A Lake District hotel has become one of the first in the UK to hire out electric cars to its guests, as an eco-friendly alternative to enjoying the local area.

The Langdale Hotel and Spa recently became the first location in the Lake District National Park to install electric car charging points, which are free for all customers to use. But now, guests are able to take to the roads in one of the hotel’s two new Renault Twizys.

The cars can be hired from the hotel for three-hour slots, costing £29 each. All that’s needed is a valid driving licence. Visitors to the Langdale Valley can then make use of a growing electric car-charging network in several other nearby locations such as Bowness Tourist Information Centre, Ullswater Steamers and Ravenglass & Eskdale Steam Railway.

Langdale’s electric cars have been supported through the Go Lakes Travel programme, a £6.9m initiative funded by the Department of Transport.