In 1969， Brockhole a beautiful country house on the shore of Lake Windermere was purchased and became England，s first National Park Visitor Centre. No matter what the weather， Brockhole is a great place for a day out for all the family， with exciting and innovative displays， which bring the history， traditions， geology， flora and fauna of the Lake District to life.
The unique atmosphere and scenery of the Lake District has provided inspirationinspiration n.灵感 to a host of artists and writers. Names such as William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy， who lived much of their lives in the Lake District. William together with his friends， Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey became known as “The Lake Poets”. The Victorian writer， artist， reformer and philanthropist John Ruskin， Hugh Walpole author of the Herries chronicle， (set in Cumbria)， Arthur Ransome， the author of Swallows and Amazons， and of course Beatrix Potter， author， artist， local farmer and conservationistconservationist n.(天然资源的)保护管理论者. The homes of some of these celebrated persons are open to the public； lovely and fascinating places to visit.
The Lake District National Park， is the destination of millions of visitors each year. Some come to pursue the challenges of the mountains， or the pleasures of sailing， hiking and horse riding. Some to visit its many and varied attractions， while others come to the events and festivals in the area. Many visit the picturesque towns and villages， and enjoy quiet lakeshorelakeshore n.湖岸 walks， and all who visit appreciate the grandeur of the scenery unique to Lakeland.
The main attraction is the lakes and fells carved by glacial erosion and providing dramatic and inspiring scenery although much modified by man，s intervention mainly by farming. It is the former home of cultural luminaries such as William Wordsworth and John Ruskin， and the walks and fells are famously documented by Alfred Wainwright.
First settled in the Stone Age (some residents still exist) and occupied by the Romans the area was heavily influenced by the Norse in their occupation circa 900A.D. They cleared the woods to produce charcoal to smelt lead in Glenridding and copper in the Borrowdale Valley and Coniston. They introduced the Herdwick sheep to the fells and left a legacy of language such as “gill” gorge， “beck” stream， “tarn” lake， “dale” valley and “force” waterfall； of them all “thwaite”， a clearing in a wood， is the most common.
The Agricultural Revolution and the Enclosure Acts in the 18th century saw the erection of the dry stone walls which are a predominantpredominant adj.卓越的， 支配的， 主要的， 突出的， 有影响的 feature on the fellsides. The 19th Century saw the advent of tourism with the arrival of the railway in the town of Windermere where it terminates.
The destination is popular with national and international visitors and this can easily cause congestioncongestion n.拥塞， 充血 in busy periods at the most popular locations. Visitor attractions are numerous and not limited to scenic attractions.
Thames
泰晤士河
泰晤士河是英国最长河流，它发源于英格兰的科茨沃尔德山。河水从西部流入伦敦市区，最后经诺尔岛注入北海。全长340公里，通航里程为309公里。自伦敦桥开始，河床加深，河面也大大变宽，伦敦桥一带河宽229米，到格雷夫森德宽达640米。
泰晤士河之于伦敦，似乎比塞纳河之于巴黎更为显要，伦敦的标志性建筑几乎无一不是依河而立，从古朴的威斯敏斯特教堂、伦敦塔、大本钟、莎士比亚博物馆到前卫现代的伦敦眼、宛若子弹头的Gherkin (Mary Axe Tower) ，让人找不到城市统一的风格和主题。一向作风保守的英国人在二战后变得出奇的前卫，玻璃钢的螺旋巨塔和皇家气派的塔桥比邻而居，这在巴黎或许是不可想像的。巴黎的埃菲尔铁塔、蓬皮杜艺术中心始建之初都曾在法国掀起了舆论巨浪，反对之声不绝于耳，如今看到泰晤士河沿岸的景致，真是佩服英国的新新人类们的挑战精神了。
泰晤士河在塞尔特语中意为“宽河”，为进出大西洋的捷径，沿河胜景，古迹相接不绝。
从入口溯流而上，第一个游览点是格林威治，山岗古树苍郁，山巅有古天文台，市镇依山傍水，为英国皇家海军学院所在地。
从格林威治西上至泰晤士河第一座桥梁--塔桥，沿河两岸船坞、码头、仓库密集，过塔桥而西进入伦敦市区，两岸景色骤变，高楼广厦，皇宫苑圃，鳞次栉比；议会大厦，皇家音乐厅，伦敦塔和索思瓦克大教堂，圣保罗大教堂等古建筑都依稀可见。伦敦市行政中心的郡政厅紧依河滨。沿河共有桥梁27座，结构风格不同，景色各有千秋。其中滑铁卢桥、威斯敏斯特桥和兰勃士桥最为壮观。
河北岸，维多利亚河滨马路为游人散步、休憩的理想去处。入夜，沿河路灯齐明，点点灯光与水波相映，时碎时聚，使人顿感伦敦难得的悠闲。埃及克娄佩特拉方尖碑，仿斯芬克斯人面狮身像复制品、骆驼兵雕像等文物古迹也多在沿河两岸。
从1856年开始，每年复活节期间，牛津大学和剑桥大学的赛艇比赛和每年夏季的皇家亨利杯划船比赛，都在河上举行。
泰晤士河一直是诗人墨客讴歌吟咏和画家们写生描绘的对象，也是游人访古揽胜的必经之地。再从伦敦溯河西上，伊顿、牛津、享莱、温莎、汉普顿扬、里士满等大小城镇，都各有不朽名胜，为着名游览胜地。