Home to England's longest lake, Windermere, 10 ½ miles long, the deepest lake Wastwater, with a depth up to 258 feet, the steepest road (Hardknott Pass with an overall gradient of 1 in 3 (33%) and up to 1 in 2.5 in places and tallest mountain Scafell Pike 977m (3210 feet) and home of the World's Biggest Liar.

It is also home to a World Heritage Site; Hadrian's Wall is the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain, running from the west of Carlisle across Cumbria - The Lake District to Newcastle in the east.

Katherine Parr (1512-1548) Born in Kendal, she was the sixth wife of Henry VIII and the only one to survive him.

Fletcher Christian, born near Cockermouth, famed for his part in The Mutiny on the Bounty,

George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1647, he lived in Ulverston from 1670 until 1675.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) lived at Keswick with Robert Southey, he was a regular visitor to the Wordsworths.

Stan Laurel (1890-1965) Born at 3 Argyll Street in Ulverston. He was the thin one of the famous Laurel and Hardy film partnership.

Alfred Wainwright (1907-1991) Creator of the hand drawn Wainwright guides to the Lakeland fells and many other books about Cumbria.

Arthur Ransome spent his childhood summers near Coniston Water and later wrote Swallows and Amazons in 1930.  He moved to the area in later life and is buried at Rusland Church.

John Cunliffe, creator of Postman Pat, lived and taught in the area.  He set the Postman Pat books in Kendal and the remote valley of Longsleddale. 

Lord Melvyn Bragg, author and broadcaster was born in Wigton, and wrote The Maid of Buttermere and many other works.  

Sir Chris Bonington Mountaineer and leader of several major expeditions. 

Hunter Davies Born in Carlisle, the author, broadcaster and publisher of many books including The Good Guide to the Lakes. He lives in London and at Loweswater and is married to the author Margaret Forster.