WITH just a week to go until the most romantic day of the year, here are a few reasons why the Lake District is the perfect place to spend Valentine's Day.

The Lake District is steeped in history and at the start of the 19th century it was a hub for creativity and the home of the poets who initiated the movement of Romanticism. Indeed, the three writers who kicked off the genre were so closely linked with the area, they became known as the Lake Poets. The trio were made up of William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and poet laureate Robert Southey.

So this Valentine's Day why not retrace the footsteps of some of Britain's most famous writers and do something a little different.

The walk which inspired one of the nation's most loved poems, Daffodils, by Wordsworth, was inspired by a stroll along the banks of Ullswater. This Valentine's why not take your partner for a romantic eight-mile hike around the lake, or cuddle up under a blanket for a boat ride on the Ullswater Steamer. The old-fashioned boats and the majestic view of Helvellyn crowning the top of the lake will make for a naturally beautiful and memorable day out. You can also explore the home of Wordsworth, Dove Cottage, in Grasmere if you are feeling particularly interested.

Must read poems from the Lake Poets who loved our Lake District:

1.William Wordsworth - Daffodils

2. Samuel Taylor Coleridge - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

3. Robert Southey - Go Valentine

The Perfect Place to Propose

Online travel company SuperBreak.com and dating website eHarmony.co.uk have both named the Lake District their number one destination to get down on one knee and propose to your loved one. 

Some of the most beautiful spots for a proposal in the Lake District take a little more finding than others. I have made a little list of the places I find most romantic:

1. One of the easiest spots to get to is on the little jetty that stretches out in to the middle of  Windermere from Brockhole Visitor Centre. This has a beautiful view of the lake and feels as though you are in your own little world.

2. Bill Clinton, the former president of the United States of America, chose the banks of Ennerdale Water to propose to his wife Hillary. 

3. Sticking to a lovey-dovey theme, (love) Hart Crag is part of the Fairfield Horseshoe and being just above Ambleside it is perfect for romantic ramblers who don't want to go too far afield. You can hike straight down in to Ambleside for a restorative glass of champagne at the end of the day.

4. Thousands of people flock to Ashness Bridge near Keswick each year for its beautiful views and if you haven't ever visited then this could be the year to go.

5. If you're more into country pubs than hiking on the wintry fells then there are plenty of romantic establishments in the Lake District. 

Sweetest Treats in the Land

As if the Lake District didn't have enough to attract visitors, it also has some of the yummiest array of sweet treats that have become famous nation-wide. If you are struggling for a gift this Valentine's Day, you can never usually go wrong with something sweet (especially for ladies!) and if you want to go all out, then why not make your own little hamper of Lake District-themed surprises. Find yourself a wicker basket, go to the market for some red and pink ribbon, decorate liberally and fill with these top Lake District treats:

- Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding. Hands down the best in the world.

- Romney's Kendal Mint Cake. It may be a bit of a Marmite-type product. I have never seen it anywhere else in the world and it is popular with mountaineers all over the country as an unstoppable source of energy.

- Grasmere Gingerbread. Perhaps one of the most traditional Lakeland snacks, the gingerbread was first made in 1854 by a Victorian girl who sold it from a tree stump outside her house.

- English Lakes Thunder and Lightning Ice Cream. A little more difficult to get inside a hamper, but you can buy it in big tubs if you try hard enough. I have never encountered this flavour outside the Lake District and it is the most delicious I have ever tasted in many years of ice cream tasting.

A brief history of Valentine's Day

WE all buy into the tradition of buying chocolates and flowers on February 14 but not many people even know who St Valentine was or why he is remembered as the patron saint of love.

Well, most historians seem to agree that St Valentine was a Christian priest who lived during the third century AD (this was after the Roman Empire had converted to Christianity from Paganism).

The Emperor Claudius, second of his name, decided that his Roman soldiers would do a much better job of fighting the barbarians if they weren't distracted by their aching hearts longing for wives they had left behind. He decreed that no soldier was allowed to marry while serving in the Roman army.

St Valentine, back then probably just known as Father Valentine or the Reverend Valentine, was such a hopeless romantic, he continued to marry love-sick soldiers to their sweethearts in secret.

Of course, anybody who has studied a history of Rome will know that defying an emperor never went down well. Those who dared ignore a Roman law usually ended up with their hands nailed to the senate door or forced to commit suicide.

Unfortunately, poor St Valentine was eventually rumbled for his unsolicited ceremonies and executed for his dedication to true love.

He became a martyr and we still honour his memory once a year by showing our true love for how much we care for them.