Perhaps the most iconic of the national park’s addresses is a humble, white-painted, green-shuttered cottage that opened as a gingerbread shop way back in 1854. Today, Sarah Nelson’s recipe for a biscuit-cake confection draws a continuous crowd each day, all flocking to savour a bite of the trademarked ‘best gingerbread in the world’.

A bistro with beds on a 17th-century sheep farm, The Yan is what we would consider the perfect Lake District base. Seven individually styled bedrooms overlook the Central Fells, while downstairs, the rustic British bistro keeps things hearty. 

As one of the smallest and shallowest lakes in the national park, Rydal Water is the perfect place for a refreshing, cold dip. It lies between the villages of Ambleside and Grasmere, tucked beneath the foothills of Loughrigg, Rydal Mount and Heron Pike. Spend the day walking the lakeside loop, visiting the former homes and viewpoint seat of poet William Wordsworth, and peeking into the man-made Rydal Cave.

A hybrid bakery, café and craft store nestled alongside the River Brathay. The local store stocks handmade pottery from nearby crafters, a selection of jarred preserves and picnic goodies, while the café serves rhubarb-and-custard brioche and red-berry scones for breakfast, followed by quiche, sandwiches and hearty salad bowls at lunchtime. Grab a seat on the deck and soak up the calming countryside ambience.