The Lake District has long been one of Britain’s most popular regions for ramblers – and with very good reason.

It offers a wide array of options for walking enthusiasts throughout the year, from the challenge of scaling the likes of Scaffell Peak and Skiddaw to taking a stroll around breathtaking lakes such as Bassenthwaite and Windermere.

The region caters for walkers of all ages and skill, and is also a fantastic option for a family holiday due to the number of festivals and events taking place throughout the grounds of the national park.

For example, June marks the beginning of the summer festival period in the region, with the Appleby Horse Fair kicking things off for a week at the beginning of the month. The Keswick Beer Festival is a traditional favourite for people visiting the Lake District and takes place in the early part of June, along with the Holker Garden Festival.

July is always the Lake District’s busiest period for events as the summer season attracts more visitors to the region than at any other time of the year. Highlights include the Lakeland Rose Show near Kendal in mid-July and the Barrow Walking Festival, which traditionally begins at the start of July. Meanwhile the Cumberland County Show is also a popular option for all ages.

August features events such as the Hawkshead Show at the end of the month and the Ambleside Flower Show, which runs over the weekend in the early stages of August.

One of the region’s most well-known event doesn’t come round until November. The Kendal Mountain Festival is Europe’s largest festival of its type and remains one of the leading social events for outdoor enthusiasts in the UK.

It is like the outdoor version of the Cannes film festival, as more than 50 movies are screened – many for the very first time – as they compete for prizes dished out by a judging panel.

Also, special art and book awards are also given out over the course of the three-day event, which runs in mid-November.  

For the more adventurous and experienced walkers, a crack at the famous Wainwright coast-to-coast route can also be partly completed in the Lake District. Devised by legendary rambler Alfred Wainwright, the walk is the longest unofficial footpath in the north of England as it stretches across the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.

Although not for the fainthearted – the walk totals an estimated distance of 220 miles – it could be worth the effort, as the Wainwright Society website states that it was named the second-best walk in the world in a survey of experts in 2004.

Wainwright himself suggested that the walk be completed in stages over the course of a two-week break, so if you’re keen to add this accomplishment to your walking CV, a lengthy holiday may be required.

The Lake District is one of the country’s best options for a walking holiday at any time of the year, but it is the summer when it really comes alive.

Wainwright himself suggested that the walk be completed in stages over the course of a two-week holiday, so if you’re keen to add this accomplishment to your walking CV, a lengthy holiday may be required.

The Lake District is one of the country’s best options for a walking holiday at any time of the year, but it is the summer when it really comes alive.