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Itineraries
Lake District itinerary: 3 days, with or without a car
The short answer
For three days in the Lake District, base yourself in Ambleside or Windermere and spend a day on each of the three classic areas: Windermere by boat on day one, Grasmere and Rydal Water on foot on day two, and Keswick, Derwentwater and Catbells on day three. You don't need a car: trains reach Windermere, and the 555 and 599 buses and the lake boats link the rest.
The three days at a glance
| Day | Where | Highlights | Getting around |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Windermere and Bowness | Orrest Head view, a lake cruise to Ambleside | Train, boat |
| 2 | Grasmere and Rydal | Wordsworth's cottage, gingerbread, the lakeside walk to Rydal Cave | Bus, walking |
| 3 | Keswick and Derwentwater | The launch, Catbells or Castlerigg Stone Circle | Bus, boat |
Getting there and where to stay
By train, the Lake District's gateway is Windermere station, reached by changing at Oxenholme on the main line between London and Scotland. From London it's a long half-day, so arrive early afternoon and keep day one light.
Ambleside is the best base without a car: at the top of Windermere, with boats down the lake and buses north to Grasmere and Keswick. Windermere and Bowness are busier but closest to the station. Keswick suits walkers who want the northern fells on the doorstep.
Day by day
Windermere, by train and boat
An easy arrival day
- 12:40pmArrive at Windermere station
Leave the bags at your accommodation, or in Windermere if you're staying further up the lake.
- 1:30pmWalk up Orrest Head
About 20 minutes uphill from opposite the station to one of the best views over Windermere and the fells. It was Alfred Wainwright's first Lakeland view.
Easy enough for children and in trainers - 3:00pmDown to Bowness
A downhill walk or a short bus ride to the lakeshore.
- 3:45pmLake cruise to Ambleside
The boat up the lake to Waterhead, near Ambleside, is the best way to see Windermere. Check the season's timetable.
- 7:00pmDinner in Ambleside
Book ahead at weekends and in the school holidays.
Grasmere and Rydal Water
Wordsworth country, mostly on foot
- 9:30amBus to Grasmere
The 555 runs between Kendal and Keswick via Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere; in season the open-top 599 runs from Bowness to Grasmere too.
- 10:00amWordsworth Grasmere
Dove Cottage, where William and Dorothy Wordsworth lived, and the museum beside it. Book a time slot in busy months.
- 12:00pmLunch, and gingerbread
The little gingerbread shop by the churchyard has been baking it to the same recipe since the 1850s. There's usually a queue; it's worth it.
- 1:30pmWalk to Rydal Water and Rydal Cave
A lakeside path from Grasmere to Rydal Water, with a short climb to Rydal Cave, a great hollow quarry children love. Allow two to three hours at an easy pace.
Waterproofs, whatever the forecast says - 4:30pmBus back from Rydal
Or walk on to Ambleside through Rydal Park, about an hour more.
Keswick and Derwentwater
A boat, and a fell if you're up for it
- 9:00amBus to Keswick
The 555 north over Dunmail Raise, past Thirlmere.
- 10:15amThe Keswick launch
Boats run around Derwentwater, stopping at jetties along the shore. Hop off at Hawes End for Catbells.
- 10:45amClimb Catbells
The Lake District's favourite small fell: a steep, short climb with a scramble near the top and views over the whole lake. Allow about two and a half hours there and back. Boots, not trainers.
Rather not climb? Walk the shore path instead - 1:30pmLunch back in Keswick
By launch from the next jetty.
- 3:00pmCastlerigg Stone Circle
A prehistoric stone circle ringed by fells, about half an hour's walk from Keswick. At its best in late light.
Going home: the 555 back to Windermere for the train, or stay a fourth night in Keswick.
If you have a car
- Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's farmhouse near Sawrey. Entry is by timed ticket and it books up, so book ahead. Without a car, a seasonal ferry and bus across Windermere get you there too.
- Honister Pass and Buttermere, one of the most dramatic drives in England, from Borrowdale over to a quieter lake with an easy circular walk.
- Tarn Hows, near Coniston: a flat, pushchair-friendly loop around a tarn ringed with trees.
- Ullswater, with its steamers and the waterfall at Aira Force.
Car parks at the popular spots fill early in summer and at weekends. Arrive before 10am, or use the buses and boats for the busiest places.
If it rains
It will, at some point. Good indoor backups: the Windermere Jetty Museum of boats in Bowness, the Pencil Museum in Keswick, Theatre by the Lake for an evening, and the Wordsworth museum in Grasmere. A lake cruise in light rain is still lovely, and the waterfalls are at their best after a downpour.
With children
The Lake District is excellent for children if the walks are short and have a payoff: a cave, a summit, a boat, an ice cream. Orrest Head, Rydal Cave and Tarn Hows all work for small legs; Catbells suits confident older children. Plan one walk a day and let the boats do the rest.
Questions people ask
Is 3 days enough for the Lake District?
Three days is enough to see the three classic areas, Windermere, Grasmere and Keswick, with a walk each day. A week lets you add Ullswater, Coniston, Buttermere and more fells.
Can you do the Lake District without a car?
Yes. Trains reach Windermere, the 555 bus links Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick, the seasonal 599 open-top bus runs between Bowness and Grasmere, and boats cross Windermere and Derwentwater.
Where is the best place to stay in the Lake District without a car?
Ambleside, at the top of Windermere, is the most convenient base: boats run down the lake and buses go north to Grasmere and Keswick. Windermere is closest to the station; Keswick is best for the northern fells.
How long does it take to climb Catbells?
Allow about two and a half hours there and back from Hawes End, including time at the top. It's short but steep, with a small scramble near the summit, so wear proper footwear.
What is there to do in the Lake District when it rains?
Museums in Bowness, Keswick and Grasmere, the theatre in Keswick, a lake cruise, or a short walk to a waterfall, which are at their best after rain.
