Do we need a car in the Lake District?
Feb 8th, 2014, 01:58 PM
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Do we need a car in the Lake District?
We are traveling in the Lake District this summer and were planning to take the train from London to Windermere for 2 nights, then 3 nights in Keswick. We have hired a guide for hiking that will get us from Windermere to Keswick, but I am wondering if we will need a car otherwise?
I appreciate your advice.
I appreciate your advice.
Feb 8th, 2014, 06:34 PM
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Feb 8th, 2014, 11:02 PM
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Its quite possible to explore the Lake District by public transport you just need to plan where you want to go and bus times.
Lots of info here www.golakes.co.uk/travel/Itineraries.aspx
Not having a car didn't stop Alfred Wainwright.
Not sure why you need a guide to get you from Windermere to Keswick, it's hardly the Serengeti.
Lots of info here www.golakes.co.uk/travel/Itineraries.aspx
Not having a car didn't stop Alfred Wainwright.
Not sure why you need a guide to get you from Windermere to Keswick, it's hardly the Serengeti.
Feb 8th, 2014, 11:45 PM
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If you don't want to drive, you don't need to. It's simply nonsense to say that public transport "is extremely limited". By the standards of rural New York State, it's gobsmackingly ubiquitous.
The Lake District has a decent network of buses, is much easier to get into by train during the summer than by car, and hiring a car inside the area's not easy (I'm not even sure it's possible). The problems with public transport are simply that you have to preplan, and accept that there a few places you can't get to.
Those "few places" do include some top-end hotels, but few people on this forum stretch to such places' rates. Most hotels are located where they are to be handy for trains, boasts or buses.
Personally I'd drive - but I'm hardened to the traffic jams on the M6 and don't find driving narrow, twisty roads on the proper side unusual. If these don't appeal, faffing about with cars is a completely unnecessary ordeal.
The Lake District has a decent network of buses, is much easier to get into by train during the summer than by car, and hiring a car inside the area's not easy (I'm not even sure it's possible). The problems with public transport are simply that you have to preplan, and accept that there a few places you can't get to.
Those "few places" do include some top-end hotels, but few people on this forum stretch to such places' rates. Most hotels are located where they are to be handy for trains, boasts or buses.
Personally I'd drive - but I'm hardened to the traffic jams on the M6 and don't find driving narrow, twisty roads on the proper side unusual. If these don't appeal, faffing about with cars is a completely unnecessary ordeal.
Feb 9th, 2014, 09:51 AM
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LOL, when I think of the Lake District and driving, what comes to mind is an unending line of cars, bumper to bumper and for the driver, no chance (or not safely anyway) to take their eyes off the road to look at anything.
I also think of an incredibly insistent 'pushing' by that traffic against your back bumper. In other words, you are forced to keep moving. You can't just willy-nilly choose to pull over to the side of the road to admire a view for a few minutes. There's literally, nowhere to pull over. 'Soft shoulders' do not exist in reality.
The Lake District is a relatively small area with an incredibly high number of people and vehicles jammed in every day of the summer.
A government study had this to say, " 89% of visitors come to the Lake District by car, often just for the day. In a region where roads are often narrow and winding, and towns were constructed before the invention of the motor car this can pose massive problems. Congestion, traffic jams and parking are major issues, and people can park on grass verges in desperation, narrowing the road and making congestion even worse. These problems can be overcome in 2 ways – improving the road network and improving public transport."
I'd avoid a car if at all possible.
I also think of an incredibly insistent 'pushing' by that traffic against your back bumper. In other words, you are forced to keep moving. You can't just willy-nilly choose to pull over to the side of the road to admire a view for a few minutes. There's literally, nowhere to pull over. 'Soft shoulders' do not exist in reality.
The Lake District is a relatively small area with an incredibly high number of people and vehicles jammed in every day of the summer.
A government study had this to say, " 89% of visitors come to the Lake District by car, often just for the day. In a region where roads are often narrow and winding, and towns were constructed before the invention of the motor car this can pose massive problems. Congestion, traffic jams and parking are major issues, and people can park on grass verges in desperation, narrowing the road and making congestion even worse. These problems can be overcome in 2 ways – improving the road network and improving public transport."
I'd avoid a car if at all possible.
Feb 10th, 2014, 09:16 AM
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Adelle, I checked your other posts and it seems that you are planning to spend a fair amount of time in Europe this summer. Presumably, this is all in one trip, so just how does this Lake District time fit in with the before and after of your trip? I ask because it can also affect responses.
Personally, having visited the Canadian Rockies; the Alps; the Scottish Highlands, I find the Lake District over-rated by the English and not in the same class at all as far as scenery goes. It's a subjective thing but frankly, the over-crowding just turns me off completely. I would be wondering why you are going there instead of the much more scenic and far less crowded Scottish Highlands for example.
A lot is made of the Lake District by a lot of people. Most of whom I am sure have little to compare it to. I have met a lot of English people who have said, 'oh, you must visit the Lake District, it's so beautiful.' When I ask them if they have visited the Scottish Highlands and how do they think they compare, most admit they have never been to the Highlands and so cannot compare.
I don't want to start an argument about the Lake District with those who love them but as a fellow Canadian who has visited the Lake District, I have to say, I came, I saw, I drove on. The Lake District is simply not world class in comparison to what else is out there and especially in comparison to what is just a couple of hundred miles farther north.
Personally, having visited the Canadian Rockies; the Alps; the Scottish Highlands, I find the Lake District over-rated by the English and not in the same class at all as far as scenery goes. It's a subjective thing but frankly, the over-crowding just turns me off completely. I would be wondering why you are going there instead of the much more scenic and far less crowded Scottish Highlands for example.
A lot is made of the Lake District by a lot of people. Most of whom I am sure have little to compare it to. I have met a lot of English people who have said, 'oh, you must visit the Lake District, it's so beautiful.' When I ask them if they have visited the Scottish Highlands and how do they think they compare, most admit they have never been to the Highlands and so cannot compare.
I don't want to start an argument about the Lake District with those who love them but as a fellow Canadian who has visited the Lake District, I have to say, I came, I saw, I drove on. The Lake District is simply not world class in comparison to what else is out there and especially in comparison to what is just a couple of hundred miles farther north.
Feb 10th, 2014, 09:16 AM
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Adelle, I checked your other posts and it seems that you are planning to spend a fair amount of time in Europe this summer. Presumably, this is all in one trip, so just how does this Lake District time fit in with the before and after of your trip? I ask because it can also affect responses.
Personally, having visited the Canadian Rockies; the Alps; the Scottish Highlands, I find the Lake District over-rated by the English and not in the same class at all as far as scenery goes. It's a subjective thing but frankly, the over-crowding just turns me off completely. I would be wondering why you are going there instead of the much more scenic and far less crowded Scottish Highlands for example.
A lot is made of the Lake District by a lot of people. Most of whom I am sure have little to compare it to. I have met a lot of English people who have said, 'oh, you must visit the Lake District, it's so beautiful.' When I ask them if they have visited the Scottish Highlands and how do they think they compare, most admit they have never been to the Highlands and so cannot compare.
I don't want to start an argument about the Lake District with those who love them but as a fellow Canadian who has visited the Lake District, I have to say, I came, I saw, I drove on. The Lake District is simply not world class in comparison to what else is out there and especially in comparison to what is just a couple of hundred miles farther north.
Personally, having visited the Canadian Rockies; the Alps; the Scottish Highlands, I find the Lake District over-rated by the English and not in the same class at all as far as scenery goes. It's a subjective thing but frankly, the over-crowding just turns me off completely. I would be wondering why you are going there instead of the much more scenic and far less crowded Scottish Highlands for example.
A lot is made of the Lake District by a lot of people. Most of whom I am sure have little to compare it to. I have met a lot of English people who have said, 'oh, you must visit the Lake District, it's so beautiful.' When I ask them if they have visited the Scottish Highlands and how do they think they compare, most admit they have never been to the Highlands and so cannot compare.
I don't want to start an argument about the Lake District with those who love them but as a fellow Canadian who has visited the Lake District, I have to say, I came, I saw, I drove on. The Lake District is simply not world class in comparison to what else is out there and especially in comparison to what is just a couple of hundred miles farther north.
Feb 10th, 2014, 09:34 AM
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Huh, double posted and left off my last paragraphs.
My question adelle is about your expectations. I just don't want to see someone spend 5 days of their precious time somewhere and it not meet expectations.
The idea of needing a guide to walk from Windermere to Keswick is what makes me wonder about your expectations. If you did get lost which is highly unlikely, you could ask any of the hundred or so people who walked past you along the way, for directions.
On the other hand, if you walked from Blair Atholl to Braemar, in Scotland, you could indeed get lost in wilderness and find no one to ask for directions. The Lake District has no wilderness as a Canadian would define the word.
It is of course your dime and if you understand what it is and is not, that's fine.
My question adelle is about your expectations. I just don't want to see someone spend 5 days of their precious time somewhere and it not meet expectations.
The idea of needing a guide to walk from Windermere to Keswick is what makes me wonder about your expectations. If you did get lost which is highly unlikely, you could ask any of the hundred or so people who walked past you along the way, for directions.
On the other hand, if you walked from Blair Atholl to Braemar, in Scotland, you could indeed get lost in wilderness and find no one to ask for directions. The Lake District has no wilderness as a Canadian would define the word.
It is of course your dime and if you understand what it is and is not, that's fine.
Feb 10th, 2014, 10:59 AM
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Interesting...i grew up in the Canadian Rockies and still thought the lakes were lovely. Now we were there the first long weekend in May in 2009 and didn't find it too crowded (in fact we are heading up there for the first May long weekend this year). It was busy but not horrendously so. Guessing it gets much busier during June - Aug given the other comments.
You are really only going to have 1 full day in Windermere and I don't think you need a car here if you want to see the town and do a boat trip on the lake. Then it sounds like you have a hike to Keswick...so you will only have 2 full days to worry about whether to get a car? What do you want to see when there? That would determine if you need a car.
What do you plan to do after Keswick?
You are really only going to have 1 full day in Windermere and I don't think you need a car here if you want to see the town and do a boat trip on the lake. Then it sounds like you have a hike to Keswick...so you will only have 2 full days to worry about whether to get a car? What do you want to see when there? That would determine if you need a car.
What do you plan to do after Keswick?
Feb 11th, 2014, 08:32 AM
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DH and I spent 5 nights based out of Windermere last May. We used local buses and a local day tour company called Mountain Goat. We enjoyed using both of these modes of transport: let someone else drive!
Feb 11th, 2014, 09:16 AM
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Most visitors find The Lakes stunningly beautiful.
....there is always the "odd" one.
You will always find someone who will moan about The Taj Mahal being too big or the sea in The Bahamas being too hot.
The Lakes beauty is in its lack of scale and green landscapes. Larger landscapes such as Scotland and Canada are not comparable, they have mountains and lower average temperatures, leaving a totally different environment.
Temperature is also an issue, The Lakes are damp but I have lost count of the times that I have driven through Scotland to The Lakes and gained 10oC.
No, there is no way you need a car, public transport covers well and the roads are no where near as busy as they were 5 years ago. The recession and fuel at silly pounds a litre has reduced volumes.
....there is always the "odd" one.
You will always find someone who will moan about The Taj Mahal being too big or the sea in The Bahamas being too hot.
The Lakes beauty is in its lack of scale and green landscapes. Larger landscapes such as Scotland and Canada are not comparable, they have mountains and lower average temperatures, leaving a totally different environment.
Temperature is also an issue, The Lakes are damp but I have lost count of the times that I have driven through Scotland to The Lakes and gained 10oC.
No, there is no way you need a car, public transport covers well and the roads are no where near as busy as they were 5 years ago. The recession and fuel at silly pounds a litre has reduced volumes.
Feb 11th, 2014, 09:41 AM
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flanner -
As usual you drag in the incomprehensible. What does traveling in upstate Ne York have to do with this??? (IMHO anyone who tried to do that without a car is mad. Just as I think anyone who relies on buses that come every 40 or 60 minutes - versus every 5 minutes - is wasting a huge amount of time and cutting back heavily on their options.
I guess it depends on how much you value your time.
As usual you drag in the incomprehensible. What does traveling in upstate Ne York have to do with this??? (IMHO anyone who tried to do that without a car is mad. Just as I think anyone who relies on buses that come every 40 or 60 minutes - versus every 5 minutes - is wasting a huge amount of time and cutting back heavily on their options.
I guess it depends on how much you value your time.
Feb 11th, 2014, 09:45 AM
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A car is always my preferred method of transport anywhere, but last time I was in the lakes I saw a bus service which caught my eye and I made a metal note of it. Now it comes in handy:
http://www.mountain-goat.co.uk/
http://www.mountain-goat.co.uk/
