The Lake District
Our recommendations
Windermere & Bowness
This is the honeypot of the Lake District. The arrival of the town’s train station in 1847 boosted tourism to the area, and today it’s popular for Beatrix Potter and its range of things to do & places to eat.
Brant Fell & Orrest Head are the best walks for views of Lake Windermere, and Millerground offers a wonderful shoreline walk & access to outdoor activities at Windermere Outdoor Adventure Centre. You can also walk along the lakeside to the Marina & take the ferry across to Claife Viewing Station.
Windermere Lake Cruises are fantastic. Enjoy the views from the top deck or stern, and their Winter Warmer (Bailey’s Hot Chocolate) is perfect for a frosty day. They also hire self-drive rowing & electric boats.
Homeground offer an incredible brunch & Mio Mondo have the best homemade scones!
Ambleside, Rydal Water & Grasmere
The 599 open top bus service from Bowness to Grasmere is a perfect way to enjoy the fantastic lakeside & mountain scenery.
YHA Ambleside has a lakeside café open to the public, and the nearby Roman Fort & meadow walk is well worth a visit. This beautiful circular walking route from WalkLakes visits Grasmere (ideal for a lunchtime stop), Rydal Caves & both lakes. The walks to Ambleside waterfalls & Lily Tarn are easily accessible from the town centre.
Zeffirellis is an independent cinema, live music venue & pizzeria, and the Apple Pie are famous for their bath buns!
Grasmere is famous for William Wordsworth and its gingerbread. The Faeryland garden offers hot drinks, nibbles & boat hire.
Kendal
Kendal is a beautiful market town with a vibrant arts & culture scene, from festivals & events to museums and historic buildings, it’s got something for everyone.
There is a good variety of high street & independent shops, lovely walks alongside the River Kent, and beautiful views from Kendal Castle & Kendal Fell.
Have a look on the website to plan your visit and see upcoming events.
www.visit-kendal.co.uk/…
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Keswick, Borrowdale & Ullswater
Similar to the Ambleside walk, this area combines a beautiful market town, lake and Britain’s 4th best walk, Cat Bells (ITV’s 2017 poll).
The walk could be a whole day or a couple of hours, as boats stop off at various jetties around the lake, taking you closer to Cat Bells if you’d prefer a shorter walk.
We once got the boat from Keswick to Hawes End, walked to The Borrowdale Hotel for afternoon tea (approx. 2 hours, or 3 if you go to the summit of Cat Bells), then caught the boat back from Lodore – perfect especially when the sun is shining!
www.keswick.org/…
www.keswick-launch.co.uk/…
Wild Haweswater
Wild Haweswater is a partnership between the RSPB and United Utilities, in the beautiful eastern Lake District National Park.
The RSPB runs events throughout the year, for example, meadow walks in summer & the annual Red Deer rut in October. One of their partners, Wild Intrigue, also offers breakfasts with red squirrels, and afternoon tea in their Woodland Wildlife Hide.
Wild Fell written by our former Site Manager for Wild Haweswater Lee Schofield, is a call to recognise that the solutions for a richer world lie at our feet; by focussing on flowers, we can rebuild landscapes fit for eagles again. A landscape of flowers is a landscape of hope.
It was published in February 2022, with the paperback out a year later in March 2023. Since its release, this popular book was Highly Commended in the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2022 in the Writing on Conservation category, and winner of the Richard Jefferies Award 2022.
Grab your copy today!
Coniston, Elterwater & the Langdales
(Content coming soon)
Wast Water
Wast Water is one of the remotest lakes and takes 1 ½ hours to drive to, but if you set off early and make the most of it, it’s well worth it.
It’s the deepest lake, was named ‘Britain’s Favourite View’ in 2007 (ITV), and is quieter than other areas.
To make a day of it, jump on the nearby Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway and have lunch at The Woolpack Inn or Brook House Inn.
www.visitcumbria.com/…
www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk/…
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