The Lake District has always been thought of as a popular holiday destination in the north of England.  Historically it was where only visitors interested in outdoor activities headed, popular for its mountains, or fells as they are known locally and lakes.  This is still the case, however today it is also popular with visitors on a quest for a more chilled out luxury break and with those interested in literary history and the 19^th century writers and poets such as Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth.

Wordsworth lived the most significant parts of his life close to the lakes and there are a considerable number of places for visitors with an interest in his life to visit, amongst them Dove Cottage in Grasmere and Rydal Mount.  Rydal is the site of ‘Dora’s Field’ where Wordsworth intended to build a family home, the house was never built and when his treasured daughter died Wordsworth and his family planted the site with daffodils in rememberance of her.  The field is now owned but the National Trust, and if you visit in spring you will be welcomed with a magnificent sight of thousands of daffodils in all their glory, sit here and wonder if the poet himself came here to recite his most famous verse .

I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils

There are of course a large number of other places in the Lake District to visit; one of the most popular is the market town of Keswick.  Situated right on Derwent Water, Keswick has become a place to base exlorations of the northern lakes of the Lake District National Park.  The area is great for both relaxing and exhilarating activities for all ages and from here it is possible to discover the mountains of Scarfell Pile and Skiddaw, explore the surrounding towns and villages as well as visiting some other beautiful lakes.

For visitors staying in the area a Keswick hotel can be anything from a clean and comfortable bed and breakfast to a superior Keswick country house hotel with sweeping grounds and lake views.  The Swinside Lodge Hotel Keswick is a hotel which comes highly recommended.  Situated in beautiful  gardens this Georgian country house hotel has been included as one of the Sunday Times’ top eleven Valentines Day hotels, making it an ideal romantic retreat . If you enjoy wildlife the hotel has its own resident red squirrels and pheasants or just a five minute stroll away are the shores of the Derwent Water and a regular boat service around the lake.  Other popular Keswick hotels include the traditional Borrowdale Hotel in the Borrowdale Valley, the refined Victorian Keswick Country House Hotel set in large grounds, the amazing Lodore Falls Hotel with lake views and its own falls and the Skiddaw Hotel situated in the heart of the town.

Whichever of the Keswick hotels you decide to choose, your stay will be just what you need for a romantic break, exhilarating hiking holiday or a literary trail in the footsteps of Wordsworth.

Enjoy an Easter with a difference and a great Pine Sunday too, by helping one of the Lake District’s most colourful characters – Sammy the Squirrel – hunt for the treasured pine cones that he hid before going into hibernation!

Sammy – mascot of iconic Lake District cruise company, Ullswater ‘Steamers’ – hid a stash of pine cones in various locations around his favourite lake before the hard, long winter set in. The hungry red squirrel is now eager to find them again, but needs the help of children and their families.

Anyone travelling with Ullswater ‘Steamers’ between April 3 and 20 can help locate a pine cone, and win a prize, by finding the clues on wildlife cards hidden in the ‘Steamers’ Lake Guides. They can then head to the online competition page at www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk to enter their answer and potentially win one of 50 prizes.

Ullswater ‘Steamers’, in conjunction with the Lake District conservation and nature project, Flora of the Fells, will also be running a real treasure hunt around Ullswater on April 15.

Prizes will be available on the day to those heading to the Ullswater ‘Steamers’ pier at Glenridding and signing up for the treasure hunt, by paying a £1 donation to conservation in the Lake District. Each entrant who returns a ticket with one of the hidden pine cones will win a prize, with up to 40 prizes available.

Both fun treasure hunts will enable visitors to learn more about local wildlife, as the wildlife cards highlight some of the characteristics of Red Squirrels, Holly Blue butterflies, Oyster Catchers, Nut Hatches and the Marsh Marigold.

Ullswater ‘Steamers’ cruises will be operating as usual throughout Easter, providing an idyllic cruise in some of Britain’s most stunning scenery. A return trip cruise lasting 70-minutes, from either Glenridding at the foot of the lake, or Pooley Bridge at its top, to Howtown costs £9.00 for an adult, £4.50 for a child, or £24.00 for a family.

A family ticket covers two adults and up to three children (aged 5-15) or one adult and three children. Under 5s travel free.

To find out how to make your Easter revolve around pine cones rather than eggs, visit www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk or call 01768 82229.

As British Pie Week (March 1-7) is celebrated all over the country, one Western Lake District village is laying claim to the title of Britain’s Favourite Pie Parish and to the creation of a new tourism niche – Pie Tourism.

The village of Gosforth, near England’s highest mountain (Scafell) and its deepest lake (Wastwater) is enticing holiday makers seeking a pie-fect experience that combines one of the country’s favourite dishes with a unique blend of other attractions.

The Gosforth Hall Inn first put a Supper Pie on its menu in January 2008. The Steak, Bacon and Mushroom pie, filled to the brim with local Lakeland steak slow-cooked for at least four hours, proved a huge hit and added to the village’s existing ‘lunch time pie’ offer from Gill Unsworth’s bakery.

The creator of the Supper Pie, Rod Davies, decided his inn should experiment with other pies. These were seen as perfect food choices into which walkers, cyclists, foodies and other visitors could tuck in after a fabulous day out enjoying ‘Britain’s Favourite View’ – Wastwater, just a few miles from Gosforth -and the stunning scenery all around.

Along with wife Barbara, Rod set about concocting delicious pie varieties for his Inn’s menu and now offers a rotating selection of pies, including Wild Boar with Wholegrain Mustard, Moroccan Lamb, Wild Game and Plum, Pulled Pork and Sweet Chilli, Venison and Haggis and Broccoli and Stilton.

All of these can be washed down with four real ales, at least three of which are always Cumbrian, served by an inn that was the 2008 runner-up in the CAMRA Pub of the Year awards.

Rod has new served up 4630 pies since the Supper Pie concept’s creation and attracts pie lovers from locations worldwide. The legendary pies turned out by the village are promoted by word-of-mouth recommendation, but Rod also operates a quirky Royal Ale Bus. This former Royal Mail vehicle is now sign-painted with the words “Up Hills, Down Dales, Rod’s Pies and Real Ales.”

Operating a mini-bus system to help pie lovers reach the village more easily, Rod is not only putting Pie Tourism on the map, but also keeping a pie-chart of his sales, which are escalating with each passing month.

The village’s success in attracting pie aficionados is assisted by a number of fabulous facts relating to the area. Whilst “Britain’s Favourite View” is a big draw, the village Churchyard also boasts the tallest ancient cross in England. This 14-foot high cross is carved with a mix of Christian and Viking symbols and depicts both the Crucifixion and the pagan God Loki.

This relic of the Viking era is joined in the Churchyard by Europe’s most northerly Cork Tree, planted in 1833, a listed-building tool-shed built of stones from the original Church and two 10th Century Hogback tombstones in St Mary’s Church itself.

Archaeological digs at the Gosforth Hall Inn have so far revealed a sunken Norse Hall (920 AD), and a Victorian path running through the grounds.

The Hall itself was built in 1658. A tight-fisted gentleman called Copley reputedly refused to pay the Royal Herald for his coat of arms, inventing his own instead (now hanging in the bar), and built the upper storeys from the timbers of ships wrecked on the Irish Sea coast.

There is no Room 8 – this being continuously sought by a ghostly monk frequently seen sitting by a Priest’s Hole in Room 11, which leads to the fireplace in the bar – an escape route used by the Catholic Copleys.

Pie lovers hungry for more than just fabulous food, are satisfying their appetites by feeding on the rich history of the Western Lake District. This includes Roman occupations at nearby Ravenglass and Hardknott, as well as Roman activity in the Eskdale Valley. This is explored by the Steam and Romans experiences organised by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.

There is also the legend of St Bega and early Christianity within the area, to add to the historical backdrop ,and visitors can also revel in the area’s unique traditions, such as the annual gurning Championships, staged in Egremont.

Others are building up the appetite by following one of the Gosforth Walks described by a book of that name.

Rod Davies says: “We really believe that, as a village, we have invented the concept of Pie Tourism here in Gosforth and are delighted that so many people are making a pie pilgrimage to reach us here.”

Western Lake District Tourism Director, Katie Read, says: “We have pie loving walkers and cyclists staying in Cyclists Welcome and Walkers Welcome accommodation like The Pennington hotel in Ravenglass. These visitors are expending their energy enjoying our rugged gems landscape and cool coast by day and heading to Gosforth to devour their choice of pie come supper time. It’s the perfect combination of food and travel and it’s very much thanks to Rod’s fabulous Supper Pie invention.”

More information about the Western Lake District can be found at www.western-lakedistrict.co.uk The Gosforth Hall Hotel website is at www.gosforthhallhotel.co.uk

The South Lakeland Tourism Action Group is enticing visitors with a round-the-clock teaser that demonstrates the wide variety of activities and pleasures on offer in an area stretching from the market town of Kendal, to the peaceful, sunset-filled coastal resorts around Morecambe Bay.

A sample itinerary of what to do at different times of day is making it easy for visitors to put their own ideas together, once they have appreciated some of the must-do activities.

05:30 – 07:30 The Dawn Chorus

May is the ideal month in which to listen to the dawn chorus, but this year there is a very special way of doing this. Rydal Mount – William Wordsworth’s home for 37 years – is offering its first dawn chorus experience. This will take place at 05.30 Sunday, May 2 and involves listening to the calls of birds in the gardens, which could include woodpeckers, robins and nuthatches. Participants will also hear some of Wordsworth’s nature poems, such as To the Cuckoo and To the Skylark, read out loud in the stunning gardens, which he landscaped himself. The serving of a breakfast bap, filled with locally produced bacon, and some scrumptious hot chocolate, will complete the fabulous experience, priced at £6 per person, with the option of visiting the house for an additional £1.50. Pre-booking is essential and places limited, so call Rose on 015394 33002 to book a place. Visit www.rydalmount.co.uk for general information.

11:00 Elevenses

There are many atmospheric eateries in the South Lakes, but in ancient Kendal many are yards better when it comes to historical origins. Kendal’s Yards are narrow lanes leading into yards off the main street. At one time there were around 150, many named after the owner of the house that stood at the end. Others buzzed with trades such as weaving and dying, which arose from the town’s wool trade. In Yard 11, you will find the Joshua Tree Licensed Café and Bistro, housed in one of Kendal’s oldest buildings, dating from the 1620s and complete with oak beams, wooden floors and real log fire. Everything here is home cooked and locally sourced and, on fine days, you can enjoy your treats in the cobbled courtyard.

13.00 Historic Castle

Sizergh Castle, south of Kendal, has a medieval tower dating from the mid 1300s and was a potent symbol of the power of the Strickland family in medieval times. The castle has exceptional Elizabethan oak panelling in the Inlaid Chamber – a magnificent state bedchamber. There is also impressive oak furniture, stunning portraits and beautiful furnishings.

The gardens include an orchard, an herbaceous border, a unique rock garden, a wild garden, terrace, lake, lawn, Dutch garden and Great Barn. Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sizergh for more details. Sizergh is open every day except Friday and Saturday, from March 14 – October 31 between the hours of 11.00 and 17.00 for the garden and 12.00 and 17.00 for the house.

14.00 Rockpool Discovery

At two o’clock, every day, visitors to Lakes Aquarium, on Windermere’s southern shore near Newby Bridge, can enjoy Rockpool Discovery Sessions. These focus on the creatures living in rockpools around Morecambe Bay, providing new insights for adults and children alike. These talks, as well as interactive otter talks and feeding and Morecambe Bay talks (three times a day), are included in the admission price, which is £8.95 for adults, £5.95 for children and from £26.95 for a family. Up to 20 per cent can be saved by buying tickets online at www.lakesaquarium.co.uk where all details about this global-themed, freshwater attraction can be found. Lakes Aquarium can be visited by car, by boat, via the Windermere Lakes Cruises service to Lakeside (www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk) and via the trains run by the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway (www.lakesiderailway.co.uk)

15.00 Afternoon Tea

There are many wonderful places to enjoy a brew with a view in the South Lakes, one of the most tempting being the tea room at Blackwell – the Arts and Crafts house – near Bowness. Here, you can enjoy a pot of tea and homemade scone, served with fruit jam and fresh whipped cream, for just £3.85 per person. The breathtaking view on offer stretches down over Blackwell’s beautifully manicured lawns, to the sparkling waters of Windermere below. A joy at any time, this is particularly blissful when afternoon tea is served on the garden terrace. Blackwell’s beauty is as deep internally as externally, so make sure you tour the house to appreciate some of the finest examples of craftsmanship that the Arts and Crafts movement can boast. The house is open daily from 10.30 – 17.00 and entrance costs £6.50 for adults, £3.80 for children and £17.25 for a family. Visitors can enjoy afternoon tea free of admission charge. Visit www.blackwell.org.uk for more details.

17.00 Wordsworth

In the last year of the 1700s, poet William Wordsworth took up residence at Dove Cottage, in Grasmere and it was here where he composed some of his most famous poetry, including the Daffodils poem. Tours of the cottage allow the visitor to appreciate the lifestyle of Wordsworth and his family, with many artefacts still on show. The neighbouring Wordsworth Museum stages special exhibitions throughout the year and always has displays of Wordsworth family possessions that offer great insights into the existence that William enjoyed within Cumbria.
Dove Cottage is open every day. Entrance to both cottage and Wordsworth Museum and Art Gallery costs £7.50 for an adult, £4.50 for a child (under 6s free) and £17.20 for two adults and two children, or one adult and three children. Visit www.wordsworth.org.uk for more details.

18.00 Evening Prayer

Around 60,000 visitors a year make their way to The Priory Church of St Mary and St Michael, in the village of Cartmel, to enjoy some quiet contemplation, or partake in a service at this medieval priory, founded in the 12th century by Augustine monks. The beautiful church has been described as “the most beautiful church in the north-west” (Simon Jenkins – England’s Thousand Best Churches’.) Evening Prayer services are held at 18.00 Tuesday to Saturday, with an Evensong service at 6.30 pm every Sunday from the end of March to the end of October (and at 15.30pm the rest of the year). Guided tours of the priory are also available on Wednesdays at 11.00 and 14.00 and cost £2.50 for adults and £1 for children. Visit www.cartmelpriory.org.uk for more details.

19.30 Dinner

There are many famous places at which to dine in the South Lakes, as well as many undiscovered gems. If you want to go for a ‘name’ when it comes to a venue, try L’Enclume in Cartmel – a Michelin star restaurant voted one of the five best destination restaurants with rooms in Europe. – or the Michelin star restaurant at the Holbeck Ghyll Hotel, overlooking Windermere (www.holbeckghyll.com)

20.00 Star Gazing

The Lake District offers clearer skies than much of the country, which assists those wishing to indulge in a spot of star gazing. At boutique hotel, Linthwaite House, a luxury loft suite brings starlit skies right into the bedroom. The loft suite comes complete with a telescope, as well as other features such as WiFi and i-pod dock, and also has a retractable glass roof panel. If you can tear yourself away from the stars, you can enjoy the interior design work of Roberta Fulford and a huge, Italian designer bath and double walk in shower. This rooms costs between £465 and £520 per night, including breakfast, and between £520 and £580 for dinner, bed and breakfast. Visit www.linthwaite.com

Brantfield Cottage, in Bowness, is a three-bedroomed cottage, sleeping six, with a double bedroom complete with star gazing window. This cottage costs between £345 and £645 to rent. Visit www.lakelovers.co.uk for more details.

Free star gazing can also be found in areas such as the Lyth Valley, where the Milky Way can be seen on clear, dark nights and where the occasional shooting star adds to the drama.

24.00 Midnight At the Arnside Oasis

Although it’s hard to turn in for the night, with so much to do in the South Lakes, one of the most fun places to curl up has to be boutique guesthouse No 43, in the coastal town of Arnside, on the Kent estuary. This sympathetically restored and beautifully furnished Victorian townhouse provides guests with many luxuries and total comfort, but for those hungry for even more decadence, there is the possibility of a Midnight Feast.

Guests can pre-order a platter of local cheese, meats, or smoked fish and have a tray awaiting them in their room when they return from their evening out. A bed and breakfast stay at No 43 costs from £55-£90 per person per night and a minimum stay at the weekend is two nights and, over a Bank Holiday, three nights. A complimentary Bucks Fizz is served to guests in residence on Sunday mornings. Visit www.no43.org.uk for more details.

South Lakeland Parks flagship park White Cross Bay has become one of the first businesses in the Lake District to re-launch after it opened its doors today.

The site was badly flooded in November leading to an early closure and a £2 million refurbishment.

Over the past few months the park has undergone an extensive refurbishment programme which has included:

• New luxurious hire fleet lodges
• State of the art new multi sports play area
• New beer garden
• Full boat and club house refurbishment
• New restaurant and caterers: The Flying Boat
• Development of new owner pitches

White Cross Bay is one of the nine parks owned and managed by South Lakeland Parks, with the others located around the Lake District, Morecambe Bay and Ribble Valley.

It occupies an enviable position in the northern tip of Windermere with a number of its lodges directly overlooking the Lake and surrounding mountains.

The park features a range of luxury lodges and caravans for both sale and holiday hire. A typical lodge at the park costs from £75,000 to purchase, while the company is currently offering a re-opening launch price of just £99 on three night caravan holidays.

For more information about purchasing a holiday home or holidays at White Cross Bay visit www.southlakelandparks.co.uk or call 015395 69835 for holidays and 015395 69834 for sales.

The South Lakes Tourism Group is enticing holidaymakers to visit its beautiful area in 2010 with a variety of new  things-to-do and suggestions that will provide enchantment and excitement whatever the interests of the visitor.

New facets have been added to the area’s already superb scenic, cultural, food, family-focused and outdoor  activities offer, making a visit in 2010 a real must-do.

The new things that the area can boast include:

• New K Village, The Lakes Outlet opening on June 25 2010, comprising over 30 premium factory outlets, a new K  Heritage Centre and five restaurants/cafés to create a unique, state-of-the-art destination shopping and leisure  complex.

• New ‘Full Steam Ahead: Quakers and Railways’ feature at the award-winning attraction, The Quaker Tapestry,  Kendal, exploring the relationship between engineer, George Stephenson, and Edward Pease – a Quaker coal owner and  merchant, who shared the dream to build a public railway line from Stockton to Darlington. The new Quaker Tapestry  display features a working model railway.

• New ‘Keeping House With Mrs Tittlemouse’ exhibition at the Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead – celebrating 100  years of Mrs Tittlemouse and with a children’s activity sheet to bring the exhibition to life.

• New children’s garden trail during school holidays at Hill Top, Near Sawrey.

• Spectacular new bulb displays for Spring 2010 at Sizergh Castle and Garden thanks to the planting of 7000 bulbs  in November, these being 3000 red, cream and yellow tulips in the herbaceous border, 1500 white tulips in the Hot  Border and 200 mixed, coloured tulips and Dutch iris in the Kitchen Garden.

• Exciting ‘snow picnics’ from Destination Cumbria.

• New Lakeland Motor Museum opening soon.

There will also be new exhibitions at The Wordsworth Museum (Grasmere), Abbot Hall Art Gallery (Kendal) and  Blackwell – the Arts and Crafts House and a unique Dawn Chorus experience at Rydal Mount, near Ambleside.

Within a relatively compact geographical area, The South Lakes continues to have a concentration of top quality  attractions that are the envy of other destinations. Major attractions include:

• The World of Beatrix Potter, Bowness
• Lakes Aquarium, Lakeside
• Windermere Lake Cruises
• The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, Lakeside
• Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, Milnthorpe
• The Lakeland Maize Maze, Sedgwick near Milnthorpe
• The Quaker Tapestry, Kendal
• Kendal Museum, Kendal
• The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
• Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal
• The Museum of Lakeland Life, Kendal
• Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum & Art Gallery, Grasmere
• Rydal Mount, Rydal
• Sizergh Castle and Gardens, Sizergh, near Kendal
• Hill Top, Near Sawrey, Hawkshead
• Townend, Troutbeck
• The Beatrix Pottery Gallery, Hawkshead
• Blackwell – The Arts and Crafts House
• Go Ape, Grizedale
• Levens Hall & Gardens, Levens

Just a short drive away are the attractions of Coniston, including Brantwood, Steam Yacht Gondola, The Ruskin  Museum, the Coniston Launch and the Coniston Boating Centre.

Also close at hand are Holker Hall & Gardens and the coastal area of Grange-over-Sands, Arnside and Silverdale.

Outdoor activities can be arranged with a wide variety of providers, or easily booked, even last-minute, through  Destination Cumbria. Activities for families wishing to engage in some woodland exploration can be booked through  Playdays in the Woods.

Those wishing to enjoy a brew with a view have a plethora of cafés, restaurants, hotels and other stop-offs to  head to, whilst those wishing to take their faithful dog with them can refer to The South Lakes Doggy Pawsport,  available at www.southlakeland.gov.uk/tourism.

Many views can be enjoyed whilst drinking in the landscape or eating the wonderful local produce, such as Grasmere  Gingerbread, Herdwick lamb and maybe some Kendal Mint Cake. For a stronger tipple, damson gin from the Lyth Valley  is a must.

Real foodies can tuck in to the special culinary courses provided by LucyCooks in Staveley, try a regional  speciality at Grasmere Gingerbread, or visit the Country Fest show in May, which includes the former Westmorland
Food Lovers Festival.

With a highly attractive and packed events calendar, there are frequent opportunities to build a group itinerary  around a specific festival or day out, whether this is Damson Day, Country Fest, The Westmorland County Show,
Mintfest, Lakes Alive events, Lake District Summer Music, the Great North Swim, Kendal Torchlight Carnival, the  English Stone Skimming Championships, or country events such as Grasmere and Ambleside Sports or the Rydal or Ings  Sheepdog Trials.

The South Lakes has everything to get the party started, thoroughly entertained, thrilled and delighted, and back  on the coach or mini-bus with a mass of memories to last a lifetime.

For more information on the South Lakes visit www.southlakeland.gov.uk/tourism

Motoring enthusiasts from across the country are being urged to travel by car, train, bus or whatever other form  of transport they wish, to help businesses in the Western Lake District rally once again and provide the warm  Cumbrian welcome for which they are renowned.

The Western Lake District Tourism Partnership is encouraging rally driving fans, and those interested in other  forms of motor sport, to head to the beautiful gem town of Cockermouth, to see the start and finish of the 2010  Malcolm Wilson Rally, on March 6.

The Rally, in its 35th year, is returning to Cockermouth, which suffered so badly during the November flooding, to  show solidarity with a town that has done so much to support it in the past.

The Rally has also created various fund-raising initiatives, to help raise money for those affected by the floods,  as a thank you for the welcome the town has always provided.

The Western Lake District Tourism Partnership is hoping to build on this by encouraging as many people as possible  to head to the area and lend their own support. It says this can be done by doing something as simple as buying a  cup of tea, or a hot toddy if not driving.

Staying over to enjoy the Malcolm Wilson Rally to the full would be a huge boost for the accommodation providers  putting visitors up.

The Rally starts at 08.30 in Cockermouth High Street with cars then travelling to stages at Hobcarton, Comb,  Wythop, Greystoke, Grizedale South, Grizedale North and Greystoke 2, before arriving back at Cockermouth High  Street from 15.55pm.

This high-adrenalin spectator event will thrill rally fans and first-time attendees alike, thanks to its superb  organisation and setting. British drivers will be battling hard to compete with the likes of last year’s winner  Sebastian Loeb and runner-up Mikko Hirvonen, across a mix of terrain, including forested areas.

Those friends and family with no interest in the event will be able to enjoy some relaxing time in Cockermouth and  nearby Workington, where many retail outlets and cafes, restaurants and pubs are now open once again.

The Western Lake District’s director of tourism, Katie Read, says: “This event presents an ideal opportunity for  those who have visited the Western Lake District since November, to come and see us and boost trade for those who  are working hard to bounce back.

“For those who have never visited our beautiful area, with its stunning natural landscape, rugged coast and  wonderful forests, the Malcolm Wilson Rally is more than a good excuse to pack a bag and see what they’ve been  missing out on. The rally has done its bit to lend fantastic support to the area and we hope motor sport fans and  family will now do the same.”

More details of the Malcolm Wilson Rally can be found at www.malcolmwilson.co.uk whilst accommodation options and  tourism information can be found at www.western-lakedistrict.co.uk

A brand new and idyllic tourism experience is on offer in May 2010 at Rydal Mount in Cumbria – the most beloved home of the Romantic poet William Wordsworth and his home for 37 years, from 1813.

On Sunday, May 2, visitors pre-booked with the poet’s family home, based at Rydal near Ambleside, will be able to enjoy the tweets and twitters of the dawn chorus, just as William and family did back in the nineteenth century, as daylight emerges over tranquil Rydal.

The Rydal Mount gardens are as far removed from today’s Twittering as one can imagine, being a natural arbour of beauty landscaped by Wordsworth himself and to the Romantic poets ideal of having trees planted carefully so as to not obscure the view.

The charming Rydal Mount Dawn Chorus experience will entwine birdsong with some of Wordsworth’s poems, such as To The Cuckoo, To The Skylark, and Daffodils, which will be read aloud by the curator, as the experience unravels.

This wonderful event will start at 05.30am in the stunning gardens, where the sounds of a woodpecker, robins, chaffinch, thrush, blackbirds, nuthatches and many other birds can often be heard.

The group will listen to the tweet and rustle of nature and appreciate the poetry that Wordsworth would often recite to himself in his summerhouse and on the terraces that he designed.

They should also be able to hear the call of an elusive cuckoo – heard, but not seen. Interestingly, this is how Wordsworth described the bird in his poem – an “invisible thing”, “a voice”, “a mystery” – “still longed for, never seen”.

Once the sun is up, they will be able to enjoy a hearty bap, filled with tasty Cumbrian bacon from the local area, and a warming mug of hot chocolate, tea or coffee.

Visitors can then admire the view from Rydal Mount, which is the only property in the Lake District from which it is possible to see England’s largest and smallest lakes.

There will also be the opportunity to discover some of the magnificent trees and shrubs in the gardens, including a Medlar tree said to have been planted by Wordsworth to remind him of a love he had left behind in France.

Gardeners will also appreciate a rare Fernleaf Beech, and many more varieties besides, presenting a blaze of colour around the beautiful whitewashed, Wisteria-adorned house.

The Rydal Mount Dawn Chorus experience costs £6.00 per person, with an option of adding a tour of the Rydal Mount house to this nature-focused experience for an additional £1.50.

Booking is essential for this memorable experience, which will run from 05.30-07.30am and truly be something to Twitter about. Places are limited in number and the advice is to book quickly by calling Rose or Marian on 015394 33002.

South Lakeland Parks, the north-west’s largest holiday park operator, has spent £3million in investing in new and improved facilities and is recruiting 40 new staff at its nine locations across the north-west.

The company which has been operating the parks for over 20 years is one of the few UK businesses to have performed well despite the recession as MD Nigel Wimpenny highlights: “We had a fantastic year in 2009 for holiday homes sales and so far in 2010 we are already 12% ahead on forward bookings so things could not be better. However we’re not a company to rest on our laurels so we have already carried out extensive refurbishments. Our clients’ enjoyment of the parks is our key priority and it’s for them that we have enhanced the facilities. As customer expectations are now higher than ever before it’s our aim to keep raising the bar to meet them.”

The company’s flagship site White Cross Bay near Windermere saw the biggest investment, following the November floods, with features including:

• New luxurious hire fleet lodges
• State of the art new multi sports play area
• New beer garden
• Full club house refurbishment
• New restaurant ‘The Flying Boat’ and new caterers
• Development of new owner pitches

Other parks to have benefited from the investments include:

Ocean Edge, Heysham Village

• Extensive refurbishments to the main complex
• New reception area
• New games arcade
• Fully refurbished bar and entertainment area
• Revitalised swimming area

Hawthorne, Heysham Village

• New bar and social area
• New children’s play area

Furthermore Fallbarrow, Limefitt and Regent parks are all expanding to offer brand new pitch developments as demand for privately owned caravans and lodges soars.

In addition to investing in the parks, South Lakeland Parks is also providing hope for the local economy by creating 40 new positions across all its sites.

“At a time when I’m reading in the papers about companies shedding more staff in 2010, I’m pleased to say that we are doing quite the opposite. Indeed we’re currently recruiting for 40 new positions across the group with a variety of posts available.” said Wimpenny.

Wimpenny only became MD of South Lakeland Parks in January 2009 and is the driving force behind the company’s recent success and investments. Having moved up the ranks from finance director, he was well placed to understand the benefits of investment. “It’s always going to cost a lot of money to keep our parks looking as good as they do but that’s why we have so many people visiting year on year and eventually purchasing. We’re proud of our parks and that’s due to all our work and investment in both the sites and the staffing.” concludes Wimpenny.

South Lakeland Parks features nine sites around the north-west regions of Morecambe Bay, Ribble Valley and Lake District. The company offers holiday homes for both sale and let.

For further details please visit www.southlakelandparks.co.uk or call 015395 69831.

If you’re looking to hatch a holiday plan this Easter check out www.internet-cottages.com. You’ll find over 600 properties around the UK, so you’re sure to find something that ticks your Easter Egg box.

The Saltings, Blakeney, Norfolk, Sleeps 6
Stunning Grade 3 listed fisherman’s cottage, beautifully furnished and well located on the glorious North Norfolk coast. An open plan living area, with 3 bedrooms upstairs, this is a stunning bolt-hole by the sea. Prices range from £550 – £650.

La Vacherie, Alderley, Glos, Sleeps 6
This former cowshed was given a makeover in summer 2009. It features high ceilings, exposed stone walls and offers spectacular views over the Cotswolds Valley. There are two bedrooms and a huge living area in which to relax. If it’s warm enough, you can take a dip in the outdoor pool! Prices start from £320 for 2 nights.

The Old Farmhouse Mews, Braithwaite, Nr Keswick, Lake District, Sleeps 6-8
This gorgeous farmhouse has recently been renovated to offer really luxurious accommodation in the Lakes. There are 3 bedrooms, and if you want to extend your party, you can book the next-door annexe that sleeps an extra 2-4.
Prices range from £240-£1500

Wyndham House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, Sleeps 13
On the gorgeous heritage coastline, this spacious Georgian house is just 50m from the beach and 100m from shops, restaurants, golf and tennis facilities. There are 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, and a huge south-facing drawing room and tv room, offering plenty of space for a large group. Prices start at £995 for a 3 night break.

Easter Deals
www.internet-cottages.com always features late deals so check the site a couple of weeks before Easter for some last minute bargain breaks.