The Top Lake District Things to Do: Travel to Windermere, Grasmere and Beyond in England’s Cherished Lakes
If you’re looking for a memorable getaway in England, look no further than the famous Lake District. This UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Park is filled with activities like hiking, camping and connecting with the rugged nature and history of this special place in Great Britain.
Lake and pasture views in Buttermere
I love an excuse to spend a little extra time in one specific region in my travels. So when my sister and I had the opportunity to visit the Lake District with a campervan, we jumped at it. As famous as this region is, my sister and I had both never visited (even though she lives in East London!), so this was a fun way to spend some time together surrounded by the stunning landscapes of “The Lakes.”
My breath was taken away driving the region’s winding roads, marvelling at its grassy sloped hills and deep blue lake waters, watching sheep grazing peacefully on its terraced pastures, and driving past too many stone walls and daffodils lining its early spring roadsides to count. Brooke even put on Taylor Swift’s “The Lakes” for our road trip playlist, just one of so many writers and artists who’s been inspired by its dramatic landscapes.
The Lake District is a region that encompasses Lake District National Park in Cumbria and northwest England. It’s famous for its moody landscapes, abundance of lakes—which for England is a big deal, since there are so few in the country—and mountainous terrain, perfect for taking scenic walks and hikes. It’s also home to several historic and literary landmarks, which makes a visit here filled with so many possibilities to make the perfect trip.
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The Formation and History of The Lakes
As someone based in Canada, I have to remind myself that I’m lucky to have so many lakes in my home country—approximately 2 million, to be exact. There are more than 250,000 lakes in my home province of Ontario, alone. In England, there are less than 400 lakes, nearly 20 of which are in this one district. There’s such a high concentration of lakes here because its dramatic mountains and valleys were carved out by glaciers during the Ice Age.
Historically, the area was inhabited by Celts, and later influenced by Norse settlers—both groups leaving their traces behind in archaeological sites and names throughout the region. On a trip to the Lake District, you’ll notice that there is a pattern in the naming of places. An example is that lakes often end with the suffix “—mere”, like Grasmere. This comes from the Old Norse and Old English term “marr”, meaning “sea”. Even though we know the lakes aren’t the sea, it’s easy to see why this kind of connection would be made in a region with few lakes.
By the 18th and 19th centuries, the Lake District became a retreat for poets and writers, most notably William Wordsworth. Wordsworth’s works, along with those of his compatriots who romanticized the region, helped to protect it during The Industrial Revolution. While railways were being constructed across Great Britain, Wordsworth helped to advocate against trains being built through the Lake District.
This is partly why it can be a little cumbersome to get to The Lakes today, since its natural and historic beauty are very much still intact. The Lake District ended up becoming the second National Park in England in 1951, a short month after the neighbouring Peak District was established as a National Park. Today, the region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the country’s most favourite destinations. It’s easy to see why.
Looking over Windermere Lake
How to Travel To and Around The Lake District in England
If you’re coming to England specifically to visit the Lake District from another country, Manchester would likely make the most sense for your arrival city, but sometimes people work in a trip from Edinburgh, too. You can easily take trains, buses or drive from Manchester to access The Lakes.
By Train
Although no train technically runs through the Lake District, you can take trains to the town of Windermere, which is one of the largest towns in the region. It’s the most direct way to get to the region without a car, and you’ll likely have to transfer at least once if you’re coming from major cities like Edinburgh or London. Common transfer stations include Manchester and Newcastle-upon-Tyne to get a direct train to Windermere. National Rail is your best bet for booking train tickets in the United Kingdom.
By bus
From Windermere and throughout the Lake District, the best way to get around is by bus. There are only a few major thoroughfares in the district, many of which are only two lanes, so taking a bus is a good way to move between towns and sites.
By Car
As you already know, this was the approach my sister and I took since we were taking a campervan on this trip. We picked up our rental in Manchester—which would work well for a regular car, too—and the drive is around two hours to get to The Lakes. A long trip by British standards, but a small blip on the radar for Canadian road trippers. I’ll be driving four hours round-trip to speak on a travel conference panel soon, so this trip was more than manageable for us.
Brooke and I in Ambleside: the origin of Beatrix Potter’s stories!
Where to Stay in The Lakes
Since Brooke and I were camping our way through The Lakes, we found some amazing campsites in the area through Campsites.co.uk. One of our favourites was Moss Howe Farm near Witherslack in the southeastern part of the region, but there are plenty of options to choose from in the area.
For many people coming to the region, they’ll plan on staying in more central areas. It’s important to note that The Lake District is relatively spread out, so choosing your accommodation based on your transportation needs is best. There are some adorable cottages and B&B’s throughout the district, but unless they’re near a major road accessible by bus, they will be tricky to get to without a car.
For that reason, most people stick to the largest towns in Cumbria county: Keswick, Windermere, and Ambleside are most common. But some people stay in smaller places like Grasmere or Buttermere, too. You can feel free to use the map below to help you find the best place to stay in the Lakes for you.
Top Things to Do in the Lake District
Now let’s get to the fun part! There are so many things to do in this beautiful region. Since it is so spread out, I wouldn’t recommend trying to do everything in one trip. But if you take a little bit from even a few of these suggestions, you’ll be sure to have an excellent time in The Lakes.
Wander Around Some of the District’s Historic Towns and Villages
Views of the dramatic hills from central Keswick
Whether you’re staying in one of these towns at your accommodation on your trip, or you’re stopping in for a bite of food between hikes, you really can’t go wrong when it comes to visiting these charming towns in the region. Each town offers a good base for activities, refueling and relaxing during your trip.
Windermere: One of the largest towns in the Lake District, and next to the lake of the same name, there are several things to do here. Wander around the centre of town, hike nearby Orrest Head for panoramic views of the area, or visit the World of Beatrix Potter. You can also head over to neighbouring Bowness on Windermere for a lakeside stroll.
Keswick: Keswick is my favourite larger market town in the lakes. Walk along Main Street and its historic centre for lunch or afternoon tea, walk around Derwentwater, or hike Catbells for stunning views. Visit the Keswick Museum, the Pencil Museum, or Castlerigg Stone Circle, or take a scenic walk in nearby Borrowdale parish.
Ambleside: This adorable hillside town is along the A591 between Windermere and Keswick. Walk around town through its winding streets, check out The Bridge House, a 17th-century stone house perched over the Stock Beck River, and do the short hike up from town to Stock Ghyll Force waterfall.
Grasmere: This small town is a little further up the road on the way to Keswick from Ambleside. Walk around Rydal Water and Helm Craig, walk through its narrow historic core to William Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage, or visit St. Oswald’s Church and the famous Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.
Buttermere: This tiny town is along the B5289, near Keswick and the Honister Pass—and on top of being a beautiful place to stop, the name is too cute. Take a lakeside walk around Buttermere Lake, hike to Haystacks, or make your way up to Scale Force, the district’s highest waterfall.
Visit a megalithic Stone Circle
Castlerigg Stone Circle is a must-visit on a trip to the Lakes
Given its lengthy history across many civilizations, megalithic stone circles can be found in various parts of the Lakes. They’re often found high up on fell hikes across the region, but some can be driven to. One you can drive to (which is arguably the most famous) is Castlerigg Stone Circle. It’s high up on a hill east of Keswick, and a truly awe-inspiring site to see.
Castlerigg is among the earliest British circles, believed to have been constructed around 3000 BC, during the Neolithic period. On top of the circle itself being a marvel, the views of Helvellyn and High Seat in the background make it extra special. As there often are, it should be noted that there were high winds on our visit up to Castlerigg, so be prepared! But the jawdropping beauty of its location and the consideration for just how long it’s been around made the trip here well worthwhile.
Other notable stone circles in the Lake District are Swinside Stone Circle and Long Meg and Her Daughters (such a great name!)
Take a Cruise or Walk the Shoreline of One of the Lakes
Dramatic views inside and outside of Rydal Cave by Dockey Tarn
Each lake in the Lake District is unique, and there are too many walks, hikes and boat tours to count. Here are a few highlights to consider:
Windermere Lake: Take the Bowness Nab ferry across the lake from the town of Windermere. From here, walk 2.5km up to Beatrix Potter House. Between the lake crossing, scenic views, and this historic literary home, this is a great way to combine the best of what makes this region so special.
Lake Buttermere: Walk the circumference of this scenic lake on the this relatively flat 7km path.
Derwentwater: Take the path that circles around Derentwater. It’s a little longer at 16km, but offers beautiful views from different vantage points around the lake.
Ullswater: Ullswater is a long lake, so walking the full Ullswater Way will take quite a while—it’s 32 km in total! If you’re looking to get a taste of this lake, you can walk part of the path starting in the village of Pooley Bridge or Gale Bay. Alternatively, you can visit Aira Force Waterfall, which is a dramatic waterfall surrounded by old stone bridges and walkways up in the hills around Ullswater.
Grasmere Lake and Dockey Tarn: These two bodies of water are right next to each other, connected by River Rothay. There are several walking and hiking trails that connect the two. You can also walk up to Rydal Cave from several of these footpaths. We parked our van at the Pelter Bridge car park, and made our way up to Rydal Cave for scenic views of Dockey Tarn from here.
Go on a Scenic Hike or Drive
The famous Honister Pass
Hikes and scenic drives abound in the Lakes. Whether you’re driving in your own vehicle, or perched on the top of a double decker bus making its way between towns, the landscapes that will pass you by are truly worth marvelling at.
Although scenic drives are really built into the entire region, one I’d recommend going out of your way to see is the Honister Pass. Located on the B528, this narrow, winding mountain pass is definitely memorable on a road trip through the region.
Many travellers visit the Lake District for hiking. Unfortunately, I can’t be your best resource for hikes, since my sister wasn’t feeling so great on our trip, and our focus was more on camping and road tripping in the region. I can tell you that one of the most intermediate and famous hikes in the region is to Scafell Pike, which is the highest peak in the Lake District at over 950 metres tall.
For a complete list of walks and hikes, I’d recommend checking out the Lake District National Park’s list.
Visit an Author’s Historic Home
William Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage in Grasmere
As a self-proclaimed literary nut, this was a no brainer for me on a trip to The Lakes. Its no wonder why so many writers and artists felt inspired by the dramatic landscapes here.
There are several sites you can visit connected to literature. The Beatrix Potter House is one of the most famous sites, located near Far Sawrey. It’s a National Trust site, and it’s recommended to buy tickets for your timed tour in advance. Pre-pandemic this wasn’t a requirement, but they now have timed entrance tickets that book up quickly. My sister and I learned this the hard way, and since we were planning this trip on the fly they were unfortunately sold out on the day we visited. They also have a very small car park, so if you’re driving, this is important to note.
Brooke and I still enjoyed walking around the village of Near and Far Sawrey and its walking trails near the Beatrix Potter House. It’s easy to see how the village’s stone walls and gardens were the basis for stories about characters like Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny and Mrs. Tiggiwinkle, among others. We loved reading these tales as kids, so this was a fun site to visit. For families, a good alternative is The World of Beatrix Potter, which is a children’s museum in Bowness-on-Windermere.
An author’s home we were able to visit was Dove Cottage & the Wordsworth Museum, which was the home of William Wordsworth. I studied a lot of Wordsworth’s poetry in university, so this was a special place to visit. This is another National Trust site, and while the museum is open for walk-ins, the cottage is only accessible by guided tour. Seeing the desk Wordsworth wrote his poems at and how humbly he and his family lived here was touching. The tour ends in the cottage’s rear terraced gardens, which offer beautiful views of the surrounding town and lake of Grasmere.
A cozy scene inside William Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage
Since our visit was in early April and blooming daffodils were a highlight on this trip, it felt especially fitting to come at a time and in a place that inspired one of Wordsworth’s most famous poems, which I’ll leave here:
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
“I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.”
Breathing Deep and Reflecting in the Lakes
A moment of reflection at the top of Dove Cottage’s garden in Grasmere
In the end, regardless of how adventure intensive or laidback your trip to the Lake District is, the most memorable part of your trip will by far be sitting back and just immersing yourself in its natural, almost fairytale-like beauty. Whether you curl up in a cozy stone cottage with a fireplace and a good book, or celebrate the end of a day well spent at a cozy local pub to finish your day, it’s these moments of reflection and celebration over this region that you’ll remember long after you return home.
Because after all, the real magic of a trip here to is to sit back and just allow this region to wrap you in its meditation of low-hanging clouds, bright green pastures and deep lakes. If you can’t find a reason to disconnect and enjoy Mother Nature’s beauty here, you’d be hard pressed to be able to do it anywhere else.