Patterdale – another popular area for walkers for Helvellyn and the surrounding fells and peaks.

In the village is St. Patrick’s Church, by the Victorian architect Anthony Salvin. It contains notable tapestries by Ann Macbeth (who lived in the village from 1921 until her death in 1943). Salvin was also the architect of Patterdale Hall, originally home to the Mounseys who were described as ‘the kings of Patterdale’. It is now an outdoor education centre.

The village caters today largely for walkers and day trippers. To the south of the village the main road winds its way up and across Kirkstone Pass to Ambleside and Troutbeck.