• What comes to your mind when you think of a lake district?
• Are your associations based on your personal experience?
• Do you think that other people have similar ideas?

• Print off the table below the text and fill it in.
• Discuss the differences and similarities between the opinions of Polish people and foreigners. What are the reasons for them?

What comes to my mind when I think of a Lake District in Poland is the Northeast – Mazury. It is quite nice, though a bit overcrowded in the summer; however, tourist facilities could be much better. I do not know much about the problems people in the area face because I do not live there. I think that one of the problems might be unemployment and the resulting poverty. Also, some people find it very hard to adapt to the new economic reality and thus feel unable to think of better ways of dealing with the situation. Giving people some kind of assistance and training (both on a local and national level) might help. Finding people with ideas willing to invest in the area might also work as a stimulus.

Nice landscape, good food, peace and quiet, interesting sites to see (monuments, national parks, museums, etc.) would attract me to visit a Lake District. Decent accommodation is vital as well. I think we should keep our nature and environment unchanged, though make it more accessible by not building houses on lake shores, converting the area into one more concrete and steel modern facility, with big hotels, as it is often the case in the West of Europe. It would be better to provide attractions that would stimulate people`s interests, such as birdwatching, canoeing, discovering nature.

I guess there is a Lake District in Poland. Mazury is said to be a sort of Lake District. I believe it’s hilly and there are a lot of lakes and forests (the largest pines in Poland grow in there). It’s a popular tourist destination, so local people have to deal with the noise and mess caused by tourists but when the summer season is over lots of people become unemployed. Good weather, swimming, friends and cheap beer would attract me to go there. Unfortunately, the prices are rather high and the choice of accommodation is not wide enough.

A lake district in my country lies in the north-west of England, it has mountains and lakes together, and the wild moorland landscape. Tourists can take part in several outdoor attractions such as pony trekking, walking, camping, bird watching, climbing, paragliding, windsurfing, canoeing, crafts, but some of them are satisfied with sitting in a car and looking at the view and eating "cream teas". People in that area face numerous problems, such as the high price of houses, traffic jams, the lack of public transport. What is more, restrictions on developments that might bring work and low paid service jobs cause the emigration of local people. The pressure of visitors causes more and more damage to the environment, so the problem is in fact what would keep people away. Prosperous tourist areas become victims of their own success.

There is a Lake District in my country, in Trebon area, in South Bohemia. It’s one of the most attractive parts of the Czech Republic. I do not live in there, so I do not know much about the problems in this area. Tourism brings a lot of money. Not many people live there, so it seems to be a good place to visit if there was cheap accommodation. What else can encourage me to visit it? More promotion (leaflets, TV, videos), better transport connections, cleaner countryside, better tourist paths, more cultural and sport facilities, less heavy industry, more trees and fields.

There are a number of lakes in my country. Some of them are quite untouched, but others rather "commercial ". The lakes actually attract tourists, which means profit for the region. They also mean jobs in tourism for the locals and the development of the region, of the infrastructure, such as roads, hotels, etc. On the other hand, more people definitely means an ecological threat for the area. All the regions attract tourists by their natural beauty and luxurious hotels. Some of them luckily are not accessible by road! That is why not everyone can reach those places and see them which is good if we want to protect those fragile jewels of our mountains. We do not want more tourists there, actually NO tourists; ONLY some nature-lovers and hikers can come there. And let it remain so.

The Lake District is situated in the north west of Britain, not too far from where I was born. It is very beautiful and very popular with tourists. Some parts are very crowded but others still relatively untouched. I am afraid that as I have never lived there I am not sure of the problems people in that area face. I do know that there is a nuclear power station not far from there and this is the source of some concern for local inhabitants. Solitude, peace and quiet, cycling and walking are the things that would attract me to visit the Lake District.

There is a Lake District in the Western Highlands in Scotland. Mountains (not very high, mostly bare) surround lakes/lochs – some of the latter with outlets to the sea. Some afforestation and isolated habitations are typical in the area. The main problems that people face in this area are: the lack of employment or seasonal employment and difficulties of access to higher education. It could be a reason for leaving the country by young people. As far as farming is concerned, it is developed on a small scale and depends on subsidy. The solution might be the development of job opportunities, state or Euro-investment in non-traditional areas, maybe, a diversification of the land use. I would be attracted to a Lake District by scenery, tranquillity, and opportunities of boating and hill walking. Development of noisy water-based or hill-based activities should be restricted to well-defined zones only, leaving most in peace for walking. Unobtrusive but quality guidance should be available for those who are interested in natural history explanation.

1. Augustów Forest – the second largest forest in Poland (1100 sq. km) made up mainly of pine, spruce and colourful birches, oaks and elms. Rich and various wildlife includes boars, beavers, wolves, deer and elks. Many bike tracks and walking paths intersect the woodland.

2. Augustów Lakes (55 in all) – a unique complex of lakes and rivers connected by a canal. It is a real paradise for fishing, sailing, canoeing, surfing and survival courses.

4. Paniewo – the biggest sluice on the Augustów Canal.

5. The Rospuda River – links Rospuda Lake with the Augustów lakes. It is a perfect river for white water rafting.

7. Lake Hańcza – the deepest lake in Poland (108m) with crystal-clear water and steep shores.

8. Studzieniczna – the Sanctuary of the Virgin Mary, beautifully located on an island on Studzieniczne Lake.

9. The Wigry National Park – including 50 small lakes and the biggest one in the region Lake Wigry. This has a Camalodese monastery from 1667 on one long peninsula.

10. The Czarna Hańcza River, a perfect canoeing route flows through the park.

12. Stańczyki – one of the highest railway bridges in Poland, 31 meters above the ground.

13. Augustów – a climatic health resort and a centre of water sports.

In the northwestern corner of England covering 880 square miles the Lake District is the largest most spectacular and most visited place of Britain's 11 National Parks. The Lake District National Park encloses one third of the County of Cumbria and extends from Caldback in the north to Lindale in the south, from Ravenglass in the west to Shap in the east. It is famous for its quality of landscape and splendid scenes that attract around 12,000 tourists a year. The landscape is indeed beautiful, with the varied treasures of soft hills and woodland, the lengthy panoramas of the great Lakes, the unexpected discoveries of the smaller waters or tarns, the bare contours of the fells and high ground and the awe-inspiring power of the more remote mountains and mountain passes.

1. Windermere and Bowness, with a pretty village centre and Lake Windermere, 10 miles long, is the main tourist centre. At Bowness, boats depart for Belle Isle with the 18-century circular house.

2. Two miles (3 km) north lies Grasmere Lake. The southernmost part of the village, Town End, is where William Wordsworth first settled. What attracts tourists is a remarkable timber roofed church.

3. Thirlmere Lake is often compared with those in Switzerland. There is Helvellyn, the third highest mountain in England, snow-capped for much of the year.

4. Close to Keswick you will find Castlerigg Stone Circle, an ancient monument commanding tremendous views.

5. Keswick - a Victorian town with an old centre is now best known for its association with writers.

A favourite excursion is the Bowder Stone, a little way up the valley. The giant stone stands balanced on the side of the hill. The stone and the other attraction, the waterfall at Lodore is worth seeing.

6. Cockermouth is an old-fashioned stone-built town stretching along a lengthy main street.

7. Brougham Castle is a Norman castle built on the foundations of a Roman fort in the northern Lakeland.

The ruins here are very impressive: the top gallery of the keep has fine views and is worth the effort of climbing.

8. Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway - a narrow - gauge line with beautifully maintained miniature steam engines. The line runs for about 18 miles (28 km) through lush scenery with a view of the highest peaks and the distant sea. Ravenglass, on the coast, lies close to Muncaster Water Mill, a restored water-driven corn mill. Nearby is Muncaster Castle, home of the Pennington family since 1325. From its watch-tower you will see the fells and Eskdale.

9. Cartmel Priory is situated near the resort of Grange-over-Sands. It was founded in 1188 and it has an unusual tower.

10. Coniston Water and Grizedale Forest Park. The Forest Park is a large tract of land the Forestry Commission has given over to nature trails, jolly modern sculptures and a 23-seat theatre.