I think you first need to look at your budget and the look of your house. If you live in a grandiose and opulent home in Cumbria, then you might find that tarmac, for example, does not look very nice. What you could do instead is go for something like block paving; this looks really classy and quite stylish.
If you are looking to get work done on your driveway, you should hire a professional. For the greatest longevity and aesthetics, block paving is probably the best choice, but others would probably also recommend a resin bond finish. Either way, I recommend hiring one of the experts in driveways Cumbria has, like Lakeland Driveways.
They do some great work and have a long-running reputation in the area regardless of what material you happen to choose.
