Edging onto Scotland, Cumbria is a county of natural grandeur, encompassing showstoppers the Lake District, the North Pennines, the Eden Valley, and some of the Yorkshire Dales. Its fells and lakeland are really something; its coastline is spectacular and includes Morecambe Bay and the Solway. Man has added to this grand canvas too, and Cumbria also boasts the western end of Hadrian’s Wall, numerous defensive castles and forts, pretty market towns, numerous National Trust properties, and some wonderfully converted country house estates — now become some of the best places to stay in Cumbria. These graceful country house hotels feature prominently on our list of recommendations, but we’ve also picked out some charming B&Bs, welcoming pubs with rooms, a few lovely, traditional hotels, and a couple of totally wonderful spa escapes.
The magical Lake District is one of Cumbria’s highlights, and some of the best places to stay in Cumbria can be found within the boundaries of this national park. Windermere and Ambleside on Lake Windermere are obvious choices, but by no means overrated, Windermere is one of the largest of the lakes, with Scafell Pike and some of the best known fells creating a dramatic backdrop. Or you could take Wordsworth’s advice and stay in Grasmere, which he called "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found”. Keswick and Penrith are both charming market towns to the north, close to Ullswater, and Grange over Sands is another charmer, though this time on Morecambe Bay.
Cumbria is all mountains and valleys, and has every peak in England over 3,000 feet, so the best places to stay in Cumbria are often recommended to walkers. But you don’t have to be a fell-walker to enjoy exploring Cumbria on foot — there are hundreds of nice trails to stroll, with something marked out for every level of fitness.