Melvyn Bragg describes the geology of the Lake District from when it was desert and swamp, and tells of the people who have lived there for 4000 years. The legends, myths and folklore of the farmers and fishermen are included, and the types of people that populated the area, from the Norsemen and Romans to the Normans. Bragg also follows in the footsteps of writers and poets, such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Sir Walter Scott and Beatrix Potter.