Property, Houses and Flats for Sale in Cumbria, England

The Lake District, the great poet William Wordsworth and Kendal mint cake.

Living in Cumbria

Whether you are searching for a primary residential property, a holiday home or a property for investment purposes, Cumbria is considered to be one of the most attractive and sought-after places in the UK.

There has been an influx of retired people moving to the area and a growth in the number of people buying holiday houses, with around one in five properties in Keswick now listed as second homes.

Cumbria is a land of vivid contrasts, and includes the cosmopolitan City of Carlisle, gateway to Hadrian's Wall Country, Keswick in the north, the charming market town of Ulverston and the harbour town of Whitehaven.

Keswick, the undisputed 'capital' of the Lake District lies in the heart of England's prettiest National Park. This traditional market town relies heavily on the tourist sector, providing goods and services to the visitor market.

There are a number of attractive villages on the outskirts of Keswick which are also highly desirable. These include Grange-in-Borrowdale, Portinscale, Braithwaite, Applethwaite and Threlkeld.

For those seeking the best of both worlds, head for the City of Carlisle, a modern, exciting city and an excellent place to live. Carlisle has everything one would expect from any major city in the UK.

Whitehaven is a fine Georgian town, one of the first post-renaissance planned towns in the country. Built on traditional shipping and mining industries, modern day Whitehaven has developed around the regenerated harbour area.

The town has a wealth of Georgian architecture and some 250 Georgian buildings. Nowadays, the busy thoroughfares include pedestrianised shopping streets, restaurants, bars and cafes around the town and the re-generated harbour area.

Transport

By road the M6 motorway travels north through the centre of Cumbria.

Carlisle is a major railway junction on the West Coast Main Line from London Euston to Glasgow, with stations at Penrith and Oxenholme (for Kendal and Windermere). It's also served by lines from Dumfries, Newcastle and Leeds.

Cumbria is within easy travelling distance of Newcastle, Manchester and Glasgow Airports (Carlisle Airport offers chartered flights).

History and culture

The City of Carlisle is steeped in history and no matter where you look there will be something to confront you from the past. However, the shopping centre is modern and features top of the range outlets.

Cockermouth is best known as the birthplace of poet William Wordsworth; he was born in 1770, and lived there until the death of his mother in 1778.

Today Cockermouth caters well for its residents with a good selection of shops, cafés and restaurants. Fishing for brown trout and salmon in the local rivers is a very popular local sport.

The Lake District, and the Lake District National Park, is one of the most beautiful areas of England. It's renowned as one of the best places to go for walking and other outdoor pursuits.

It also received a boost from the film about the life of Beatrix Potter, starring Renée Zellweger and Ewan Mcgregor.

For further information visit www.cumbria.gov.uk ; www.lake-district.gov.uk