Moolyn

I just found another accomodation in Subberthwaite, Ulverston which is below Windermere - I know you are familar with the Lakes - would this be a good area to stay in?

If you're arriving Manchester 2pm Sunday, head off on the M60/M6 motorways and it will take you about 3 hours max. to get to Kendal/Windermere (probably less as Bank Holiday traffic is unpredictable). if you only have 3 days I'd suggest staying somewhere central like Grasmere or Ambleside, otherwise you'll spend most of your time driving backwards and forwards and driving distances may not be great but travelling time can be, due to narrow congested roads. Had you thought about ditching the car and taking a bus tour once you're in the Lakes? These are small mini-buses rather than 52 seater coaches and means the car driver can enjoy the scenery instead of concentrating on the road.
Places to stay? Chapel House guesthouse Ambleside; White Moss House Grasmere or the Mortal Man in Troutbeck

Anna, Ulverson is a small market town on the southen edge of the lakes, right on the coast. We usually go there one day during our stay, making a large scenic circle drive. There are pictures of the canal in Ulverston in my trip report.

You can see everything in this area in one day at most however, even if you visit the Laurel and Hardy Museum. And it will be a fair drive on crowded roads to the central area which everyone, not just me, is recommending.

I really think you would be happiest and experince the lakes best staying in the Grasmere / Ambleside area.

We are never in the lakes on a bank holiday weekend so can't advise on traffic then but I do know that it is much less crowded and more pleasant during the week. Alan seems to be British so I would pay attention to what he has written.

One option, if you fly into Glasgow, is to spend your first night there and get to the lake district on the Monday as the hoards are leaving.

You've already received some great advice so reread your thread, look at my trip report and check out some of the places to stay that people have recommended.

Bellini suggested a bus tour. The company whose buses we see most in the lakes is Mountain Goat Tours:
http://www.mountain-goat.com/

Hi Anna1013

I just want to say the others are abit doom and gloom and over-egging the Bank holiday crowds a little! Yes it will be busy and crowded, but you will still have a great time!

I must admit to no experience of the Lakes on a BH, but I have done Cornwall on a BH weekend (August) and we really enjoyed it, despite crowds. However we specifically only drove short distances and stayed very central to the activities we wanted to do. I recommend the same approach for your weekend.

As mentioned before, that week is a school holiday so get booking now.

I imagine driving from Manchester to the Lakes on the Sunday afternoon will be fine, as weekenders will not be travelling home until Monday afternoon.

Are you arriving after a transatlantic flight ? If so, I don't think it would be a good idea to drive there the same day, even if it weren't a bank holiday weekend.

Anna, I notice that you are also inquiring about the peak district and that other Brits are not as negative about driving on a bank holiday weekend as Alan. It will be crowded in Derbyshire too but the peaks are closer to Manchester airport than the lakes, probably about half the distance. I'd choose the lakes personally but you'd be happy with either.

Something to keep in mind is that B&Bs in popular spots often want to rent for the entire weekend so you may have trouble booking a place starting on the Sunday.

Here is an online B&B agency that we've had good luck with: http://www.bedandbreakfastnationwide.com/bbnHome.cfm

I don't think we are over-hyping the traffic at all. If you are VERY lucky, it will just be crowded. But if any little thing happens you will find miles long tail backs.

From your other thread it seems you are landing at MAN and are now trying to decide between Derbyshire and the Lakes for the Sunday/Monday.

Derbyshire would be easier and a shorter drive. But one problem you will probably find in both areas is no places w/ rooms available for just Sun/Mon nights since most willl have been booked up Sat/Sun or even Fri/Sat/Sun.

Do you already have your flights and is it MAN? If so, you might want to consider staying in Manchester the first night. Then you could pick up a car after you've recovered from the jetlag and head to either the Lakes or the Peaks on Monday.

Driving to/in the Lakes in a jet lagged fog on a BH weekend - not my personal recipe for fun.

Oops - just re-read your other thread - you are only flying in from France so forget my "Jet lag" bit . . . .

That helps some. But still doesn't solve the crowds/traffic problems.

The Lakes will be packed and properties like Chatsworth will be really crowded too. Many stately homes have special events on the Bank holiday Sun/Mon which bring in masses more people than normal.

Sorry, I should have cleared up some questions - no, we are not arriving from US since we will be arriving from a 7 day stay in Paris.

It's not that I'm choosing the Lakes or the Peak district: we will be staying in both places - the lakes get 3 nights and the Peaks get 2 nights.

Our initial idea was to go to the Lakes first and then drive down to the Peak District, but this was before the whole issue of Bank Holiday came up.

So, would it be a better idea to spend Bank Holiday in the Peak District - it will be croweded, but from what everyone is saying, it won't be as bad as the Lakes.

Also, my sister did some research, and she said all the rental car agencies in Manchester airport are closed on Sun - is this because they consider Sunday a Holiday as well? Is there anywhere(Lakes or Peaks) where we can rent a car on a Sunday?

Forgot to ask which option would be the lesser of two evils - which would you area would you pick if you had to be in one on Bank Holiday?

Moolyn,

Although the acc. is in Ulverston, their website says it a 20 min drive to Windermere - here is the the website:
www.crookedbirchguesthouse.co.uk

If we stay here, wouldn't we not even enter into the main area of the Lakes? Even if the above were true, is the location still to out of the way?

Anna, this looks like a lovely B&B and it's much closer to the central part of the lakes than Penwith. It won't be as crowded as the Windermere area. You could stay closer to homebase the first day then explore further afield after the end of the holiday weekend.

Why don't you contact this B&B and some of the other places mentioned to see whether you can get rooms starting on the Sunday? If not, and you need to stay elsewhere the first night you may want to just pick one area rather than two on this trip.

Moolyn,

Thanks for your input - so are you saying that by Monday we can start to venture out farther in the Lake District?

Also, does anyone know if we can even rent a car on Sunday? It seems like all the rental agencies are closed on Sunday(not sure if this is because of Bank Holiday)

Anna, you'll find a lot of open countryside in the lake district even on a holiday Monday. We've driven along many isolated roads near the B&B you mention.

I'm quite sure that car rental places have to be open every day at international aiports no matter what national holiday is on. In city car rental depots would be a different matter.

I would be VERY surprised if there were no car rentals at MAN on the sunday. And I would also be VERY surprised if you could find any car rental agency open in any Lake/Peak district town on the sunday.

So double check about cars at MAN. Try autoeurope.com since they deal w/ all the majors.

Moolyn and Janisj,

We arrive at Manchester airport, but should I go to the Manchester Airport website to be directed to agencies that operate from the airport? It seemed like Enterprise was the cheapest option, but when we checked their website, they said they are closed on Sundays at Manchester Airport.

Others have recommened Autoeurope, but they are twice as much as the Enterprise site.

Do you know of any other agencies we could use?

Anna, contact a travel agent about car rentals. I always use one to book our car except for our trip to France last June when I booked Autoeurope myself online because of recommendations here. It was much less expensive and much more popular. No other counters had a lineup.

I haven't heard of Enterprise but will check that out myself for next June. If its a British company that would explain the Sunday airport closure.

no - Enterprise is a major international firm.

I would check w/ autoeurope in any case. Cheaper rates are not always "cheaper". You must ensure you are comparing apples to apples -- same insurance, whether there are drop off charges, etc.

Autoeurope is not <u>always</u> cheapest - but as often as not, it is. Then you will have a base line to look for anything else that might be less. And most of the time autoeurope will match a lower rate -- <b>IF</b> it includes the same features.

I use autoeurope maybe 50% of the time and individual UK companies the other 1/2. All depends on the final quote. Whenever I have a special requirement -- like yours of having to pick up a car on a Bank Holiday sunday, a broker like Autoeurope is usually the best bet since it deals w/ all of the major firms.

Oh - meant to add, I have seldom had a travel agent find a better rate than I was able to find on my own . . . .

janisj,

Would you mind telling me the private companies you used just so I can compare quotes?