LAKES, RIVERS & CANALS

Get a brand-new perspective on the UK by exploring its lakes and waterways on your next caravan tour!

WHETHER YOU'RE seeking culture, adventure or nature, or simply some rest and relaxation, the stunning lakes and waterways of the UK always deliver. Linking towns and cities with remote corners of the countryside, touring near water is an exciting way to combine rural and urban areas. The same can be said for Britain's storied canal system, boasting an impressive 2700 miles of connected waterways - simply pitch up nearby in your caravan! As for the nation's stunning lakes, these are often to be found among the dreamiest of landscapes, with everything from the lush Welsh wilderness to the misty mountains of the Scottish Highlands to be discovered. Here, we've a round-up of some of the UK's most interesting and picturesque bodies of water. We also reveal fantastic sites to stay at nearby!

Ullswater

CUMBRIA, ENGLAND

The celebrated, 11-mile-long Windermere easily triumphs as England's largest lake, yet Ullswater, its slightly smaller neighbour, is often voted the most beautiful.

What makes this seven-mile lake so easy on the eye has to be its stunning backdrop of undulating lowland and fells as the waters stretch from Pooley Bridge village southwards to Glenridding, all tucked up in the north-eastern corner of the Lake District. You can immediately see why William Wordsworth fell for its charms. Walking with his wife on a sunny April day in 1802, he spotted a spread of yellow blooms along the banks of the lake - a sight that inspired his beloved poem 'I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud'.

Today, following a 20-mile route through woodland and fields, visitors can retrace the footsteps of the great poet. But those with a head for heights can also enjoy the lake's spectacular beauty when descending Kirkstone Pass or climbing Hallin Fell.

Stay at... The Quiet Site > thequietsite.co.uk

● For more on touring near Ullswater, see p34

River Thames