Without a doubt the Lake District is one of the most beautiful landscapes you’ll find in the country. It has rugged mountains, green valleys, and of course, breathtaking lakes.
It’s no surprise then that this incredible place has been named one of the best places to drive in the UK, by Vanarama. With roads stretching on for miles, winding around mountains and through pretty villages, there are so many routes to choose from.
There are more than 37,000 yearly searches on YouTube for drives in the Lake District, making it the most popular driving destination, followed by Snowdonia and the North Coast 500 in Scotland. Luckily for us in Greater Manchester this stunning National Park is right on our doorstep so you can try out one of its incredible road trips for yourself.
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As the Lake District covers an expanse of 912 square miles it can be tricky to know where to even begin if you’re planning a road trip in the national park. Vanarama recommends the Coniston Loop as one of the most challenging routes to do in the Lake District.
There are some variations of the drive to do depending on how challenging you want it to be, or what you want to take in. For a scenic and more easygoing drive you can do a 34-mile route which will take you from Ambleside, down to Bowness on Windermere then over to Coniston.
Starting in the pretty town of Ambleside, this route follows the length of Windermere until you get to Newby Birdge and Lakeside. Then it loops up to Esthwaite Water and the charming village of Hawkshead, before heading east to Coniston. The route then returns back up to Ambleside.
Alternatively if you fancy more of a challenging route, you can take a 42-mile drive which will include some jaw-dropping mountain passes. Starting off in the village of Coniston, you’ll drive through the gorgeous Langdale Valley before eventually driving along the Hardknott and Wrynose passes - although prepare yourself as it is very steep. Then you’ll pass through stunning Eskdale and then Duddon Valley before arriving back at Coniston.
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