Circular cycle route along side of Coniston Lake

The Windermere Ferry has been operating for more than 500 years. The original craft were rowed across the lake, later ferries were steam driven and the most recent ones have had diesel engines. The current ferry 'Mallard' is the largest so far; a modern craft which carries up to 18 cars and over 100 passengers.

The ferry takes people, vehicles, horses and cycles across the lake, reducing traffic on the surrounding narrow roads and easing congestion and pollution. It also links the busy eastern shore of the lake and the peaceful countryside between Windermere and Coniston on the west, where there are many attractions and facilities for walking, riding and cycling.

In the summer months there is a minibus service between Ferry House and Hawkshead, calling at Beatrix Potter's Hilltop House. The ferry offers the opportunity to leave the car behind, cross the lake on foot and catch the bus, relaxing all the while and enjoying the scenery while someone else does all the work.

Windermere, at 10.5 miles long, one mile wide and 220 feet deep, is the largest natural lake in England

The Parish of St. Paul, Rusland is a small country parish in breathtaking scenery. Since 2003 it has been part of the Benefice of Hawkshead with Low Wray and Sawrey and Rusland and Satterthwaite, and enjoys an especially close relationship with All Saints, Satterthwaite, sharing all social events. The church building is listed and lies on a rocky outcrop in the midst of the parish's scattered community.

Coniston Water is the third largest lake in the English Lake District. It is five miles (8 km) long, half a mile (800 m) wide, has a maximum depth of 184 feet (56 m), and covers an area of 1.89 square miles (4.9 km²).

It was the scene of many attempts to break the world water speed record. On August 19, 1939 Sir Malcolm Campbell set the record at 141.74 miles per hour (228.108 km/h) in Bluebird K4. Between 1956 and 1959 Sir Malcolm's son Donald Campbell set four successive records on the lake in Bluebird K7, a hydroplane.

In 1966 Donald Campbell decided that he needed to exceed 300 miles per hour (483 km/h) in order to retain the record. On January 4, 1967 he achieved a top speed of over 320 miles per hour (515 km/h) in Bluebird K7 on the return leg of a record-breaking attempt. He then lost control of Bluebird, which somersaulted and crashed, sinking rapidly. Campbell was killed instantly on impact. The attempt could not be counted as a record-breaking run because the second leg was not completed. The remains of Bluebird were recovered from the water in 2001 and Campbell's body was recovered later in the same year.

Former home of John Ruskin. Brantwood is one if the most beautifully situated house in the Lake District.

John Ruskin was born in London in 1819, the only son of a successful Scottish sherry merchant. His father encouraged him to take up painting and poetry; his mother hoped that he might be a minister. He was educated at home and at Christ Church, Oxford, where he was profoundly influenced by the evolutionary sciences of the day, especially geology. At the same time, Ruskin started to write about art and architecture, and began a lifelong advocacy of the work of Turner. As a result, he became an inspiration to a generation of younger artists, most notably the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

At the age of 29 Ruskin married Effie Gray but the marriage ended disastrously six years later, when Effie eloped with the painter Millais. Ruskin buried himself in work, in particular a lengthy study of the city of Venice, producing a remarkable three-volume study of the architecture of the city. At the heart of the Stones of Venice he contrasted medieval craftsmanship with modern manufacturing - something hugely influential on William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement. It marked the maturing of Ruskin’s interest in social justice and the beginning of his attempts to influence the shape of society.

In his forties Ruskin fell deeply in love with Rose la Touche. Rose died aged 29 and Ruskin carried his feelings for her with him for the rest of his life. With the death of his father, Ruskin added wealth to influence. He became Slade Professor of Art at Oxford, an educational philanthropist and an increasingly radical voice in Victorian society. In 1878, at the age of 59, he suffered the first of several breakdowns that eventually stopped him working. Ruskin died in 1900 at the age of 81, leaving behind him collected writings that stretch to 39 volumes, thousands of drawings and watercolours, and a legacy of influence that is felt to this day.

Hawkshead is a picturesque and charming village in the heart of the Lake District National Park.

Nestling in the beautiful vale of Esthwaite, Hawkshead is characterised by the cluster of whitewashed houses and is within easy reach for Sawrey, Outgate, Satterthwaite, Grizedale and Hawkshead Hill.

Hill Top is a time capsule of Betrix Potter's life. Full of her favourite things, the house appears as if Beatrix had just stepped out for a walk. Every room contains a reference to a picture in a 'tale'. The lovely cottage garden is a haphazard mix of flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables. Hill Top is a small house and a timed-ticket system is in operation to avoid overcrowding and to protect the interior.