Plan Your Trip.

When you decide to plan your trip to the Lake District, there are a number of things you may wish to consider, especially if travelling from overseas. The weather, currency, best time to visit, visas and shots for example.

The Lake District is a name for an area of outstanding natural beauty, within the county of Cumbria, that in 1951 was given National Park status to protect the environment from excessive commercial or industrial exploitation, and make access for the public.
It is an English county and so comes under the laws of England and Wales (Slightly different to its neighbour, Scotland).

The currency is the UK pound (£) and can be exchanged for foreign currencies in banks around the county. These are generally open Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00 and some Saturday mornings.
All major credit cards are accepted at most retail outlets.

There are paper notes with the following denominations ...£50, £20, £10, £5. and coins ... £2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, 1p.

Tipping (if not already added to your bill as a 'gratuity' or 'service charge') is given if you feel it's deserved. It is customary to give around 10 to 15% of the total restaurant bill.
Note ... unlike the USA it is not customary to tip in bars.

VAT Most goods and services in the UK are subject to Value Added Tax (VAT - currently 17.5%) In some cases overseas visitors buying gifts are able to claim this charge back. Check with your tour operator for further details.

Best time to visit mmmm .... this is a tricky one. I could say anytime, because the Lake District has something for everyone at all times of the year. You really need to ask yourself what you are visiting for, when you plan your trip.
If you are an experienced climber and looking for an icy rock face challenge, then the months between December and Feruary are the times to visit. If you are planning strolls around some of the beautiful villages, stopping at coffee shops along the way then spring to Autumn (Easter to late Sept). Many of the smaller shops and cafe's close during the winter months ... however to see the mountains and lakes with frost and snow on them is a sight not to be missed! Plan your trip and choose the time of year carefully and I'm sure you will have a fantastic trip.

Special precautions You do not need to take any 'shots' or vaccinations to visit the Uk. There are no wild poisonous or dangerous animals to worry about. And cumbria is one of the safest county's in the whole of the UK. You can wander freely at any time of day without any need to worry. Of course general precautions should be taken. Tap water is safe to drink in all houses, hotels, and public places.

Visas

If you are a visitor from within the European community, you can enter Britain with a passport, without a visa for 3 months.
(however, if you plan to work in the UK during this time, there may be different rules and regulations. Please check with the British Consulate in your home country before making your journey.)

If you are from United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, you can enter on a passport and stay for up to 6 months, again, if you plan to work check with the relavant authorities before traveling.

Other countries not listed above may require visas to enter. These are available at the consulates in your home nation.

Emergency Services

Should you require emergency asssitance whilst visiting the Uk, dial 999 from any public payphone or from your mobile. These calls are free and will put you in touch with and emergency professional who will help you with the problem. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS SERVICE IS ONLY USED IN CASES OF EMERGENCY!.

Weather Cumbria does'nt always get the best weather .... in fact, it has been said that you can tell when its summer in the Lake district ... the rain's a bit warmer.
Its true, we do get our fair share of rain but the summer months can be glorious and to be on top of one of the Lake District mountains on a warm summers day, is to be in heaven! Don't let the weather put you off, come and see us at any time, you will be sure to get a warm welcome.

For more information on the Cumbrian weather check out our weather pages.