The best places to visit in The Lake District, England

Welcome to the Lake District, Cumbria’s picturesque national park. Known for its endless collection of rolling hills, small villages and huge bodies of water, The Lake District is noted as one of the top places to visit in England. It’s also a hiker’s paradise. The region provides endless walking opportunities for all levels of hiking experience.

The Lake District can be as relaxing or adventurous as you wish. Go for a quiet boat ride with a view, tuck into some delicious fish and chips in a cosy pub or try one of the many adventure activities.

In this guide, we’ve assembled a list of the top places to visit in The Lake District. From the vast lakes of the north to the busy tourist centre of Bowness and some excellent walks, hikes and waterfalls, you’ll find plenty of inspiration on things to do.

Ambleside

We’re starting our guide with one of the Lake District’s most central towns. Ambleside is a great base for exploring everything the national park has to offer. It offers the quaint, countryside atmosphere of other Lake District villages, but there’s also a lot to see and do. Ambleside’s many cafes, shops, bars, restaurants and fish and chip shops will keep your energised.

You’ll also want to wander its colourful streets. The houses, churches and parks are exactly what you’d expect from an old English village. In need of some hiking supplies? Ambleside has an abundance of adventure clothing shops to help you prepare for your mountain walk.

Stock Gyhll Force

Just a 10-minute walk from the centre of Ambleside town, Stock Gyhll Force is an impressive waterfall that measures over 20m high. It has a series of small falls and streams at the bottom of the hill. Head further and you’ll reach a viewpoint of the cascading main falls.

There are a series of viewpoints, forest walks and a bridge, all of which give you some excellent views of Stock Ghyll Force. Pair your visit with the waterfall with Ambleside town; you can see both places in a couple of hours.

Bassenthwaite Lake

Bassenthwaite Lake is the only true ‘lake’ in the Lake District. The rest are bodies of water. Out of the many amazing water features, lakes, pools and streams we visited, we appreciated the beauty of Bassenthwaite the most. It’s one of the best places to visit in The Lake District to experience a calm, tranquil lakeside, and fewer tourists.

The lake is huge, stretching over 5km squared. The bottom of Bassenthwaite has some nice viewpoints and a scenic lake-side drive. Drive to the north and you’ll find some rowing clubs, a small village and walking routes along the lake shore. We recommend packing a picnic and finding a secluded spot by the lake. Enjoying lunch with a view with no tourists in sight was a highlight of our visit.

Dodd Wood

Dood Wood is a lesser-known woodland walk in the Lake District. It’s a vast woodland on the side of a hill, overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake from the east. Whether you fancy a challenging or easy-going walk amongst towering pine trees and hillsides, it’s the a great place to visit. The park offers multiple trails for different levels of walking experience, and if you reach the summit of the hill, you’ll find some amazing views of Bassenthwaite Lake.

Grasmere

Grasmere is one place in the Lake District we always want to return to. Idyllic, charming and traditional are words that best describe this beautiful little village. It sits just along from Ambleside in the centre of the main Lake District tourist area. On one side of Grasmere, you have an imposing backdrop of hills. You then have the peaceful lake shore.

Walk around Grasmere to discover tea shops, gift shops and cafes. You’ll also want to wander amongst its quaint streets and old buildings. Grasmere was notably the home of romantic poet William Wordsworth, who spent several years in the village. Stop by the Wordsworth Museum for an insight into the poet’s life.

Other things you can’t miss include a slow walk around the lake and a visit to the world-famous Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.

Rydal Cave

Rydal Cave is a unique place to visit in the Lake District. Amongst all the lakes, water activities, forests and hills, you wouldn’t expect to find a cave as majestic as the cavern at Rydal Water. To get there, you’ll need to walk alongside streams, through forests and up the side of a hill. The entrance of the cave is perched on top of a hillside overlooking Rydal Water below.

A huge echoing cavern, rugged rock face and some stepping stones create the scene for some excellent photos. Rydal Cave is well worth the 1 hour walk from Grasmere village.

Bowness-on-Windemere

The next place on our list is undeniably the Lake District’s most popular destination. Bowness has long been the top place to stay for those that want to sample the Lake District on a weekend break. It’s packed full of shops, bars, restaurants and hotel options. It’s also right on the famous Lake Windermere.

Bowness’ central location is excellent for exploring the wider Lake District area. It has nice lake-side walking routes, a picturesque marina and some great places to grab lunch. To see Bowness away from the shore, board one of the many boat tours for a slow ride around Lake Windermere.

Brockhole-on-Windermere

Just along the road from Bowness, Brockhole-on-Windermere is another great place to capture a view of the majestic Lake Windermere. It’s a free-to-visit activity centre and lakeside park – you’ll just need to pay for parking. Brockhole is home to several activities, including a kids’ play area, a Go-Ape zipline park, archery attraction and many more fun activities. It’s also a great place to visit in the Lake District for those that want to hire a paddleboard or kayak. The park provides convenient access to the lake shore.

If you don’t want to try one of the visitor centre’s activities, simply wander around the lake walking paths, visit the neatly manicured gardens or have a picnic on a park bench. Brockhole-on-Windermere is a great place to visit on a sunny day.

Holehird Gardens

Holehird Gardens is a free-to-visit botanical garden that’s also in the Windermere area. The garden area stretches for 10-acres and is packed full of scenic walking routes, flower exhibits, greenhouses and quiet relaxation areas. It’s a great place to visit in the Lake District for someone who appreciates botanical gardens and nature.

Spend time wandering around the creative garden displays, enjoy the peace and quiet of the hillside and gaze out at Windermere Lake in the distance.

Wray Castle

Located on the western side of Windermere Lake, Wray Castle is a National Trust-owned residence that was built to look like a fairy-tale English castle. It features a neo-gothic design, grand turrets and a relaxing lake side area where you can enjoy a picnic. The castle was built in 1840 and has an interesting history. It was famously a summer holiday spot for world renowned author Beatrix Potter.

Stop by Wray Castle to see the impressive castle walls up close and explore the gardens. There’s a small café where you can grab a coffee or bite to eat.

Tarn Hows

We stumbled upon Tarn Hows whilst driving and couldn’t believe how beautiful this place was. Nestled between the villages of  Coniston and Hawkshead, this circular lake and walking route is one of the best places to visit in the Lake District for a slow pace, scenic stroll. It’s excellent for families, or anyone who wants to soak in the beautiful nature of the Lake District without climbing up a mountain.

Tarn Hows is a National-Trust managed park with a series of walking trails, viewpoints and a forested area. However, the highlight of Tarn Hows is the lake, which produces a mirror effect on a sunny day. To acess the park, you’ll just need to pay for parking.

Buttermere

Next up on our list of the best places to visit in the Lake District is a village that’s located away from the main tourist centres. Buttermere is a tiny farming village surrounded by rolling hills, vast countryside and two large lakes. The top thing to do in Buttermere is to walk around it’s stunning lakeside. Small waterfalls, forests and the lake itself set the scene for some excellent morning walks.

Buttermere village itself has only a handful of cafes and restaurants, but they’re highly rated. Syke Farm Tea Room is the place to visit for traditional English tea and scones. Fancy a snack after a long walk around the lake? Order some of the famous ice cream at Croft House Farm Café.

Scale Force hike

Whilst in the Buttermere area, we encourage you to go on a mini hike to the impressive Scale Force Waterfall. The route takes you alongside the shoreline of Crummock Water, traversing rocks and crossing bridges until you reach a hillside area. You’ll then need to hike up a stream to reach the waterfall.

When you arrive at Scale Force, you’ll be blown away by the height and power of the falls. Dropping over 50 meters, it’s considered the highest waterfall in the Lake District. Its remote setting means there are far fewer tourists – it’s just nature, the waterfall and you. The hike to Scale Force and back to Buttermere takes around 2-hours and has a low difficulty level.

Moss Force Waterfall

We’re not done with waterfalls just yet! Drive around the hillside from Buttermere and you’ll find the towering waterfall known as Moss Force. Located in a valley, Moss Force is over 100m high. It cascades down the rock face to the crags below, creating the backdrop for some amazing photos.

You can get up close to the waterfall by following the small trail on the right-side of the mountain. It’s a quick stop off point on your drive, but it’s well worth seeing. The valley surroundings of Moss Force are everything you’d expect from the Lake District.

Whinlatter Forest

The Lake District is home to impressive lakes and hills, but it also has its fair share of forests. Whinlatter Forest is England’s only true mountain forest. Managed by the National Trust, the park features some excellent viewpoints, nature trails and adventure activities.

One of the most popular things to do here is to hire a mountain bike and explore the cascading forest trails. Alternatively, slide down the ziplines at Whitlatter Forest’s Go-Ape adventure park. We opted for a slow walk amongst the many pine trees and enjoyed a coffee with a view at the park’s café.

Pooley Bridge

Small, charming and an excellent starting point for some river walks, Pooley Bridge is a village in the Ullswater area. It’s one of the best places to visit in the Lake District to experience local village life. On warmer days, the riverbank of Pooley Bridge is lined up with people enjoying a drink on the terraces. Inside town, there’s a selection of cosy cafes, shops and pub-restaurants.

Walk 5-minutes south-west of Pooley Bridge and you’ll find the Ullswater lakeshore. It’s the perfect spot to go for a long walk with your dog, hire a kayak or join a boat tour.

Aira Force Waterfall

Venture south of Pooley Bridge and you’ll reach Aira Force Waterfall, the third waterfall in our guide. Aira Force is not one, but a series of falls. The first waterfall has a height of 65ft, and you’ll need to walk along forested trails and up a hill to reach the viewpoint. Visit any day of the year and you’ll see the water cascading from the cliffside.

Whilst the first waterfall is the main attraction, you can walk further up the river stream to find several smaller falls, some more powerful than others. The circular walking route at Aira Force takes around an hour and a half to complete.

Glenridding

Our final stop-off point in the Ullswater area is the village of Glenridding. Arguably the most beautiful lake-side village in the Lake District, Glenridding is quiet, scenic and a great place to have lunch. Enjoy a drink in a café, browse the local shops or walk down to the lake front. The bottom of Ullswater Lake is a nice spot to go for a morning walk, hire a kayak or join a boat tour.

Aside from the highlight of a trip to Glenridding, the lake, many travellers use the village as a base for hiking. It’s located right next to some excellent fell hikes and valley trails. Whether you want an epic 3+ hour walk or to simply relax and enjoy village life, Glenridding is a great place to add to your itinerary.

Helvellyn Hike

Out of all the amazing hiking opportunities in the Lake District, the mountain of Helvellyn has long been a favourite peak for walkers. It’s the third highest peak in the Lake District, offering routes to challenge all levels of hiking experience. One route up to the mountain involves a sharp ascent and scrambling on top of the ridge. Other routes are slower paced – they’re excellent for beginners.

The Helvellyn hike provides gorgeous valley views, challenging exercise and the epic mountain terrain the Lake District is famous for. If you attempt one hike during your visit, we recommend Helvellyn.

Coniston

We’re now heading to the south lakes, where you’ll find far fewer tourists than the north. Coniston is boaters’ paradise, boasting a lake shore that’s best explored by rowing boat, pedal boat or a larger vessel. It famously hosts a steam yacht gondola, which takes you on a scenic tour around the lake on a restored Victorian Yacht.

Visit Coniston for some fun boating activities, a lake-side picnic or to explore town. Coniston village has traditional old-English architecture and some excellent pubs and cafes.

Keswick

Looking for a great place to stay in the Lake District? The answer could be Keswick! One of the national park’s largest towns, Keswick is a great place for exploring the national park. It’s also a nice place to visit for half a day. It has a lot more amenities than all the smaller villages in our guide.

You’ll find countless bars, restaurants and supermarkets. It also has some of the best Lake District shops. Whether you want hiking gear and adventure clothing or desire homemade gifts, Keswick is where you’ll likely find what you’re after. It also has some excellent independent craft stores, including our favourite homemade fudge shop, Roly’s.

The park in Keswick is worth a mention too. It features neatly manicured gardens, mini golf and scenic views of the lake.

Derwentwater viewpoint and ‘SURPRISE View’

Keswick town is located on the vast body of water known as Derwentwater. It provides some idyllic circular walking routes and boat trips, just like the other lakes we’ve mentioned. However, to get the very best view of Derwentwater, you’ll need to drive or hike up to the viewpoint known as ‘Surprise View’. This panoramic hilltop features some of the best views in the Lake District.

Once you’ve witnessed the beauty of Derwentwater from Surprise View, head down to the water for a lake along the shore. View the ‘Surprise View’ on Google Maps.

Castlerigg Stone Circle

Looking to experience some of the national park’s ancient history? Castlerigg Stone Circle is a must-see location. It’s the best place to visit in the Lake District to experience one of Britain’s oldest stone circles. In fact, Castlerigg is around 700 years older than the famous Stonehenge.

Castlerigg Stone Circle is in a country field just outside of Keswick. Park your car up and head out to the field to see these intriguing rocks and boulders up close. To see the true marvel of the stone circle, check out our drone photos.

We’ve listed some of the best places to visit in the Lake District; now it’s time to plan your own visit! No matter how long you stay in this stunning natural park, we’re sure you’ll be blown away by its natural beauty. Whether you like scenic walks, hikes and adventure activities, or just browsing shops in quaint villages, the Lakes has something to suit all.

If you need any help planning your Lake District trip or have any questions about the places we’ve featured, be sure to post a comment below.