Introduction:

I am the only Blue Badge Guide living in Ambleside, the heart of Lakeland. The Lake District is my "every day normal" and I would love to guide you through the eyes of a local around the place I call home. Scenic drives with knowledgeable commentaries, town and village walks, churches and farm tours are all my specialities.

William Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter, John Ruskin to name just a few of the personalities that have positively helped shape the area. A visit to their homes and museums : Dove Cottage and its re-imagined museum, Hill Top and Brantwood; a cruise on one or more of the spectacular lakes, visit Castles, see the evidence of the Lake District's industrial history and sampling Cumbrian food specialities are just some of the experiences I love to offer. Also guided tours of churches, and villages and towns steeped with history such as Ambleside, Hawkshead, Coniston and Grasmere.

Once an avid tourist to the Lake District myself having visited for over 25 years before making it the place I now call home, I have an appreciation of the visitors' wishlist and there is so much more to see, hidden histories and stories to reveal in this beautiful landscape regardless of the season.

I am fascinated by the dynamic and creative ability of farmers to diversify, opening up a wide array of interesting visits - from cheese farming to a soap dairy using the creamy milk of a Jersey cow, to getting up close to the iconic Herdwick Sheep, the native breed of the Lake District. Discover and see the wonderful new contemporary and traditional tweed products made from the sheep fleece from across the valleys, with an eye on conservation and regenerative farming to safeguard the future of upland farming for future generations.

Whether you are organising a group on a coach or perhaps as a couple celebrating a special milestone in life, what will your next visit to the Lake District look like? Let me help make it a truly memorable experience.
Drop me an email: hello@amblesidealison.uk