The Lake District
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Lake District - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Abbot Hall
Museum/GalleryThe region's finest art gallery, Abbot Hall occupies a Palladian-style Georgian mansion built in 1759. In the permanent collection are works...
The region's finest art gallery, Abbot Hall occupies a Palladian-style Georgian mansion built in 1759. In the permanent collection are works by Victorian artist and critic John Ruskin, who lived near Coniston, and by 18th-century portrait painter George Romney, who worked in Kendal. The Great Picture, a grand 17th-century triptych of the life of Lady Ann Clifford, is attributed to Flemish painter Jan Van Belcamp. The gallery also owns some excellent contemporary art, including work by Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Winifred Nicholson, and L.S. Lowry, and the always interesting temporary exhibitions showcase the best of British art. There's also an excellent café. Abbot Hall is on the River Kent, next to the parish church. The Museum of Lakeland Life (www.lakelandmuseum.org.uk) has exhibits on 1930s photography, blacksmithing, and wheelwrighting as well as a wonderful re-creation of a period pharmacy; it's in the former stable block of the hall.
Off Highgate, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 5AL, England01539-722464Sight Details
Rate Includes: Abbot Hall £6.35; Museum of Lakeland Life £5; combined ticket £8.60, Abbot Hall £7.70; Museum of Lakeland Life £5.50; combined ticket £9.90, Closed Sun. -
2. Allan Bank
Historic HomeRope swings on the grounds, picnics in atmospheric old rooms, free tea and coffee, and huge blackboards you can write on: Allan Bank is unlike...
Rope swings on the grounds, picnics in atmospheric old rooms, free tea and coffee, and huge blackboards you can write on: Allan Bank is unlike most other historic houses cared for by the National Trust. On a hill above the lake near Grasmere village, this grand house was once home to poet William Wordsworth as well as to Canon Rawnsley, the founder of the National Trust. Seriously damaged by fire in 2011, it has been partially restored but also left deliberately undecorated. It offers a much less formal experience than other stops on the Wordsworth trail. There are frequent activities for both children and adults: arts and crafts but also music and astronomy. Red squirrels can be seen on the 30-minute woodland walk through the beautiful grounds.
Off A591, Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9QB, England015394-35143Sight Details
Rate Includes: £5.70, £6.50, Closed Jan.–mid-Feb. -
3. Beatrix Potter Gallery
Museum/GalleryIn the 17th-century solicitor's offices formerly used by Potter's husband, the Beatrix Potter Gallery displays a selection of the artist-writer...
In the 17th-century solicitor's offices formerly used by Potter's husband, the Beatrix Potter Gallery displays a selection of the artist-writer's original illustrations, watercolors, and drawings. There's also information about her interest in conservation and her early support of the National Trust. The house looks almost as it would have in her day, though with touch screens in wooden frames and a children's play area upstairs. Admission is by timed ticket when the place gets busy.
Main St., Hawkshead, Cumbria, LA22 0NS, England015394-36355Sight Details
Rate Includes: £5.40, £6.50, Closed Jan.–mid-Feb. -
4. Blackwell
Historic HomeFrom 1898 to 1900, architect Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott (1865–1945) designed Blackwell, a quintessential Arts and Crafts house with carved paneling...
From 1898 to 1900, architect Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott (1865–1945) designed Blackwell, a quintessential Arts and Crafts house with carved paneling, delicate plasterwork, and a startling sense of light and space. Originally a retreat for a Manchester brewery owner, the house is a refined mix of modern style and the local vernacular. Lime-washed walls and sloping slate roofs make it fit elegantly into the landscape above Windermere, and the artful integration of decorative features into stained glass, stonework, friezes, and wrought iron gives the house a sleekly contemporary feel. Accessibility is wonderful here: nothing is roped off and you can even play the piano. There's some Bailie Scott furniture, too, and an exhibition space upstairs. Peruse the shop and try the honey-roast ham in the excellent tearoom. The grounds are also worth a visit; they often host contemporary sculpture installations.
B5360, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 3JT, England015394-46139Sight Details
Rate Includes: £7.70, £8 -
5. Borrowdale Fells
MountainThese steep fells rise up dramatically behind Seatoller. Get out and walk whenever inspiration strikes. Trails are well signposted, or you can...
These steep fells rise up dramatically behind Seatoller. Get out and walk whenever inspiration strikes. Trails are well signposted, or you can pick up maps and any gear in Keswick.
Seatoller, Cumbria, England -
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6. Brantwood
Historic HomeOn the eastern shore of Coniston Water, Brantwood was the cherished home of John Ruskin (1819–1900), the noted Victorian artist, writer, critic...
On the eastern shore of Coniston Water, Brantwood was the cherished home of John Ruskin (1819–1900), the noted Victorian artist, writer, critic, and social reformer, after 1872. The rambling 18th-century house (with Victorian alterations) is on a 250-acre estate that stretches high above the lake. Here, alongside mementos such as his mahogany desk, are Ruskin's own paintings, drawings, and books. On display is art that this great connoisseur collected, and in cerebral corners such as the Ideas Room visitors are encouraged to think about meaning and change. Ruskin's Rocks explores his fascinations with stones and music with a brilliant bit of modern technology. A video on Ruskin's life shows the lasting influence of his thoughts, and the Severn Studio has rotating art exhibitions. Ruskin himself laid out the extensive grounds; take time to explore the gardens and woodland walks, which include some multilayered significance: Ziggy Zaggy, for example, originally a garden built by Ruskin to reflect Dante's Purgatorial Mount, is now an allegory of the seven deadly sins. Brantwood hosts a series of classical concerts on some Saturdays as well as talks, guided walks, and study days.
Off B5285, Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8AD, England015394-41396Sight Details
Rate Includes: £7.50; gardens only £5.20, £7.70; gardens only £5.35 -
7. Castlegate House Gallery
Museum/GalleryOne of the region's best galleries, Castlegate displays and sells outstanding contemporary works, many by Cumbrian artists. There's a wonderful...
One of the region's best galleries, Castlegate displays and sells outstanding contemporary works, many by Cumbrian artists. There's a wonderful permanent collection, and changing exhibitions focus on paintings, sculpture, glass, ceramics, and jewelry.
Castlegate, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9HA, England01900-822149Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Sun. -
8. Castlerigg Stone Circle
RuinsA Neolithic monument about 100 feet in diameter, this stone circle was built around 3,000 years ago on a hill overlooking St. John's Vale. The...
A Neolithic monument about 100 feet in diameter, this stone circle was built around 3,000 years ago on a hill overlooking St. John's Vale. The brooding northern peaks of Skiddaw and Blencathra loom to the north, and there are views of Helvellyn to the south. The 38 stones aren't large, but the site makes them particularly impressive. Wordsworth described them as "a dismal cirque of Druid stones upon a forlorn moor." The site, always open to visitors, is 4 miles east of Keswick. There's usually space for cars to park beside the road that leads along the northern edge of the site: head up Eleventrees off Penrith Road at the eastern edge of Keswick.
View Tours and ActivitiesOff A66, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12, EnglandSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
9. Hill Top
Historic HomeChildren's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866–1943), most famous for her Peter Rabbit stories, called this place home. The house...
Children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866–1943), most famous for her Peter Rabbit stories, called this place home. The house looks much the same as when Potter bequeathed it to the National Trust, and fans will recognize details such as the porch and garden gate, old kitchen range, Victorian dollhouse, and four-poster bed, which were depicted in the book illustrations. Admission to this often-crowded spot is by timed ticket; book in advance and avoid summer weekends and school vacations. Hill Top lies 2 miles south of Hawkshead by car or foot, though you can also approach via the car ferry from Bowness-on-Windermere.
Off B5285, Near Sawrey, Cumbria, LA22 0LF, England015394-36269Sight Details
Rate Includes: £9.50, £10.90, Closed Jan.–mid Feb. and Mon.–Thurs. in late Oct.–Dec. -
10. Lakes Aquarium
Zoo/AquariumOn the quayside at the southern end of Windermere, this excellent aquarium has wildlife and waterside exhibits. One highlight is an underwater...
On the quayside at the southern end of Windermere, this excellent aquarium has wildlife and waterside exhibits. One highlight is an underwater tunnel walk along a re-created lake bed, complete with diving ducks and Asian short-clawed otters. Piranhas, rays, and tropical frogs also have their fans, and there are some unexpected treats such as marmosets. A friendly, knowledgeable staff is eager to talk about the animals. Animal handling takes place daily at 12:45 in the rain-forest areas. Tickets are cheapest if booked in advance online.
C5062, Newby Bridge, Cumbria, LA12 8AS, England015394-30153Sight Details
Rate Includes: £5.95; £11.85 combined ticket with Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway Company, £5.90; £16.25 combined ticket with Bowness–Lakeside cruise -
11. Little Salkeld Watermill
FactoryThis fully functioning stone-ground flour mill is well worth a visit for its delicious baked goods and for a tour of the fascinating workings...
This fully functioning stone-ground flour mill is well worth a visit for its delicious baked goods and for a tour of the fascinating workings of the mill itself. There's been a mill here since the 13th century, and the current structure was built in 1760. Tours are officially self-guided (take an information sheet), but the miller will probably take a break to show you around. Just up the road is the Bronze Age stone circle of Long Meg and her Daughters. According to folklore, the 51 stones (27 of which are still upright) were a coven of witches turned to stone by a Scottish wizard.
Off A66, 6 miles northeast of Penrith, Little Salkeld, Cumbria, CA10 1NN, England01768-881523Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues., Wed., and Jan., £2 -
12. Ullswater Steamers
Transportation Site (Airport, Bus, Ferry, Train)These antique vessels, including a 19th-century steamer that is said to be the oldest working passenger ship in the world, run the length of...
These antique vessels, including a 19th-century steamer that is said to be the oldest working passenger ship in the world, run the length of Ullswater between Glenridding in the south and Pooley Bridge in the north, via Howtown on the eastern shore. It's a pleasant tour, especially if you combine it with a lakeside walk. One-way trips start at £6, or you can sail the entire day for £14.20 with the Round the Lake Pass.
Pier House, off A592, Glenridding, Cumbria, CA11 0US, England017684-82229 -
13. Wordsworth House
Historic HomeCockermouth was the birthplace of William Wordsworth and his sister, Dorothy, whose childhood home was this 18th-century town house, carefully...
Cockermouth was the birthplace of William Wordsworth and his sister, Dorothy, whose childhood home was this 18th-century town house, carefully kept as it would have been in their day. There is no sense of dusty preservation here, though, and nothing is roped off; the house achieves a rare sense of natural authenticity, with clutter and period cooking in the kitchen and herbs and vegetables growing outside in the beautiful traditional Georgian garden. A café makes good use of the homegrown produce. Enthusiastic staffers are both knowledgable and approachable, and the busy calendar of activities adds to the sense of a house still very much alive.
Main St., Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9RX, England01900-824805Sight Details
Rate Includes: £8.80, Closed mid-Dec.–mid-Feb.; Fri. in mid-Feb.–Oct.; Sun.–Tues. in mid-Nov.–mid-Dec. -
14. Aira Force
Body Of Water/WaterfallA spectacular 65-foot waterfall pounds under a stone bridge and through a wooded ravine to feed into Ullswater. From the parking lot it's a...
A spectacular 65-foot waterfall pounds under a stone bridge and through a wooded ravine to feed into Ullswater. From the parking lot it's a 10-minute walk to the falls, with more-serious walks on Gowbarrow Fell and to the village of Dockray beyond. A new 1¼-mile footpath allows visitors to leave their cars at Glencoyne Bay, to the south, and walk through a deer park. Bring sturdy shoes, especially in wet or icy weather, when the paths can be treacherous. Just above Aira Force in the woods of Gowbarrow Park is the spot where, in 1802, William Wordsworth's sister Dorothy observed daffodils that, as she wrote, "tossed and reeled and danced and seemed as if they verily laughed with the wind that blew upon them." Two years later Wordsworth transformed his sister's words into the famous poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." Two centuries later, national park wardens patrol Gowbarrow Park in season to prevent tourists from picking the few remaining daffodils.
A592, near A5091, Ullswater, Cumbria, EnglandSight Details
Rate Includes: Parking £3.50–£5.50, Parking £5 for 2 hrs -
15. Armitt Museum
Museum/GalleryAmbleside's fine local museum is a scholarly place, focusing on influential German artist Kurt Schwitters and Beatrix Potter. Schwitters lived...
Ambleside's fine local museum is a scholarly place, focusing on influential German artist Kurt Schwitters and Beatrix Potter. Schwitters lived out his final years in Ambleside, and the museum now has a room filled with his art. The museum also shows the less well-known aspects of Beatrix Potter, revealing her work as an important scientific and intellectual figure. Exhibits shed light on her as a naturalist, mycologist, sheep breeder, and conservationist. A large collection of her natural-history watercolors and a huge number of photographic portraits can be viewed by appointment in the excellent library upstairs.
Rydal Rd., Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9BL, England015394-31212Sight Details
Rate Includes: £3.50, £5 -
16. Bridge House
Notable BuildingThis tiny 17th-century stone building, once an apple store, perches on an arched stone bridge spanning Stone Beck. It may have been built here...
This tiny 17th-century stone building, once an apple store, perches on an arched stone bridge spanning Stone Beck. It may have been built here to avoid land tax. This much-photographed building, which is cared for by the National Trust, holds a shop and an information center.
Rydal Rd., Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9AN, England015394-35599Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
17. Brockhole
GardenA lakeside 19th-century mansion with 30 acres of terraced gardens sloping down to the water, Brockhole serves as the park's official visitor...
A lakeside 19th-century mansion with 30 acres of terraced gardens sloping down to the water, Brockhole serves as the park's official visitor center and has some exhilarating activities: "treetop trek"—a rope bridge and zipline route high up through oak trees—and the U.K.'s only "treetop nets," allowing everyone over the age of three to climb and bounce around safely among the twigs and leaves more than 25 feet up, supported by elastic ropes. There's also a 30-foot climbing wall. The gardens, designed in the Arts and Crafts style by Thomas Mawson, are at their best in spring, when daffodils punctuate the lawns and azaleas burst into bloom. There's an adventure playground, pony rides, minigolf, and rowboats for rent. The bookstore carries hiking guides and maps, and you can picnic here or eat at the café-restaurant. Bus 555/559 goes to the visitor center from Windermere, and boats from Waterhead stop at a pier. Windermere Lake Cruises has seasonal ferry service to Brockhole from Waterhead in Ambleside.
Ambleside Rd., Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 1LJ, England015394-46601Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free; treetop trek from £20; treetop nets £16, Free; treetop trek £22; treetop nets from £12.50 -
18. Cartmel Priory
Religious Building/Site/ShrineFounded in 1190, the huge Cartmel Priory survived the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century because it was also the village church...
Founded in 1190, the huge Cartmel Priory survived the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century because it was also the village church. Four monks and 10 villagers were hanged, however. The 25 wooden misericords are from 1440 and include a carved depiction of the Green Man, with a face made of leaves. Guided tours take place on Wednesday from April through October at 11 am and 2 pm (£4).
Priest La., Cartmel, Cumbria, LA11 6PU, England015395-36261Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free; tours £3, Free; tours £4, Closed Sun. -
19. Coniston Boating Centre
Transportation Site (Airport, Bus, Ferry, Train)The National Trust's restored Victorian steam yacht and the slightly more utilitarian Coniston Launch both leave from the town's spruced-up...
The National Trust's restored Victorian steam yacht and the slightly more utilitarian Coniston Launch both leave from the town's spruced-up waterside satellite, a 15-minute stroll from the center. There's a parking lot, a smart café, and various boat- and bike-hire options, too. Originally launched in 1859 and restored in the 1970s, the Steam Yacht (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gondola) runs between Coniston Pier, Brantwood, and Park-a-Moor at the south end of Coniston Water daily from late March through October (half-lake cruise £11; 10% discount for National Trust members). The Coniston Launch (www.conistonlaunch.co.uk) runs similar routes and is marginally cheaper, though also a little less romantic. Both will get you across the lake to Brantwood, and a stop at Monk Coniston jetty, at the lake's northern tip, connects to the footpaths through the Monk Coniston Estate and the beauty spot of Tarn Hows.
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20. Coniston Water
Body Of Water/WaterfallThe lake came to prominence in the 1930s when Arthur Ransome made it the setting for Swallows and Amazons, one of a series of novels about...
The lake came to prominence in the 1930s when Arthur Ransome made it the setting for Swallows and Amazons, one of a series of novels about a group of children and their adventures. The lake is about 5 miles long, a tempting stretch that drew Donald Campbell here in 1959 to set a water-speed record of 260 mph. He was killed when trying to beat it in 1967. His body and the wreckage of Bluebird K7 were retrieved from the lake in 2001. Campbell is buried in St. Andrew's church in Coniston, and a stone memorial on the village green commemorates him.
Coniston, Cumbria, England
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