Transcript
Welcome to Great Britain and the best of British countryside!
This landscape is incredibly varied, from the sweeping coastlines to the rolling hills and majestic mountains and, with a mild climate and plenty of rain, this really is a green and pleasant land that I’m about to explore.
There are 15 national parks in Great Britain, and one of the most beautiful is here in the Lake District.
It’s the second largest national park in Britain and is full of scenic mountains and picturesque lakes.
In the heart of the Lake District is Lake Windermere – the largest natural lake in England. It’s over 18km long and around 66m deep – so it’s fairly easy to find!
This area is said to be one of the most beautiful in Great Britain. In the past, boats transported slate, timber and wool across the lake, and fishing was really important here.
Hiya. One ticket for the Windermere Lake cruise, please.
Richard: Hello, Jacqui.
Jacqui: Hello, Richard.
Richard: Jacqui O'Connor of Lake Windermere Cruises is giving me a private tour of the lake.
Jacqui, this is lovely. How many people choose to see the lakes like this every year?
Jacqui: Richard, we carry on average 1.35 million passengers a year on our boats.
Richard: And why do you think so many people find this area appealing?
Jacqui: Oh, I think basically all you have to do, Richard, is to look around you. Look at this absolutely stunning scenery. It's absolutely beautiful. They come to get away, to enjoy the peace and tranquillity, to come to have a look at the nature. It's also, Windermere Lake Cruises is one of the top tourist attractions in the north-west of England so when you come to this area, come and cruise on the lake, definitely – it must be done!
Richard: And you obviously love coming out here and love being part of all of this?
Jacqui: I do. It's fantastic. It's just a beautiful area to live. Really nice, lovely, friendly, peaceful. It's great.
Well, I’m wild about Windermere but what about Wales? Just over the border there’s some stunning countryside, at another national park.
One of the most visited parks is Snowdonia in Wales. 6 million people come to visit the incredible mountains every year.
Wales is famous for its mountains, but also countryside closer to sea level. This fishing village on the north coast has 3km of sweeping bay, offering a sheltered harbour to visitors from around the world.
I'm from Argentina (and I live in Argentina too) and we have The Andes mountains and a lot of lakes in the Patagonia. I love going there on holidays. I love mountains and their majesty but I prefer living in the city.
I was delighted with the places Richard showed in the video. I'm particularly interested in the last national park he visited.
sweeping bay, I could not understand this phrase very well, would you please explain what exactly means?
thanks
Hi khattab badr,
"Sweeping" is an adjective and it means broad, or covering a wide area. A "bay" is a part of a coast with a concave (inwardly curving) shape.
I hope that helps to understand it.
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
It helps a lot; this is really appreciated.
This video has got lots of insights when it comes to grammar structures.
By the way in these two sentences (from task 4) which is more natural way of expressing the idea?
1- People say that the house is haunted by the ghost of a little girl.
2-The house is said to be haunted by the ghost of a little girl.
And the second sentence structure, has it any special grammatical term in English? Or is it called passive voice too?
Looking forward to a reply from the educators, British Council.
Hello Future_Nibras,
The second one, which is sometimes called the 'impersonal passive', is more typical in written or formal situations, but the two sentences are equally natural. We are working on expanding our Grammar section and hope to publish a page there on this topic in the coming months.
Glad you found the video helpful!
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Lake Windermere is the one I would tick first in my travel itinerary to Great Britain. Cruising on the boat with cool breeze gently whipping my face on a warm sunny afternoon would be wonderful. There must be scenic views along the 16 kilometers lake and surely I would expect to see some fish in the clear water amidst the rippled water. Yes, definitely Lake Windermere is my first priority.
Being a nature lover, I have never been able to envision living in a hustle and bustle city as the fast-paced living and constantly buzzing streets might be a little too much for me to breathe in in contrast to a sedentary slow-paced life in a village in the countryside. I am a country grl to the core!
Rolling paddy fields with mountains or hills at the far sight framing the sun rise would be a sight to behold what more if there are water buffaloes grazing and birds flocking amidst the azure blue sky.
I think these landscapes are beautiful and I would love to visit them.