Cumbria is divided into six districts, which are (from north to south): Carlisle, the city and its surrounding area up to the border with Scotland; Allerdale, the Northwest coastal lowland with the coastal towns of Maryport and Workington, and the inland towns of Cockermouth and Keswick; Eden, from Helvellyn to the boundary in the Pennines with Northumberland, Durham, and North Yorkshire; Copeland, the western valleys and coastlands, including Whitehaven; South Lakeland, stretching from Grasmere and Ambleside to the shores of Morecambe Bay; and Barrow-in-Furness, which covers the town and neighbouring Dalton-in-Furness. Barrow, Carlisle, and Copeland have been given the status of borough.

Lake District National Park

Although known as the Lake District, the area is a s popular for its mountains as it is for its lakes. The Lake District contains the principal English lakes, separated by wild uplands rising to many peaks, including Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England. The area was made a national park in 1951, covering 2,292 sq. km / 882 sq. miles. There are many routes for climbing England's highest peak, some difficult and some relatively easy to the experienced walker.

Helvellyn (950 m / 3,118 ft). The summit is the highest point of the ridge which separates the the valleys containing Thirlemere and Ullswater lakes. The peak may be climbed from Wythburn at the head of Thirlemere on the western side, and from Patterdale or Glenridding on Ullswater to the east. Two sharp ridges, Striding Edge and Swirrell Edge, on the east side, provide more challenging routes. Helvellyn forms part of an annual Three Peaks charity event held in the Lake District; the other peaks are Skiddaw (930 m / 3,052 ft) and Scafell Pike. The summit of Helvellyn is amazingly flat and the approach via Striding Edge is spectacular with the ground falling away steeply on both sides.

Thirlmere, Hawes Water, and some other smaller lakes are managed as reservoirs for some of England's major conurbation's, including Manchester. The Lake District has a radial system of valleys, deepened by glaciers. Windermere, in the Southeast, is connected with Rydal Water and Grasmere. The westerly Scafell range extends south to the Old Man of Coniston overlooking Coniston Water, and north to Wastwater.
Ullswater lies in the Northeast of the district, on the east side of Helvellyn peak, with Hawes Water and Thirlmere nearby. The River Derwent flows north through Borrowdale forming Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite. West of Borrowdale lie Buttermere, Crummock Water, and, beyond, Ennerdale Water. Woodland includes broadleaf species, partly naturally occurring; and the plantations (mainly coniferous) of the Forestry Commission. Much of the scenery is relatively wild and very attractive.

The main tourist centres are Windermere, Keswick, Ambleside and Grasmere. There are 100 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and 82 regionally important geological or geomorphological sites, making the area of enormous conservation interest. There are also nearly 2,000 listed buildings. Much of the land in the area is owned by the National Trust, and the National Park owns 8,600 ha / 3,481 acres of the land under their jurisdiction.
Grizedale Forest sculpture project; Furness peninsula; western part of Hadrian's Wall. Cumbria's varied history is reflected in its historic remains, which include barrows, stone circles, the western section of Hadrian's Wall, and a number of castles. In the 7th century it was part of Northumbria. In the 10th and 11th centuries it alternated between Scottish and English rule, until taken by the English in 1157.

Grasmere is associated with many writers. William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy lived at Dove Cottage (now a museum) 1799-1808, Thomas de Quincey later made his home in the same house, and both Samuel Coleridge and Wordsworth are buried in the churchyard of St Oswald's.