You can just laze around or take advantage of the wide range of activities such as sailing, golfing, walking and shopping. Or, you can go in search of Wastwater, England's deepest lake and Scaffell Pike, England's highest mountain. You'll be able to get away from  the hubbub on Crinkle Crags, or Harter Fell, or have a look at the Hardknott Roman Fort, an important past link to the Romans.

Around 800 years ago, The Solway Coast, also known as the 'Smuggler's Coast,' witnessed gang cruelty and profiteering. Some gangs were involved in the reprehensible smuggling of slaves. Others were involved in smuggling exotic goods such as tea, tobacco and rum between Scotland, England and Ireland.  In the 1700s, entrepreneurial smugglers who took the route between Allonby and the Isle of Man with their goods avoided taxation. However, smuggling was made a capital offence in 1767. This didn't immediately stop the trade and witnesses and customs men were often murdered as the smugglers attempted to continue profiteering. 

St Bees is a lovely seaside village about 5 miles from Whitehaven and is near the start of the Coast to Coast Walk . This 190 mile trail devised and made famous by Alfred Wainwright , ends in Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire. If you stand on top of the cliff near St Bees Head, made up of red sandstone cliffes 300ft high, you can see right over to Scotland and Ireland. These are the highest cliffs in England and on a clear day, you will also have fine views of the Isle of Man. To start with, you will probably want to walk along the cliff tops or the beach from the main beach car park and then back through the village. After that you can sample St Bees many pubs and eating places.

For families, Sellafield Visitor Centre is based near Seascale and offers completely free opportunities for kids to become scientists for the day. With interactive exhibits, scientific workshops and hands on experiments, they'll just love it. The visitor centre also has Europe's only immersion cinema, where you and the kids can sit back and take part in fascinating shows. For example, go back and swim with sharks, take part in the land of dinosaurs or save the earth from destruction. In addition, you can experiment and make sparks, play around with gravity, learn about electricity and take part in energy debates. On Robot Days, the kids can design their own robot. When you need sustenance or to indulge, there's also a coffee shop an outdoor picnic along with a gift shop where you can buy something to remember your visit.

Only twenty miles from Keswick and the heart of the Lake District lies the seaside town of Maryport. Georgian planning is preserved in the 

Lying just outside the Lake District, Silloth has an aura of a bygone era. Its quiet cobbled streets were part of an original idea to use the town as Carlisle's port. It has a small working harbour, a lovely promenade, a paddling pool, fun fair, also lots of beaches. The West beach is the sandiest. The town also boasts an 18 hole natural links golf course. Remeber you must be a member of a recognised golf club to play here. Connections with Scotland are evident in street names, for example, Criffel Street. Criffel is a Scottish mountain clearly visible on the other side of the Solway Firth. Criffle cheese is worth finding too. Walking along the promenade, you might spot the odd dolphin. The views from Silloth are lovely, and it's a great area for birdwatchers since the coast is home to many rare sea birds. Worth a stay, the town is known for summer festivals and its marine events.

With the beautiful Scottish mountains in full view across the water Allonby is a lovely little place lying between Silloth and Maryport. Allonby Bay is a wide horse shoe shaped vista with shingly and sandy beaches and tempting sparkling waters. the Bay is popular with windsurfers and is said to provide the best windsurfing experience in the North West. The town has some lovely old streets and buildings and is steeped in memories of the past. The Allonby weavers used to lay out their cloth in the sunshine on Allonby's aptly named Bleach Green. Lots of wild flowers abound and wildlife teams in the sand dunes and hedgerows all around Allonby.