It was with a sense of excitement and, I confess, trepidation that I arrived at Waterhead for a weekend of Lake District Watercolour Painting. Signing up for something like this can feel a little like putting your creative neck on the line!
Testing the water over dinner on the Friday evening, I tentatively threw out a line about having not ever really done anything like this before. I was pleasantly surprised, and not a little relieved, to discover that we were all novices, and all nervous about our impending foray into the world of paint, colour, tone, perspectives and vanishing points.  Having established our common fragility, we relaxed and enjoyed a sumptuous three-course meal whilst Dawn Pretty, our artist in residence, outlined what the weekend might hold, promising us that we would all have a work of art to hang on our wall by the end of the weekend. (more…)

Lancaster House General Manager and keen fell walker, Tim Bell, tells us why this mountain is deserving of a special place in his heart.
Growing up in the North Cumbrian town of Penrith, the view directly west from my home was the distinctive and unique shape of “Saddleback”, or better known as “Blencathra”. It rises majestically and powerfully on its own from the gently undulating, low-lying moors which separate Keswick and the market town where I spent the first 18 years of my life. (more…)

Whilst not at work in his role as Low Wood Bay Maintenance Engineer, our very own nature photographer, Rafael Garea-Balado, has been out and about capturing the beautiful Lake District landscapes which can be enjoyed by our guests. 

Autumn is here and the Lake District National Park is my favourite place in England to be at this time of year. There’s nothing better than wrapping up warm and heading out to see the landscape change colour, the foliage is ablaze from greens to gorgeous golds, russet reds and everything in-between. Leaves carpet the wood land pathways whilst weird and wonderful fungal sculptures of all shapes and sizes emerge in the forests. (more…)

We love the Lake District and we are always on the lookout for new photography from our guests and visitors to the national park to share and inspire. Artist, J.A.C has taken the search for local photography one step further and is inviting walkers and photographers to share the images they capture.
By using the hashtag #seensend on twitter users can send their images to J.A.C. who will select three that inspire him the most. He will send the winner a copy of the art they have influenced free of charge.
SeenSend rewards people who share wonderful places via social media with art. (more…)

English Lakes has helped to literally put the National Park on the map and hopes tourism to the area will be boosted as a result. (more…)

Wildzone, a dynamic group of Cumbrian private sector businesses including English Lakes and public sector wildlife charities, trusts and organisations, formed to put responsible Cumbrian wildlife and nature experiences firmly on the British tourism map, has launched with a 22-day-long promotion ‘Wear Red For Wildlife’ promotion. (more…)