I lived in Ambleside in the south lakes for some time and eventually left due to the oddness. It certainly wasn't the people, far from it in fact, but the way the buildings are positioned slap up against those dark, looming hills actually unnerved me...and it took a good while before I could work out what was actually 'wrong'. I felt unutterably depressed there, and found myself roaming the local paths, often taking refuge in the church yard which afforded some privacy and a much needed sense of peace.
Even in the thick of winter the place felt chaotic to me, and only toned down ever so slightly during the first lockdown. It was a mixture of those tiny narrow roads crammed to the hilt and an overbearing sense of being overshadowed - those dark stone, tall Victorian buildings very tightly packed in the more popular, 'newer' part of town created such an indescribable effect, something I have never been able to put into words.
As the months wore on, I became more and more despondent, which was quite unlike me, and I'd thrived beautifully a few miles further down the road when I lived and worked in Windermere. All that I can think is that it's current use overwhelms the spot; there is barely any room for people to navigate the small shopping area, which the very busy A591 cuts through with some rather hairy bends...and the tiny streets (not to mention minuscule pavements) leading off it are so narrow and steep that it is difficult to cut through any of them on foot due to the size of the vehicles choking them up. It simply wasn't built with this in mind, and I have no idea how the council and local businesses will adapt going into the future. There's quite a few intense discussions about it online where no one can seem to agree. If anything, you might say that this beautiful area is becoming a victim of it's own success.
Then again, most of the south lakes seems to have become more Disney-fied with each year; something which seemed to accelerate after it gained World Heritage Status. Even the visitors seem to have changed, and this might only be noticeable if you take root there. I would hazard a guess that 99% of the visitors using holiday cottages rarely move more than a few meters from their car. It isn't quite the place I once loved - bustling with walkers and dogs, curious shops, colourful backpacks and non-bistro tea shops. The last time I was in Windermere it felt almost completely corporatised, even the small galleries and gift shops are merely a string of facsimiles now.