Lake District National Park Local Customs

There's a strange new year's eve custom in Keswick. Lots of people (obviously young, drunk and local) climb the flagpole on the main square and risk starting the new year with several broken limbs because of falling down.

This year there weren't any accidents but one guy ruined the start of his year by climbing the pole in his underpants and dropping them as soon as he reached the top. I bet he was a bit embarrassed when he was sober the next morning and realised that he was the talk of town!

Though not a compulsory custom any visit to a lake, river or stream here (and let's face it you can't avoid them) is likely to bring you into contact with the wildlife.

The Ducks, Swans and other birds are quite irresistable to many especially foreign tourists and as well as being very friendly they are very photogenic.

Arm yourself with a loaf of bread from the shops and you will have friends for life - well 20 minutes anyway but beware, even when the food is gone they don't give up easily.

The shores of lake Windermere is a popular place for watching the wildlife.

Lake Windemere is probably the best known of the lakes. It's quite a large one, surrounded by craggy hills. There is a nice visitor center with really pretty gardens on the premises and a wharf where you can pick up a boat tour on the lake, quite a nice way to spend a few sunny hours.

Two festivals that can be seen during the year are the famous 'Cartmel Races' and 'Pasche Egg Rolling', where delicately painted, hard-boiled eggs are rolled down a hillside. There are shows at Cockermouth, Hawkshead and Gosforth which have a strong agricultural atmosphere and the well-known Appleby Horse Fair is a traditional 'gypsy' gathering. 'The World Gurning Competition' happens at Egremont Crab Fair, where people compete to pull the ugliest face.
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The Lakes Summer Music Festival for a very busy week in August - a real feast of musical delight.

The winters are long and hard and temps can fall to –4C. Spring can be late and short, summer temperatures ranging from10 – 20C. The Lakes area has the highest annual rainfall in Britain, exceeding 2,000 millimetres so visitors should always be prepared for rain, even in summer.