Top Windermere Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Close your eyes and picture it: standing inside a 4,500-year-old circle of stones, mountains rising on every side, the wind the only sound for miles. That's Castlerigg, one moment in an afternoon built around views most visitors never find. While sixteen-seater minibuses queue along the main road, you gently ascend in comfort along the steep, narrow lane out of Ambleside instead — a quieter, wilder approach to the Kirkstone Inn, the highest inhabited building in the National Park, before the legendary descent unfolds beneath you. You'll see eight lakes, not the usual six, plus Ashness Bridge framed against the fells, Surprise View's sudden reveal of Derwentwater, and Dunmail Raise, where a king is said to sleep beneath the stones. With only seven guests aboard, your guide shows you exactly where Wordsworth saw the daffodils that inspired his most famous poem, pointing out the sheep grazing the fells, brings geology and legend to life, mile after spectacular mile.

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.

Engage in an intimate evening of astronomy led by Gary Fildes, a seasoned astronomer with over 25 years of experience. This unique event offers a personal approach to exploring the cosmos, beginning with a presentation that simplifies the universe's vastness. Following this, venture into the night sky to observe celestial wonders through various telescopes, with hands-on guidance available. Enjoy an informal chat with Gary about groundbreaking topics in modern astronomy while sipping a complimentary hot drink. This event promises a memorable night under the Lake District's dark skies, perfect for anyone curious about the universe.

This is a perfect pick for nature lovers. Save time organizing car hire and instead, enjoy a full-day private tour that takes you to 10 lakes in a day. No need to worry about navigating— a private driver takes care of that, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the beautiful views. Highlights include Lake Windermere, the Kirkstone Pass, Ullswater Lake, the Castlerigg Stone Circle, Buttermere Lake, and Lake Grasmere.

Picture this: you're standing in the doorway of a 17th-century farmhouse, the same low beams and fireside chair Beatrix Potter left exactly as she wanted them, and your guide is right beside you — not shouting over sixteen strangers from the front of a coach. That's the difference here. Your storyteller walks you through the village on foot, pointing out the lanes and farmhouses straight from her little books, then on to a hushed, golden viewpoint over Tarn Hows that made Potter buy the land rather than risk losing it. Along the way you'll discover a woman far richer than the storybooks suggest: a shrewd businesswoman who fought for her own royalties decades before it was common, a self-taught mycologist whose fungi paintings scientists still consult today, and a farmer who gave fifteen working farms to the nation. With only seven guests, every question gets a proper answer. Go before midday and step straight inside Hill Top rather than queue for it.

Uncover the wonders of the universe with an immersive stargazing experience at Grizedale Observatory. Begin with an engaging presentation featuring stunning visuals and expert insights, then join a small-group sky watching session where you'll learn to navigate the night sky and observe celestial objects through a variety of telescopes. Along the way, enjoy warm drinks, visit the planetarium, and chat with knowledgeable astronomers who are ready to answer your questions. - Explore the night sky during a guided small-group stargazing experience. - View planets, stars, and deep-sky objects through a range of telescopes. - Learn hands-on telescope skills with guidance from expert astronomers. - Enjoy warm drinks and access to the planetarium throughout the evening.

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.

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.

Hike Langdale's winding trails and scenic paths 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 your own pace. With no planning or navigating needed, enjoy meeting fellow adventure seekers, learning about local flora and fauna, and snapping hillside pictures.

A fun experience and a valuable investment - capturing memories for lifetime! How does it work: Following booking, I will contact you to suggest some locations depending on the season and the time of day. I'll also send clothing guidelines. On the day: We'll meet at our agreed location and explore the local scenery in a relaxed and fun way, taking candid images as we explore. Following the shoot: I'll send you a gallery of edited images and you'll be able to choose 5 to download and keep for ever, with further images available to purchase if desired. I can't wait to work with you to create a tapestry of joyful moments frozen forever in time! Bringing young children, fantastic, there is no expectation for them to pose or behave in a certain way, our photoshoots are relaxed and we let the kids lead the way to ensure they are comfortable and leave the day with happy memories.

Sit back in comfort, while we drive you through the beautiful Lake District. We’ll collect you from your designated place and drop you back safely. Our first stop is Forest Side, where you can delight in a Michelin Star four course lunch in beautiful Lake District surroundings. We will then head to the scenic village of Grasmere, where you can enjoy a Distillery Taste and Tour experience, including award winning Gin, Whisky, Rum and Vodka.

William Wordsworth was born and bred in the Lake District, and penned his poems using local landscapes for inspiration. But, finding those local landscapes isn’t easy without research and planning. With this small-group tour, that hard work’s already done, resulting in a carefully planned itinerary that visits Wordsworth’s important landmarks. Round-trip transportation from Windermere makes it easy, and stops at Dove Cottage and St. Oswald’s Church are among the highlights.

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.

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.

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.