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Cumbria is the home of the Lake District, a wonderful area of mountains, forests and lakes where is possible to walk fro miles without meeting another human being. There are small, attractive towns such as Windermere, Ambleside and Keswick and numerous small villages and isolated farms and cottages. There are also towns on the edge of the Lake District such as the market town of Cockermouth, where Wordsworth was born, and Ravenglass, on the coast. Grange-over-Sands is an attractive seaside resort and the ruins of Furness Abbey are impressive. Not too far away is the lively town of Carlisle.
A short way across the sea, accessible by ferry from Liverpool or by air from various airports, is the magical Isle of Man. This is a place where fairies still lurk beneath enchanted bridges and pretty cottages nestle beside castles. The coves and glens have a beauty all of their own and the transport system alone is something else, encompassing horse-drawn carriages, steam trains and little electric trains running along the coast. For motor cycle enthusiasts the Manx Grand Prix and TT Races are a great attraction. For visitors at other times, there is peace and tranquillity found in few places.
Lancashire has often been painted as a county of grim industrial towns, but it has some beautiful countryside. The lovely Ribble Valley is unrivalled, as are many of the pretty Pennine villages nestling in the undulating countryside of East Lancashire. The coast offers a different sort of attraction, ranging from the lively night spots of Blackpool to the more sedate attractions of Southport and other small resorts. The south west of Lancashire and northern Merseyside also have attractive woods, villages and farming communities and the whole area is within easy range of the two great cities of Manchester and Liverpool.
A little further south is the Wirral peninsula and Cheshire. There are many attractive towns and villages – places such as Knutsford and Wilmslow, or the ancient city of Chester, a perfect base from which to explore North Wales.