Coniston Boating Centre Live Cam

Most experts agree that there are sixteen lakes in the Lake District. There are many other pieces of water, called tarns. Although some tarns are bigger than one of the so-called lakes, most of the tarns, however, are very small, and some are not even named.

The Lakeland artist W. Heaton-Cooper paints or draws 103 of the tarns in his classic study The Tarns of Lakeland, published in 1960. One of them, Tarn Hows, is probably more visited than any of the lakes, and Brothers Water and Devoke Water are larger than the smallest 'lake'. He has also written 'The Lakes' in which he reveals his personal delights as a painter in his native countryside, as well as a large amount of information about the 17 English Lakes (he includes Brothers Water). He takes the reader through and beyond the obvious pleasures of exploring the Lakes into the story of the life and people that have and still do live and work beside the, There are 81 illustrations, 17 in colour. Both these books may be obtained from the Heaton Cooper Studio in Grasmere.

At Keswick you can watch sheepdog demonstrations by an International Sheep Dog Handler, who has appeared on the BBC programme, 'One Man and His Dog'. Several Open Farms now specialise in rare breeds of cows, sheep and pigs.

The Cartmel Valley, with its gentle and attractive landscape of lush green fields, lazy rolling hills, and the climate advantageously modified by the gulf stream, makes a perfect base for a holiday, and from here the whole of the Lake District, the Kent and Lune Valleys, and the Yorkshire Dales, can be explored and enjoyed.

Grange End and Carree Cottage are pleasantly unaffected by the influx of tourism that can crowd the more central parts of the Lake District. This historic Southern Lake District Valley offers a very wide range of local Cumbrian attractions, from award winning restaurants & pubs, to gentle strolls through a medieval village or a coastal walk around "Humphrey Head".

Morecambe Bay, with it's vast areas of sand and marshes is a popular haunt for bird watchers, as is nearby Leighton Moss bird sanctuary.

Whilst staying at one of our cottages golfers can enjoy a round at a choice of two nearby courses, and Cark railway station is but a four minute walk away, offering many easy day trip destinations as it transports you along the picturesque coastal Rail Route.

Three of the top seven Cumbrian visitor attractions are within a ten minute drive; the Haverthwaite to Lakeside Steam Railway connects you to the awaiting Windermere Lake Cruise Ships, which travel the full 10 miles of the lake, dropping you (for collection later of-course) at Waterhead or Bowness, whilst The Aquarium of the Lakes, also at Lakeside, gives you a good idea what lurks in the water below! Within 20 miles of the cottages there are 32 further places of interest listed by the English Tourist Board catering for all tastes, including Holker Hall, Cumbria's premier stately home (the home of Lord & Lady Cavendish) within easy walking distance at the edge of the village, and the unique South Lakes Wild Animal Park at Dalton.

Morecambe Bay provides interesting walks around the grassy headlands.