Top Lake District Outdoor Activities

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.

This private sailing experience offers an intimate alternative to crowded group tours. Enjoy a skippered yacht exclusively for your group of up to four people. Choose to get involved and learn to drive the boat or relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery along Lake Windermere. Your sailing experience is tailored to your skill level and preferences, discussed with your skipper before setting sail from Storrs Hall Hotel.

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.

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.

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. This tour requires a minimum of two participants to run.

Experience the Lake District the adventurous way with a guided white water rafting experience. The only provider offering this activity, the team have expert knowledge of the best locations, so you can enjoy the thrill of white water rafting in this beauty spot whatever the weather.

Experience the exclusivity of chartering a 10 metre Oceanis Clipper sailing yacht on England's largest natural lake, Windermere. Get involved as much or as little as you like, or relax whilst you appreciate the yacht, amazing views and fresh Cumbrian air. We have a well stocked bar available at very reasonable prices. We even have a private bathroom and central heating! Having sailed on Windermere for 20 years I have plenty of stories to tell you about the Lake and thoroughly enjoy showing you how to sail on it, in my fabulous yacht.

See some of the Lake District's most beautiful lakes on this half-day tour around Windermere. Settle into an air-conditioned minivan as your guide takes you through the stunning scenery, passing Derwentwater and England's second-longest lake along the way. You'll also stop to sample delicious gingerbread from the famous Grasmere bakery and discover scenic spots you might struggle to reach alone. Choose departures from Ambleside, Bowness, or Windermere.

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.

Descend into a mine and see a different side of Cumbria during this exhilarating climbing experience. No need to worry about buying specialist equipment—helmets, lights, a harness, and Via Ferrata safety gear is provided. Along the way, pass by old mining tunnels, climb walls, scale bridges, and see impressive chambers on this underground adventure. Car parking is included for your convenience.

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.

Located in the historic Honister Slate Mine, on this tour you will see the fells of the Lake District from a totally unique angle—more than 2000 ft. high. Climb up the side of Fleetwith Pike using the Via Ferrata and follow your guide to the top for a view of the North Lakes you won’t forget. Walk through the mine’s tunnel system to reach the Via Ferrata, and learn about the mine as you head out on your adventure, if you like.

- Experience England’s first Via Ferrata high above the Lake District - Scale the dramatic rock face of Fleetwith Pike - Cross the thrilling Burma Bridge suspended above the mountainside - Climb the Sky Ladder towards the summit of Honister Crag - Reach spectacular viewpoints inaccessible to most Lake District visitors - Take in breathtaking views across Borrowdale and the surrounding fells - Push your limits on a fully guided mountain adventure - Experience the perfect blend of adrenaline, achievement and epic scenery

Instead of hiking around Cumbria, get out on the water and see the Lake District at its best with this stand-up paddleboarding tour on the Derwent River. If you’re unfamiliar with the local area, there’s no need to worry about getting lost, as a guide joins you to navigate, provide top paddling tips, and teach you about the local area at the same time.

See the best of the lakes on this ever-changing kayak tour on and around scenic Derwentwater. Don your lifejacket (and wetsuit, if required), then paddle out onto Derwentwater, known as the Jewel of the Lake District, with a guide and no more than four other travelers. No session is the same: you might paddle up a river, visit nesting birds, or power across the lake to leap off a jetty.

Experience the exclusivity of chartering a 10 metre Oceanis Clipper sailing yacht on England's largest natural lake, Windermere. Get involved as much or as little as you like, or relax whilst you appreciate the yacht, amazing views and fresh Cumbrian air. A very extensive and locally sourced ploughman's is served in the second half of the trip with lots of delicious homemade additions. You may dine on deck if the weather permits, with views most restaurants can only dream of. We have a well stocked and reasonably priced bar on board, complimentary tea, coffee and soft drinks. We even have a private bathroom and central heating! Having sailed on Windermere for 20 years I have plenty of stories to tell you about the Lake and thoroughly enjoy showing you how to sail on it in my fabulous yacht.

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.

With this half-day tour, enjoy getting a shortcut to places in the Lake District linked to the world-renowned author and illustrator, Beatrix Potter. Instead of doing your own research, a guide takes you to Potter’s former home—Hill Top–with admission included to save you time waiting in ticket lines. The trip also visits a selection of other top locations linked the author’s stories and characters.

This is a great pick for thrill-seekers and nature lovers—explore Cumbria’s picturesque gorges in a safe and stress-free with this guided activity on a tried-and-tested route. After changing into the provided wetsuit and safety gear, start your gorge adventure. Along the way, climb up waterfalls, jump into bottomless pools, and have a chance to explore river caves too.

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.

Other operators run a ten-lakes tour. None of them put you on the water. This is the only ten-lakes tour in the National Park that includes a genuine hour-long cruise on Ullswater — pre-booked, included, no extra cost on the day — aboard a steamer sailing this lake since 1859. While other tours drive past and point, you'll feel the lake from its surface, Place Fell rising sheer from the shore, the whole basin opening out around you. The same depth applies elsewhere: at Honister, your guide explains the centuries of industry carved into that cliff face, not just a photo of the mine. At Buttermere, widely considered the most beautifully proportioned lake in the district, you'll understand why it's been celebrated since the earliest days of Lake District tourism. With only seven guests aboard, every question gets answered properly, across four mountain passes and ten lakes most visitors never see in a single trip.

Journey deep into a real working slate mine for a unique underground adventure unlike any other. Follow historic mining routes through tunnels and hidden caverns as you explore the heart of the mountain, guided every step of the way by Honister’s experienced adventure team. Challenge yourself by scaling cavern walls and tackling vertical climbs, then take on a series of exciting obstacles including rope bridges, steel ladders, a Tarzan swing, and an underground zip line. This thrilling, all-weather experience runs regardless of the Lake District forecast, ensuring an unforgettable adventure in any season. Your journey concludes with a spectacular emergence from the mine at one of England’s highest mountain passes, leaving you with incredible memories and breathtaking views.

Take on the ultimate full-day Lake District adventure with the Honister Pass: four of Honister’s most exhilarating challenges in one unforgettable experience. Begin by crossing the 190-metre Infinity Bridge, suspended high above the Borrowdale Valley. Next, tackle Via Ferrata Xtreme, traversing Fleetwith Pike’s exposed rock faces using ladders, cables and the spectacular Sky Ladder, with breathtaking views across the Lake District. Then head inside a working slate mine for Climb the Mine, an underground challenge featuring rope bridges, rock walls, climbs and zip lines. Finally, summon your courage for The Jump, a thrilling 100-foot freefall and the only experience of its kind in the UK. Expert guides lead and encourage you throughout, with all specialist safety equipment provided. Combining mountain heights, underground exploration and four escalating challenges, the Honister Pass delivers a full day of unforgettable adventure for serious thrill-seekers.

Through the quiet villages of the Lakes this journey winds, following roads shaped by fell and valley, beside waters that have long reflected the changing skies. Each village has its own story and its own character, with time to wander through old streets and little shops, to a welcoming café or simply wherever curiosity may lead. The villages are yours to discover in your own way. As the road carries you onward, a clear commentary tells of the places passing by, their history and the mountains, waters and valleys that have made this corner of England what it is. Your driver remains close at hand should you need assistance, while leaving you free to enjoy the Lakes at your own pace.