Lake District - View From the Air

This aerial view depicts the town of Keswick and Skiddaw fell * along Derwent Water. The BBC Cumbria provides more information (and a web cam) about this area.

Keswick is situated on the edge of Derwent Water, on the south side of Skiddaw. Almost all of the town is Victorian and was built on the former railway line from Penrith.

Copper was one of the chief minerals mined in the neighbourhood, largely by German miners and is also famed for its 'wad' or 'black-lead' mines. The town's pencil industry survives from this time.

There is one difference, though. The graphite, for the pencils, is now imported.

* Lake District mountains are called "fells."