Where is England's real Lake District?

The Lake District is not in Cumbria - it's actually in Croydon.

So claims the South Norwood Tourist Board, which is demanding that Cumbrian authorities relinquishes its claim to the title.

In a missive addressed to the Cumbria Tourism, the self-appointed tourist group it argues that that the area around Croydon has more lakes than Cumbria, and that it is therefore "England's official Lake District".

The group points out that it has two lakes, while Cumbria only has one. Ninety-three of the 94 "lakes" in Cumbria are in fact meres, tarns and waters, it says.

And it insists that its scenery is every bit as good as Cumbria.

Residents of South Norwood have defended the plans to claim the title of Lake District.

Speaking in the Evening Standard, one local walker, Liam Campbell, praised the campaign, saying:"It will get people to recognise this beautiful area and the wonderful lake... in the summer you can't beat it."

Cumbria Tourism told the BBC that it was not taking the demand too seriously: "I'm sure the ponds of South Norwood have their merits and it is flattering that they wish to emulate our natural environment, albeit in a modest way," said Ian Stephens, the tourist board's managing director.

The SNTB was formed in July 2012 by three friends in a pub last year. The group is also campaigning to get South Norwood Lake (pictured above) renamed as the Conan Doyle Lake, as the author used to play cricket and wrote one of his novels, The Reichenbach Falls in the area.

Its website includes a tongue-in-cheek quote from Dr Johnson: "A man who is tired of South Norwood is tired of life... A man who is tired of the Lake District is normal."

What do you think? Have you seen the lakes of South Norwood? How do they compare with Cumbria's?

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