England's most glorious scenery, also plenty of unusual places to visit and things to do. We can recommend some lovely places to stay in, and some quiet corners that visitors don't usually hear about.

Although compact in size - about 30 miles across - the Lake District National Park is remarkably varied, with gnarled mountains (here always known as fells) and stone-walled sheep-grazed pastures dominating the centre and west, smooth green slopes towering in the north around Keswick, and gentler limestone landscapes around Windermere and in the south and east. Even the lakes themselves display a tremendous range of moods.

The area has an excellent range of places to visit, including charming unspoilt villages, and houses associated with William Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter - whose earnings from her children's books went towards buying up large tracts of the Lake District for the National Trust - and the art critic and social critic John Ruskin. But it's the natural setting which is the real delight. Driving - or better still walking - through these glorious vistas is one of Britain's most memorable treats.

These tours, each taking about a day in themselves, point to some favourite highlights, including some lesser known gems. Along the way, we pick out places to enjoy some of the most satisfying walking in Britain - anything from easy strolls along lake shores to breathtaking (in both senses) routes up into high places where you're alone with the staggering views, with just the soaring buzzards and the hardy local Herdwick sheep for company.

• Tour 1 - Wordsworth's Lake District
• Tour 2 - The Northern Lakes
• Tour 3 - Beatrix Potter Country
• Tour 4 - Lakeland's Western Secrets