The Lake District is England's largest National Parks, approximately 34 miles wide and some 885 square miles in area. It's also home to England's tallest mountain - the imposing Scafell Pike - and England's deepest lake - the beautiful Wastwater - as well as England's longest body of freshwater - Lake Windemere.
Some well-known towns include Keswick, Ambleside and Bowness-on-Windermere by the lakes, and of course Kendal, which is on the South East boundary of the designated National Park area. Kendal is also the town where the Lake District World Heritage Project, chaired by Cumbria County Council, is based.
If the Lakes does become a World Heritage Site this will be a natural progression from the first travel book, published in 1778 by Celia Fiennes. This was the time when the Lakes began to exert its huge and unique impact on the people of Britain - and, of course, the world.
Later in the 18th century, Thomas West produced his "Guide to the Lakes", with its listings of 'stations' (viewpoints). This really marked the beginning of modern tourism in the Lakes.
But it took the efforts of renowned artists, poets, writers, and even thinkers like John Ruskin, who drew inspiration from the area, to really introduce the Lake District to the world. The impact of their work encouraged others to think about the way in which landscape, the environment and even nature itself could be viewed.
Another book which would influence the popularity of the region was written by one of Cumberland's (as it was then known) very famous sons, William Wordsworth, in 1810: his "Guide to the Lakes". Wordsworth made no secret of the fact that his favourite place was the Duddon Valley in the south-west of the Lake District.
The massive impact of the Lake District on the culture of Britain might result in the granting of World Heritage Site status. World Heritage Sites are considered to have "outstanding universal value" - that is, almost to be be unique - and there can be no denying that the Lake District is certainly unique!
As well as being associated with historic literature and art, the Lake District is a superb place to live and work. The farming families who have lived there over the generations have shaped and moulded the landscape we all know and love today.
This is an extremely exciting time for Cumbria and its residents. The Government could make its submission to UNESCO, for all or part of the National Park to become a World Heritage Site in 2011, one of 878 other throughout the world.
While World Heritage Site status doesn't bring the monetary reward of, say, a Nobel Prize, it is nevertheless a major trophy which, in ranking the Lake District alongside the existing list of Heritage Sites of the World, would have a major impact on the region, both social and economic.
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A complete guide to the Lakes can be found at The the Lake District Guide where you can find comprehensive listings of hotels and other accommodation, cafes and restaurants, and all the best visitor attractions.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
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