Christmas is right around the corner – and now marks the perfect time to start planning that getaway you’ve been dreaming about. Once you’ve spent weeks upon weeks buying presents, stocking up the fridge with food and decorating your home, you’ll no doubt want – and deserve – to enjoy a slower pace of life at some point over the festive season. This is exactly why you should set your sights on a trip to the Lake District. The region is a popular destination at any time of year, but there’s just something extra special about it over Christmas. Wherever you plan on staying, here’s what you need to factor into your perfect festive break
Family time…
Christmas is about the family. That’s why when you set your sights on leaving it all behind for a few days, you’ll of course want the kids to be with you! Luckily, there are an abundance of things for youngsters to do in the Lake District. Your children – and more than likely you, too – could do with putting down the gadgets and experiencing some quality time with the people that matter. The Lake District provides this opportunity with its array of outdoors activities. In fact, it’s perfect to reconnect with your offspring before they had back to school in January. A long frost-covered walk should do the trick.
…the whole family, that is!
Don’t forget the dog! It can probably feel like your four-legged friend gets a bit lost in the mix over Christmas. After all, you’ve probably been so rushed off your feet that walks with your pooch have fallen on the backburner. It’s time to turn this around during your festive getaway. You’ll soon find that the majority of accommodation sites in the Lake District don’t just accept guests with dogs, they welcome them with open arms! This means that the whole family can be together over Christmas, thanks to pet friendly hotels.
The atmosphere
Christmas is celebrated on a big, but manageable, scale in the Lake District. What does this mean? Well, it means that you’ll still see decorated trees and twinkling lights – but it will be nowhere near as aggressive as in the bigger towns and cities across the country. Instead, you can expect more of an emphasis on the traditional aspects of Christmas; things like carols, burning log fires, holly and fresh wreaths. Essentially, it’s not far from the type of winter wonderland that Bing Crosby used to sing about.
Image by Lee Dyer via Flickr
The activities
You’ll certainly never be short of things to do in the Lake District over Christmas. In the north, tourist attractions remain open throughout the season, with an added festive touch. For instance, Lowther Castle and Gardens in Penrith still welcomes visitors, as does the historic Dalemain Mansion for most of December.
Image by traveljunction via Flickr
On the other hand, you don’t always need much more than the sprawling countryside – especially if you’re staying in the north of the Lake District. Popular places such as Ullswater offer some of the most picturesque views in the entire country. In fact, possibly the best Christmas present you can give yourself is the landscape that you gaze upon when standing on the hill-top after completing the district’s Aira Force Glencoyne Farm trail.
Accommodation
You’ll truly be spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation in the Lake District over Christmas. There are guesthouses, hotels, rustic lodges and bed & breakfasts to choose from – just to name a few! Of course, you shouldn’t spend too long pondering your decision; the region is so ideal for a festive break that many people all have the same idea and places book up fast.
Image by SwaloPhoto via Flickr