The English lake district is 1 of the most beautiful and unspoilt areas in Britain. A source of inspiration for both writers and painters, celebrated in the poetry of Wordsworth and Coleridge, the Lake District became a popular destination for travellers as early as the 18th century. The arrival of the Kendal and Windermere railway in the mid 19th century, giving greater access to the area, coincided with the invention of the camera. Thee lake district was deemed to be '' a very paradise for the photographer'' a sentiment fully realised in this book, in which a magnificent display of landscape photography, complemented by a revealing text, captures the history, geography, traditions and literary connections of this exceptional region.