Midlands and the Lake District

Information about Midlands and the Lake District:

Nottingham is the most historic town in this region. See Nottingham Castle. See the quaint old "Trip to Jerusalem" Inn, near the dungeons of the Castle. It was a meeting place for Richard Coeur de Lion's crusaders. Nine miles from Nottingham is Newstead Abbey, the home of Lord Byron. It has been beautifully preserved by the town of Nottingham. The gardens and grounds are gorgeous.

Haddon Hall is a medieval house of great beauty. It is the property of the Duke of Rutland and is associated with the romantic Dorothy Vernon, who eloped with Sir John Manners in the sixteenth century. Chatsworth, the stately home of the Duke of Devonshire, is of interest not only for its fine collections of pictures but also as having been for short periods the house of detention of the unhappy Mary Queen of Scots. Both are well worth seeing.

The Lake District is a hiker's paradise. Often called "Little Switzerland," it is beautiful, full of charming little lakes rolling hills and rugged open country. It was also the haven of great English poets, notably Wordsworth. Ambleside, Windermere (the largest lake is here), Grasmere and Keswick are all quaint little towns with good inns and restaurants. Any one of them would make a good base for seeing the Lake District.