The United Kingdom’s Lake District reigns as the largest and most-visited national park. Located in northwest England, this area serves up a scenic buffet of mountains, fells, and forests against the 16 lakes and 50-plus tarns and streams. To locals it’s “Lakeland”; to William Wordsworth it was “the loveliest spot that man hath found”; and to countless visitors every year it’s a must on any luxury itinerary to England.

Stunningly beautiful landscapes have inspired a great number of poets, authors, and wordsmiths to write and create against its rolling green hills, rocky edifices and, of course, its shimmering lakes. The “Lake Poets” Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Southey—nicknamed for their affinity for Lakeland—were among the founding fathers of Romanticism in English literature. An influx of literary masters followed in their footsteps searching for stimulation from the Lake District, including John Ruskin, Sir Walter Scott, and Lord Tennyson.

Centuries old nursery favorite Peter Rabbit was conceived in the Lake District too. Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top Farm draws visitors who want a peek at where Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and many more countryside characters roamed in Potter’s imagination.

Victorian splendor still remains throughout the Lake District. Quaint cottages and estates with manicured gardens echo of bygone refinement, and the landscape has been kept well preserved thanks to its national park status.

Unique to the region are the caches of natural graphite used for pencils, first unearthed in Cumbria in the 1500s—quite fitting, given the creative legacy of the Lake District. Traveling here amidst so many artistic connections might inspire you to put pencil to paper yourself.

Venture to the lands that sparked an affirmation from John Keats: “I shall learn poetry here and shall henceforth write more than ever.” Connect with your Ker & Downey luxury travel consultant to make the Lake District a stopping point on your next custom itinerary to England.