Top Lake District How to Get Around

Visit the Beatrix Potter house and some of the Lake District’s prettiest locations on an afternoon tour from Windermere. After a scenic Lake Windermere cruise, travel through idyllic countryside to Hill Top, the Beatrix Potter home where the beloved children’s author lived during the early 1900s. See the garden and rooms left as she would have known them and learn about her life here. Finish with a visit to the quaint village of Hawkshead, where poet William Wordsworth attended school; and Tarn Hows, one of Lakeland’s most gorgeous spots.

When you’re in the Lake District, skip the tour group, and opt for a self-drive, self-guided tour instead. This well-priced option allows you to explore at your own pace, following an audio guide that’s downloaded to a smartphone app. After booking, you’ll receive instructions, and then set off on a preplanned route that showcases Ambleside, Keswick, Ullswater, and more.

See the best of the Lake District in a short amount of time on a guided sightseeing tour with an efficient route. Travel between key viewpoints, lakes, and villages without the need to self-navigate, and cover areas that are difficult to reach independently. The itinerary includes multiple lakes, heritage villages, and a stop at Castlerigg Stone Circle, along with time in Grasmere.

Avoid narrow roads, tricky navigation, and trying to fit the Lake District’s vast scenery into a short visit on this full-day small-group tour from Windermere. Travel by comfortable minivan with a guide who handles the driving and storytelling as you explore mountain passes, waterfalls, stone circles, and up to ten of the region’s most scenic lakes, including Buttermere. The route also takes in villages such as Grasmere and includes free time in Keswick.

Enjoy a seamless introduction to the Lake District and discover its scenic highlights on this half-day driving tour. Over the course of your tour, see numerous lakes (including Lake Windermere—the largest in the area); visit the Neolithic Castlerigg Stone Circle; discover the photogenic Ashness Bridge; chart the Kirkstone Pass; and much more. As you go, learn all about the region and its history from your guide’s commentary.

Immerse yourself in the wild scenery of the Lake District—and try out an outdoor activity that’s unique to the area—on this adventurous tour. Ghyll scrambling involves donning a wetsuit, helmet, and other equipment, and climbing, sliding down, and hopping from pool to pool in the Lake District’s ghylls, or mountain streams. For this small-group activity, choose from morning or afternoon departure times—and prepare to get wet.

Discover the locations that inspired Beatrix Potter on a 4.5-hour Lake District afternoon tour. Embark on a cruise across the majestic Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake. Visit Hill Top farm, Beatrix Potter’s former home, and see the landscapes that inspired some of her books. Entrance to Hill Top farm is included, however when Hill Top is closed customers will visit The World of Beatrix Potter. (Hill Top is closed on Friday's outside UK school holidays and November - February). Continue on to the charming medieval village of Hawkshead, where poet William Wordsworth attended school, and then through the beautiful landscapes of the central lakes with lake and woodland views. Learn more about the much-loved children’s author from your knowledgeable guide.

Hike the winding trails and scenic paths of Langdale on this small-group tour. Let your guide lead the way—and leave paper maps behind—as you explore the Lake District’s most stunning scenery at a relaxed and unhurried pace. With no planning or navigation skills needed, meet fellow adventure seekers, learn about local flora and fauna, and snap hillside pictures.

Make the most of limited time in the Lake District with this full-day tour to help you tick off picturesque villages, lakes, waterfalls, and mountain views. Instead of having to focus on driving, enjoy the luxury of having a private driver to take you between sites. Along the way, stop for scenic strolls and photo opportunities, including Kirkstone Mountain Pass, Castlerigg Stone Circle, Keswick, and Aira Force waterfall.

Are you looking for to discover the Lake District Landscapes at your own pace? Explore Keswick, Borrowdale and Buttermere with this affordable driving tour. Find out about a local eccentric who built a fort on Derwent Isle where he tried to reenact medieval battles, and how medieval Vikings and Monks shaped the Borrowdale valley. Hear from producer Martin Wilson, producer of Lake District Drives website. Do it all in three hours or linger at stops along the way with complete control over when you start and finish. Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it use the virtual tour option at home. Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a ticket with instructions and a unique code listed under “Before You Go”. Then simply install the Voice Map app and enter your code. The app displays directions to the starting point, and when you’re in the right place, tap start. Voice Map has automatic GPS playback, with turn-by-turn directions. It also works offline.

Best half-day tour for scenery. Your morning will be spent touring around some of the most spectacular scenery in the whole of the Lake District. This is a stress free, easy way to see a lot of the Lake District in a morning without feeling rushed. You have time to soak up the views and even paddle in a lake if you are brave enough. It is a great way for getting an overview of the Lake District, its culture, history and of course, its amazing scenery. You will get plenty of variety, see magnificent scenery, eat gingerbread and get all the facts, figures and fascinating stories from our friendly, knowledgeable guides and drivers who know the area well. Travelling in a comfortable mini-van with air con & phone charging ports as one of only 6/7 passengers you will find it is easy to ask questions and join in the conversation (if you want to). There are lots of stops for photos and fresh air. It is a great morning out and we can't wait to share it with to you.

This is a great pick for first-time visitors to the Lake District. Save hours researching and planning your own itinerary, and enjoy the luxury of a private tour where the full schedule is planned out for you. Visit quaint villages, nature spots, and rural locations such as Grasmere, Hawkshead, Tarn Hows, and Blea Tarn with a chance to stop off for photos whenever you like.

Skip the stress of renting a car or navigating unreliable rural buses and experience the English Lake District, one of UNESCO’s newest World Heritage sites, on this full-day round-trip tour from Oxenholme. Relax in comfortable transport as your driver-guide brings the region to life with commentary on its history, geology, and people, while you travel through rolling countryside and craggy fells to highlights such as Borrowdale Valley, Buttermere, Honister Pass, Grasmere, Thirlmere, Ullswater, the panoramic Castlerigg Stone Circle, and Keswick.

On this tour you get to see: • Wray Castle where Beatrix spent her 16th birthday and first discovered the Lake District where she was to later make her home. • Near Sawrey village which Beatrix visited often, used as inspiration for her illustrations and where she happily settled and married. • Hill Top, the house which Beatrix bought from the money she made from the publication of Peter Rabbit. • Esthwaite Water where Beatrix fished from her boat. • Hawkshead village • Tarn Hows bought by Beatrix  and regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the Lake District. • Coniston Water with spectacular views of the lake and Coniston Old Man • Yewdale Valley where Beatrix owned farms and land including Yew Tree Farm used in the film Miss Potter.

Discover the Lake District spots beloved by Beatrix Potter in just half a day on this small-group afternoon tour. Ideal for time-crunched visitors, this tour from Windermere and Bowness visits many such places in a few hours. Explore Beatrix’s Hill Top home, see Esthwaite Lake where she fished, visit Hawkshead, enjoy a cruise on Lake Windermere, and learn detail about her life and characters via the onboard commentary that you might never otherwise hear.

Witness the grandeur of the Lake District’s mountains and western fells on this full-day tour from Windermere. Follow a route first traced by the Romans over the Wrynose and Hardknott Passes, two of Britain’s steepest, and pass by Hardknott Roman Fort. Explore Muncaster Castle, enjoy lunch, and admire spectacular views of Wastwater before returning to Windermere.

Soak up the splendour of England’s largest lake, Windermere, on a scenic self-guided audio tour of the Lake District. • Find out how Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth are connected to the area and take it some of its famous sites • Hear from producer Martin Wilson, the owner and producer of Lake District Drives • Do it all in 3 hour or linger at stops along the way with complete control over when you start and finish • Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it • Use the virtual tour option at home Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a ticket with instructions and a unique code listed under “Before You Go”. Then simply install the VoiceMap app and enter your code. The app displays directions to the starting point, and when you’re in the right place, just tap start. The app has automatic GPS playback, with turn-by-turn directions. It also works offline.

Discover Yorkshire’s windy moors and learn about their influence on the famous Brontë family on a winter tour of Haworth, the Brontë Parsonage, and beyond. Round-trip transfer from Windermere and South Lakes allows seamless exploration of the dramatic landscape, while a private tour ensures personalized interaction with your guide.

Put away the guidebook and enjoy a private tour to a shortlist of the Lake District's most interesting sights. A driver helps you maximize your time in the region by taking you to a variety of popular attractions in just a few hours. See Aira Force waterfall, Grasmere, Castlerigg Stone Circle, Ullswater Lake, and Kirkstone Pass—the highest mountain pass in the Lake District.

This tour gives you the opportunity to see some of the Lake District's most beautiful viewpoints. Avoid the potential stress of being stuck on busy public transport, and ride between sights with ease in a private vehicle. Discover a variety of Lake District highlights such as Grasmere, Keswick, Ashness Bridge, Surprise View, Buttermere, and Newlands Valley.

Explore Cumbria’s coast your way with this online guidebook, illustrating a scenic 173-mile (278km) point-to-point trip across 20 destinations /4 sections, incl Morecambe Bay, Furness Peninsula, Haverigg to Silloth, Carlisle, Hadrian’s Wall, plus dip into the Lake District. Each covering classic destinations, coast & hidden gems. WHAT TO EXPECT • This online plan is ready to browse and inspire–use at home or on your phone on the go. • An overarching plan to shape your multi-destination holiday, with sample itineraries, for your timeframe from 3 to 14 days. • Inspire your trip, with places to go, where to stay, plus directions/parking etc. • Note: the guide itself is not customisable. However, each route includes our own pre-populated Google Maps with pins, plus customisable directions by section on Google Maps. Get started today with instant access (choose the nearest date as with 1 year’s access, there’s no need to wait until your travel date). Use on smartphone, tablet, or desktop.

Spend a day in James Herriot country, the Yorkshire Dales, on the trail of the “All Creatures Great and Small” TV series that was much beloved in the UK. In a small group capped at six people, you’ll visit filming locations such as the Drover’s Arms pub and Darrowby village, plus Helen’s family farm, surrounded by the fields, sheep, and dry-stone walls of the Yorkshire Dales. Round-trip transport is included from different Lake District locations.

See the Lake District in one day without missing a thing! Visit 10 of the National Park’s famous lakes and learn about their geological past and historic importance in culture, art and literature. Enjoy scenic drives through valleys and dales, spot waterfalls and explore ancient landmarks, like the stone circle at Askrigg. Take memorable photos at specially-chosen look-out points and hear tales about the local folklore of the fells and villages you pass by.