The Lake District has long been a favourite for domestic & international travellers looking to take advantage of the stunning English countryside & mountain views on offer, in this part of the country. If you only have 3 days to spare in this region, then you have come to the right place. As we have the most epic 3-day itinerary to share with you, that’ll certainly scratch your Lake District travel itch.
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Furthermore, this post is written in collaboration with Visit Lake District, who hosted us during our stay & organised many of the awesome activities we are going to share below. Therefore, a huge thank you goes out to them.
When is the best time to visit the Lake District?
Undoubtedly the Autumn, Spring & Summer are the best times to visit the Lake District. However, we would argue that visiting outside of the summer holidays (July-August), will provide a much better experience with fewer crowds. Our recent visit was in May & personally we believe that this is one of the best months to visit, especially if you get a few good days of weather.
If you do have the option to, try to visit mid-week, as again you will likely experience fewer crowds & have a much more pleasant experience.
Where to stay in the Lake District?
The Lake District fortunately has something for everyone. From camp sites, log cabins or glamping tents to luxury hotels, cosy cottages & even youth hostels. You really are spoilt for choice here & it is great that there is something for every budget.
When it comes to which area of the Lake District to base yourself in, it really depends on which area you are planning to explore. For example, in the southern lakes a good base would be in Windemere or Bowness on Windemere, these two towns are located only 1.5 miles from each other & are often considered the heart of the Lake District.
However, if you are planning to explore the northern lakes then you might want to consider staying in somewhere like Keswick or Penrith. These two towns have much better access to areas like: Ullswater, Helvellyn & Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain & most infamous climb in the Lakes.
We recently spent 2 nights at the stunning Macdonald Old England Hotel in Bowness on Windemere. Situated right on the shores of Lake Windemere, in terms of location it doesn’t really get much better than this. From our room we had a front row view of the lake, which certainly became the highlight of our stay here.
The hotel features an onsite restaurant serving breakfast, lunch & dinner, a bar/cocktail lounge, as well as a spa & indoor swimming pool facility. Macdonald Old England Hotel has rooms that start from around £87 per person. Landing it on the slightly higher end of budgets, but if you fancy treating yourself or for a special occasion, this is the perfect getaway.
How to get around the Lake District?
The Lake District National Park covers an area of 2362 square kilometres (912 square miles) & therefore it can take some time to reach opposite ends, especially as the roads are mostly B roads & country lanes. Many visitors choose to self-drive, which would certainly make for the most convenient stay.
However, the public transport system is surprisingly very well connected in the Lakes. Here you can read more about how to have a car free visit to the Lake District. On our recent trip, we took the train with Avanti West Coast from London Euston – Oxenholme & then onto Windemere, the entire journey took roughly 4.5 hours including wait time. The journey was also very comfortable in Standard Premium class. Once in the Lakes, jumping on the buses is very easy, with schedules available on Google Maps & the Stagecoach app.
Day 1: Around Lake Windermere
Once you have arrived in the Lake District & have made your way to your hotel, it is time to get stuck into everything that this beautiful English National Park has to offer.
Rent a boat – staying in Bowness-on-Windermere gives you the advantage of having Windermere Electric Boat Hire on your doorstep. Renting a boat here starts from £25 per hour & is a great way to spend a couple of hours on Lake Windermere. With one of their electric boats, you will be able to explore the lake at your own pace. Take a picnic & a couple drinks, that is a recipe for a perfect afternoon (especially if the sun comes out)!
Lake Windermere is England’s largest lake with a length of 10.5 miles (18.08km). In an electric boat you will be able to travel the length of the lake from Bowness-on-Windermere to Ambleside & back within 2 hours easily. Take in the stunning scenery as you cruise on by, with the nearby fells as your backdrop.
Hike to Orrest Head Viewpoint – this is a short but spectacular walk to the top of a nearby hill that has sweeping views across Lake Windermere & across to the nearby mountains. This is the Orrest Head Trailhead location, it is directly opposite Total Bike Adventure shop in Windermere. The walk to the viewpoint should take roughly 30-40 minutes at a gradual pace. Note that the trail is steep, so a basic level of fitness is required. There is also a wheelchair friendly path to follow.
The trail is mostly shaded by trees & the views don’t really open up until you are approaching the top, where you will eventually be greeted by a clearing & an incredible view across the surrounding countryside. This is a popular spot to watch the sunrise or sunset, as both are visible from here.
Dinner at Macdonald Old England Hotel – if you do choose to stay at the Macdonald Old England Hotel, then there is a restaurant on site, offering the perfect setting for a delicious meal overlooking Lake Windermere. We can personally recommend that you try one of their steaks, served with hand cooked chips, onion rings, salad & a sauce of your choice. It was one of the most delicious steaks we have ever had.
Day 2: All about adventure
If you are an adrenaline junkie, then you are going to want to keep reading as day 2 is all about thrills in the Lake District. After all, you are in the adventure capital of the UK! Start your day with breakfast at the hotel, before catching the bus from Bowness-on-Windermere towards Blockhole-on-Windermere. You’ll be able to catch the 599-bus heading towards Grasmere to reach Brockhole, a single ticket is only £2. You can plan your route over at Stagecoach.
Zipworld Windermere – on the shores of Lake Windermere, you will find Zipworld equipped with a high ropes course, climbing wall & a bouncy net treetop experience, providing great fun for all ages. Spend a couple hours here, getting to grips with the high ropes & zooming your way down the many treetop ziplines. The full treetop trek costs £38 per person & it is well worth booking in advance to secure your spot.
Book your adventure at Zipworld Windermere.
After your treetop adventure, head to the onsite cafe situated inside the National Park Visitor Centre, not far at all from the Zip World entrance. This is a great spot to grab some lunch & refresh with a cup of tea.
Total Adventure Bike Hire – a great way to experience the beauty of the Lake District is through hiring some mountain bikes & heading out into the surrounding fells. Total Adventure are located in Windermere & offer reasonably priced bike rental, starting from around £35 per day. The guys there will be more than happy to suggest cycling routes to you & there is even a dedicated app you can use to follow your chosen route.
Unless you are physically fit or have a decent amount of experience with mountain biking, then we would suggest renting an e-bike. The Lake District is of course home to plenty of steep hills & having an e-bike is a life saver, when you really need that extra help.
This really was the highlight of our 3-day trip to the Lakes, so this suggestion comes highly recommended!
Day 3: Around Grasmere
Just north of Windermere is the cosy village of Grasmere, it is here that you will begin to find yourself amongst the real mountains of the Lake District. Everywhere you look in Grasmere, a beautiful view awaits you, so it is no wonder that the village is a popular spot for locals & tourists alike.
To reach Grasmere you can easily hop on the 599 bus from Windermere, the bus will terminate in the heart of Grasmere village. Despite the beautiful views you’ll encounter here, Grasmere is home to some boutique cafe’s, pubs, gift shops & most importantly…Gingerbread!
Grasmere Gingerbread – If you don’t already know, Grasmere is known for its Gingerbread, that has been made inside a tiny cottage within the village for the last 170 years. The founder of Grasmere Gingerbread, Sarah Nelson started making & selling the tasty treat outside her cottage home in 1854 & today it is run by third generation family members & has turned into a worldwide business.
The Grasmere Gingerbread brand is highly protected, so much so that even the official recipe for the gingerbread is only known by a select few people & is kept locked away in a vault in Windermere. We have to say, it is some of the most delicious gingerbread we have ever tried, so it is well worth stopping by to sample some. So good in fact, that there is often a queue stretching around the corner of the cottage & down the street. Be sure to arrive early in the day to avoid the queues & secure some freshly baked gingerbread.
If gingerbread isn’t to your taste, then the shop also sells a selection of fudge, rum butter, gifts & memorabilia to take home with you. The cottage in which the shop is located is a Victorian building & therefore is very small inside, beware that it may get a little cramped, but we promise it’ll be worth it.
Read more about the history of Grasmere Gingerbread & the shop.
Grasmere Distillery/The Good Sport – not far from the gingerbread shop, is Grasmere Distillery & The Good Sport Brewery, a family run distillery & brewery in the heart of the Lake District. Everything is made on site, by hand & with good quality ingredients. They have recently started offering tours of the distillery/brewery, which we highly recommend you do, to learn more about the spirit & beer making process. You will even get the opportunity to try some beverages, straight from the source.
Tours cost £25 per adult & you can only make booking for minimum 2 people. Book your tour here.
Across the road from the distillery is The Good Sport, a restaurant & pub serving everything that the distillery/brewery produces. Along with a jam-packed food menu to feast your eyes on. We would highly recommend tasting the chilli loaded fries, they go down extremely well with a cool beer on a warm day. This is a fabulous spot to grab some lunch pre or post hike in the surrounding fells.
Grasmere Lake – After fuelling up on gingerbread & beer in the village, it would be rude to come all this way & not check out the beautiful Grasmere Lake. There is a fantastic scenic circular walk that follows the shores of Lake Grasmere & will take you around the entire circumference, before arriving back at the village. The walk should take roughly 1.5 hours without any photo stops, but you will definitely want to stop for the views. Therefore, allow at least 2 hours to complete the walk at a comfortable pace.
The walk begins in Grasmere, if you navigate to the street ‘Red Bank’ you will be on the right path. There will be a walk along the road for a short while, then the track will dip down towards the lake. It is well signposted & there will likely be others walking this popular route.
As you look out across the lake back towards Grasmere, you’ll be rewarded with picture perfect views of the idyllic English Lakes, a scene that has inspired many poets, artists & writers alike for hundreds of years. It is easy to see why so many fall in love with the Lake District, us included.
If you follow the above itinerary, you’ll be sure to have the most epic three days exploring the wonderful Lake District. Of course, there are also many more hiking opportunities to be had in the Lakes, some popular ones include: Scafell Pike (England’s tallest mountain), Helvellyn, Old Man of Coniston, Haystacks or Latrigg. All of which, offer remarkable views across the English Lakes. Always be prepared for unpredictable weather & hike to your own ability.
For more information on your visit to the Lake District, click here.
If you enjoyed reading this, you might also enjoy our other UK travel guides: How to Spend a Weekend in Eryri (Snowdonia), Wales & The Best of Northumberland: 4 Day Itinerary.
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