Ten Lakes tour of the Lake District National Park
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Windermere, England
- 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
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.
- Pack lots of Lake District highlights into one experience—perfect if you're short on time
- Round-trip transport saves you the hassle of navigating unfamiliar roads
- Gain local insight from a guide who knows the area like the back of their hand
- Enjoy the freedom to explore independently at certain stops
What's Included
- Transport in a small mini-coach
- On-board commentary in English
- Food & drink
- Additional Entrance fees
- Drivers gratuity (optional)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Windermere Tourist Information CentreVictoria St, Windermere LA23 1AD, UK
What 3 Words - ///treatment.overlaid.hides If arriving by car the best place to park is Broad Street Car Park, LA23 2AB. From here allow at least 15 minutes to walk to the Windermere Information Centre (0.2 miles).
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.9:25 am
Itinerary
The Lake District is renowned for being the most beautiful corner of England and this full-day tour introduces you to just that; a magnificent scenery of mountains, valleys and lakes from the south to the north.
As you travel, admire the rolling countryside and craggy fells, and hear interesting facts from your guide about the Lake District's history and geology, and the people and events that have shaped this much-loved region. Follow a beautiful route in the Ullswater Valley until your first stop in the lovely village of Glenridding. Stretch your legs and then continue to Ullswater Lake (subject to no road closures).
After capturing the scenery around this mirror-glass lake, continue to the Castlerigg Stone Circle, an ancient circle of 48 stones. Take photos of this age-old site and learn how the stones were probably set here in around 3,000 BC to form a ceremonial site.
The route continues with a break in Keswick, followed by a chance to see Ashness Bridge and Honister. Next, pass by two beautiful lakes—Buttermere and Thirlmere, followed by a visit to Grasmere.
Back aboard your minivan, venture further to Rydal Water, and then finish your day with a drop-off back at the start point.
As you travel, admire the rolling countryside and craggy fells, and hear interesting facts from your guide about the Lake District's history and geology, and the people and events that have shaped this much-loved region. Follow a beautiful route in the Ullswater Valley until your first stop in the lovely village of Glenridding. Stretch your legs and then continue to Ullswater Lake (subject to no road closures).
After capturing the scenery around this mirror-glass lake, continue to the Castlerigg Stone Circle, an ancient circle of 48 stones. Take photos of this age-old site and learn how the stones were probably set here in around 3,000 BC to form a ceremonial site.
The route continues with a break in Keswick, followed by a chance to see Ashness Bridge and Honister. Next, pass by two beautiful lakes—Buttermere and Thirlmere, followed by a visit to Grasmere.
Back aboard your minivan, venture further to Rydal Water, and then finish your day with a drop-off back at the start point.
Windermere (Pass By)
Derwentwater (Pass By)
1
Keswick
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Borrowdale (Pass By)
2
Honister Slate Mine
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Thirlmere (Pass By)
3
Grasmere
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Castlerigg Stone Circle
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Buttermere Lake (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be over the age of 5 to travel on this tour
- There will be a designated lunch stop where you’ll be able to purchase lunch
- There are toilet stops on route
- Minimal walking is involved
- Our vehicles are not currently wheelchair accessible
- Luggage storage is available at the Windermere Information departure location
- Seats cannot be reserved
- Each passenger must have their own seat
- Please note, the tour starts from Windermere Information Centre @ 9.25am. It is not possible to be collected from a different location once chosen. If you are not at the correct pick up location and miss the tour, we cannot offer alternative arrangements.
- Due to a landslide, Kirkstone pass is currently unpassable. Therefore until further notice you will not visit Brotherswater or Ullswater on your tour. Our incredible driver guides will instead take you off the beaten track to a few other fabulous Lake District sites and lakes.
- Due to the nature of the out tours, we cannot wait for customers who arrive at their tour start point late. If you are late for your tour, our cancellation policy applies. 100% charges are applicable and you will not be entitled to a refund or alternative.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Alison_V
We had Tim as our guide and what a blessing. He kept us entertained for our entire day trip of the 10 lakes. He had many interesting stories and facts to share. His driving skills are on another level!!!! Thank you Tim. The Lake District is a beautiful beyond discription. It is really worth taking this tour and just relaxing while taking in the beauty of the Lake District.
Reviews
4.8
based on 1,770 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Aishah_A, Jun 2026
This tour is a fantastic way to see the very best of the Lake District. The route was incredibly scenic, with breathtaking views throughout the day, and it felt like every turn revealed another beautiful landscape.
The stops were well planned and gave us enough time to wander around, take in the scenery, explore the local areas, and enjoy each location without feeling rushed.
The bus was spotless, comfortable, and very well maintained, which made the journey even more enjoyable.
Our tour guide was wonderful, kind, attentive, and highly knowledgeable. He made everyone feel welcome, shared interesting information along the way, and clearly cared about ensuring that everyone had a great experience.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your 5 star review of our Ten Lakes Spectacular tour! We are thrilled to hear about your great time on tour with our driver guide, taking in the scenic landscapes, history and knowledge in our comfortable vehicles. Thank you for choosing us to Go Explore the Lake District. Best wishes, Mountain Goat
Debbie_P, Jun 2026
We were given the wrong time. Even though we got there early. So the tour started without us. It really put a damper on the day for us. I would recommend that you get your times sorted for all customers.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you Debbie for your comments regarding your experience with ourselves. We can only apologise profusely for the time error, which we identified and solved with our third party agents, however this hindered your experience on this occasion unfortunately. We're glad to hear that you got to experience the tour nonetheless from Grasmere and we hope you enjoyed the sights and day from there. We have investigated further so rest assured the scenario won't happen again, as our customers experience is very important here at Mountain Goat. Our sincere apologies Debbie. Best wishes, Mountain Goat
S_W, Jun 2026
You can get a real understanding about the nature, living and common life of the people in the lake region
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your 5 star review of our Ten Lakes Spectacular tour! We are delighted to hear that you feel more connected with our beautiful Lake District, learning about the nature, history and people in the area. Thank you for choosing us to Go Explore the Lake District. Best wishes, Mountain Goat
Chengde_F, Jun 2026
The guide is very helpful, nice, friendly and informative. He had almost never stopped his knowledgeable guiding during whole itinerary. And as a driver, he drove safely.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your lovely words regarding your time on our Ten Lakes tour. We are thrilled to hear about your great time, with our driver guide contributing to a great memory and experience for yourself. Thank you for choosing us to Go Explore the Lake District. Best wishes, Mountain Goat
Dean_G, May 2026
Jason and Tony were great guide and driver... This tour gives you a wonderful overview of the Lakes Region. A+
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for reviewing our tours. We’re delighted to hear that Jason and Tony helped make your tour such an enjoyable experience.
It’s great to know that the tour gave you a fantastic overview of the Lake District and that you enjoyed your time exploring this beautiful region with us. We’ll be sure to pass your kind comments on to Jason and Tony, they’ll really appreciate them.
Thank you again for choosing Mountain Goat Tours and for the A+ recommendation!
KaLynn_S, May 2026
Had a fantastic time on this Lake District tour with Mark P as our guide. The pace was relaxed without ever being boring, and it felt like a really enjoyable way to experience the area — especially for a first visit. I’d definitely recommend it.
I also want to mention Konomi at the information center, who was incredibly warm and helpful. She made everything much easier and was genuinely lovely to interact with.
The only reason I’m giving 4 instead of 5 stars is because of an unpleasant interaction with Sarah over the phone. She called the evening before the tour to confirm my pickup location. I asked whether pickup from my hotel was possible, and she explained that changes couldn’t be made because I booked through Viator. No problem at all — I was perfectly happy to go to the original pickup point.
The next morning, I was waiting exactly where the Viator app instructed me to be when Sarah called again, clearly frustrated, asking why I wasn’t at the pier. I explained that I was at the information center as listed in the app, but she continued speaking to me very aggressively and said I was making the tour late. Her job is quite literally working with people who don’t know where they’re going (AKA tourists), and she should treat customers with a bit of grace given the circumstance.
Thankfully, when Mark arrived, he was extremely kind and immediately reassured me that everything was fine and that I hadn’t caused any issue.
So overall: wonderful tour, wonderful guide, lovely staff at the information center… but Sarah seriously needs a chill pill.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your review. We’re very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your Lake District tour and that Mark and Konomi helped make your experience a positive one. We’ll be sure to pass your kind comments on to them!
However, we would like to clarify the situation regarding the pickup arrangements. As a courtesy, Sarah contacted you the evening before the tour to reconfirm your pickup location as Bowness Bay Pier, which was agreed during the call and noted as being more convenient for your accommodation.
The following morning, when you were not at the agreed pickup point, Sarah called again to assist and establish your location, as you had instead gone to Windermere Information Centre, where the tour was not scheduled to collect passengers. At this stage, the priority was ensuring you were able to join the tour successfully and without further delay.
We do appreciate that travel arrangements can sometimes be confusing, particularly when booking through third-party platforms, and we are always happy to help where possible. However, we do feel it is unfair to publicly single out a member of staff by name in a negative manner when they were actively trying to assist and ensure you made the tour on time.
We’re glad everything was resolved and that you ultimately had an enjoyable day exploring the Lake District with us. We hope to see you again soon.
Glenn_T, May 2026
Great way to see and hear about the Lake district made better by the driver, who knowledge and banter was brilliant
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you Glenn for your kind words about your experience on your Ten Lakes tour! We are glad to hear that your driver has made a great impact to your day and we hope to welcome you on another Mountain Goat tour in the near future.
Donna_M, May 2026
Very beautiful tour. Our tour guide Robert was excellent. I would highly recommend this tour. Every stop was just stunning.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you Donna for your kind words about your tour with Robert. We are glad to hear about your great day exploring the beautiful Lake District! Thank you for choosing us and we hope to welcome you again in the near future.
Craig_C, Mar 2026
Tour was fantastic! Our guide was super friendly and knowledgeable. Just a shame that tour guides can no longer talk while driving, so any questions you'll have to save for the many stops. We visited 10 lakes and some fantastic viewing points! Plenty of photo opportunities.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you Craig for your kind review! We are glad to hear about your great day on our Ten Lakes tour, with the knowledge and information being transferred in a different way. We hope to welcome you on another Mountain Goat tour in the near future!
Janak_P, Mar 2026
Excellent driver. Good experience. Adequate time given for each sight. Good time for lunch. Driver was very experienced
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your kind review! We are delighted to hear about your great time on our Ten Lakes Tour as we carefully curate our itinerary for maximum enjoyment! We hope to welcome you very soon again on one of tours to Go Explore.
Sue_M, Mar 2026
An excellent trip. Our guide was informative, very friendly and helpful. It was a great way to see the area. Minibus was comfortable. Thoroughly enjoyed our day. Really good value for money.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you Sue for your very kind review! We are delighted to hear about your great day with ourselves, with the driver guide being a positive impact for your experience. Thank you for choosing Mountain Goat and we hope to welcome you on another tour very soon.
George_T, Mar 2026
Had an excellent day out across the Lake District and Tim was an excellent Tour guide who was very Knowledgeable about the Lake District and it's local history. He knows many great spots for photography and is very engaging with his tourists. Would highly recommend this day trip as you'll see a lot in one day. A +++++ Thanks for a great day out Tim.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you George for your lovely review and recommendation of our Ten Lakes tour! Tim will be delighted to hear about your great time on the tour, with influence from his great knowledge and passion of the area! We hope to welcome you back with Mountain Goat to adventure and Go Explore.
Siddharth_J, Mar 2026
We loved the tour, they take to beautiful places, our Guide and Driver Peter was very knowledgeable and gave a lot of information but we did not stop at a couple of locations which were very beautiful like Buttermere
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your review on our Ten Lake tour! Unfortunately we can't stop at every beautiful location due to road restrictions, time constraints and our curated itinerary for maximum enjoyment. We're glad you enjoyed our tour and we hope we will see you on another Mountain Goat tour in the future.
Victiria_C, Feb 2026
Fantastic trip with a great guide Steve, he was very knowledgeable and interesting guy great guide 10/10
Highly recommend
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank your for your kind review and recommendation! We will pass on your words to Steve, of whom will be delighted to know that your trip was elevated by his knowledge and personality! We hope to welcome you back on another Mountain Goat tour very soon.
BRIAN_L, Dec 2025
Peter the Driver/Guide was fantastic from start to finish. Very informative commentary throughout and very helpful and clear communication around pick up times etc. lovely guy!!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your lovely review Brian! Peter will be delighted to hear on his positive impact on your tour. We hope to welcome you on another Mountain Goat Tour very soon.
Dorry_L, Dec 2025
The guide was so nice! The drive was smooth and it was a great trip! Even though it was raining, everyone still had a great time.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that the temperamental British weather hasn't put a damper on your tour! We hope to see again, perhaps in a different season, with Mountain Goat Tours!
George_B, Dec 2025
Recommended, great value one-day minibus speed-tour of an extensive checklist of famous scenic spots in the Lake District. This tour is perfect if, like me, you've never visited and want to get a rapid sense of all the places you'll want to go back to when you have more time! If you are in the area several days then put this on your first day.
Our driver, Graham, was very friendly and knowledgeable and provided just the right level of commentary and explanations as we toured around. This includes driving between places and we got a very good sense of the overall geography and history. He also smartly adapted the route based on the weather, the tour party interests, and included a couple of unlisted bonus detours.
Lunch is up to travelers to find during a 1-hour stop in Keswick although with a bigger party and more daylight I'd imagine that could be a longer stop.
As there are several stops where there are good shops, most importantly the tiny one-of-a-kind Sarah Nelson Grasmere Gingerbread bakery, bring shopping money and a bag or two!
Some of the stops give you time to have quick walks around paths, viewpoints, lakesides, so consider wearing walking shoes or boots.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for your lovely review and recommendation George. Wow, what a photo! Graham will be delighted to hear on his positive influence over your tour experience! We hope you got an opportunity to try some of the delicious Grasmere Gingerbread in between the breath-taking sights. Thank you for choosing Mountain Goat and we hope to welcome you again very soon!
Sathya_J, Dec 2025
Amazing Day out with the amazing tour guide cum driver Mark P. Witnessed breath taking views and hidden gems in Lake District. Mark was so accomodating and very informative 😇 We were so lucky to have this tour on a bright sunny day 🌸
Thank you Mark and the Goats Tours for this amazing experience. Highly recommended to everyone.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you so much for your kind review and recommendation! Mark P will be thrilled to hear how he made your tour more enjoyable and a memory to last for a lifetime. We hope to welcome you on another tour very soon!
Rochelle_S, Oct 2025
Enjoyed this trip. The driver and guide is friendly and knowledgeable and give us enough time for photos and just enjoy the scenic view.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re glad our friendly and knowledgeable guide made the trip enjoyable and gave you plenty of time for photos. Hope to see you again soon!
niallfritz, Oct 2025
Long day. Drove around a large area but with a number of good stops. Lots to see!
Andy is an excellent tour guide.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your feedback! We’re pleased you enjoyed the varied stops and all there was to see. Andy will be delighted to hear your praise. We hope to welcome you back soon!
Frank_C, Sep 2025
A great experience with wonderful views of the mountains and lakes and excellent commentary from our knowledgeable and friendly driver and tour guide, David Edge.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your kind words! We're delighted you enjoyed the stunning views and David Ebb's friendly and knowledgeable commentary. We hope to welcome you on another Mountain Goat tour soon!
Sydney_F, Sep 2025
We had a phenomenal experience on our 10 Lake Mountain Goat Tour!The scenery was incredible, but what made it truly memorable was our guide, David. His outstanding knowledge, passion & his explanation about the topography & historical background of the region , gave us a whole new appreciation for the area. It was both educational and fun, and we would recommend this tour to anyone looking for a unique and unforgettable adventure.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re delighted David’s knowledge and passion helped make your 10 Lake tour both educational and fun. It’s wonderful to hear you enjoyed the incredible scenery and had a memorable experience. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again soon!
Soudamini_M, Sep 2025
Lake District is so scenic and this tour took us to places which we could not have visited on our own. Our tour guide was nice, friendly and knowledgeable. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your great review! We're so glad you enjoyed the scenic beauty of the Lake District and that our tour helped you explore places you might have missed on your own. We appreciate your kind words about our guide and are thrilled you had such an enjoyable experience.
Jomille_M, Sep 2025
What's good:
It was a great tour overall we loved the view of the lakes and the mountains! If you're looking for a tour around Lake District that can cover a lot in a day, this is the right tour for you! Michael, our tourgide, was very knowledgeable, friendly and attentive to all of us! He also drives very safely. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to give a tip to him cos I didn't have cash but I acknowledged him and was grateful!
What needs to be improved:
Reason that 1 star was deducted because I was annoyed that prior to the tour, I already messaged Viator if pick up can be done in Bowness because we're coming from there, but I got a response that they're only doing Windermere pick up. Then I found out during the tour that most of the passengers were actually picked up from Bowness! I will not be annoyed if I didn't ask, but I asked I was told otherwise! Next time make sure these are clear and aligned with the staffs responding to these queries. Given that Bowness is a main tourist spot in the area and most people will be coming there, you should include that as the pick up place next time to avoid confusions like this.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your review! We're glad to hear you enjoyed the tour and the view of the lakes and mountains. We apologize for the confusion and understand your frustration. We do offer pickups from Bowness however if you had called us directly and not Viator we could have resolved this very quickly. Make sure to contact us directly with queries about your booking! We hope to welcome you back on another Mountain Goat Tour soon!
Michelle_P, Sep 2025
Absolutely worth every penny, saw places we wouldn't have seen on our own and the information our driver gave us was fantastic. We got some great photo opportunities at places we stopped off at and even time for lunch in Keswick.
I say this trip is a must if you come to the lakes.
We had lots of laughs throughout the day and met some lovely people on our coach.
Will definitely be coming back and doing more tours with them.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for the wonderful review! We're so pleased to hear you had such a fun and memorable day, with great photo stops, lovely company, and time to enjoy Keswick. It’s fantastic that the tour helped you discover hidden gems of the Lakes. We can’t wait to welcome you back for more adventures!
kaushik_b, Sep 2025
Michael was awesome guide, he gave us enough time to explore on our own and explained the history of each part of Lake District in details. We started right on time and cane back to Windermere on time to catch our train back to London. A day full of fun and beautiful views, altogether a memorable trip.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thanks for sharing your experience! It sounds like Michael really balanced giving you freedom to explore with plenty of great history and keeping things on schedule. We hope to welcome you back on another one of our tours soon!
The Mountain Goat Team
Byron_P, Aug 2025
beautiful scenery. guide was fairly new to the job but not to the area. He gave top notch info and service.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your feedback! We’re pleased to hear you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and appreciated the guide’s local knowledge and service. We hope to see you again soon.
The Mountain Goat Team
Deb_J, Aug 2025
There is more driving and less walking with this tour but ample stops to take in the scenery and also flexibility depending on weather. David was knowledgeable and respectful. The coach was comfortable and the hour spent in Keswick gave us an opportunity to explore and have lunch. My only comment is I would have liked some periods of silence to gather thoughts between places and absorb the scenery as not all commentary was relevant to the tour. I highly recommend this tour if you are short on time for your stay.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your detailed feedback! We're glad you enjoyed the comfortable coach, scenic stops, and time in Keswick. We appreciate your comments on the commentary and will take them on board to improve the experience. It’s great to hear you’d still recommend the tour for those short on time.
The Mountain Goat Team
Lorraine_W, Aug 2025
Long day on and off mini bus but well worth it; air conditioned and no stress of driving or finding parking at many popular visits, just enough time given at each stop. Peter our driver was very experienced and knowledgeable about the area, an excellent driver on some very tricky roads. He also took the time to interact with, and get to know each traveller on his bus, polite and friendly guy. Great day in the lakes!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your review! We’re glad you enjoyed a comfortable, stress-free day with just the right amount of time at each stop. Peter’s experience and friendly approach make all the difference. Great to hear you had a fantastic day in the Lakes!
Best,
The Mountain Goat Team
Taunia_M, Jul 2025
The tour was really nice. The driver was very approachable, funny and knowledgeable. There were frequent stops for toilets, lunch and refreshments. We managed to capture some good photos.
Some of the roads were very narrow but I have to give it to the driver for such driving manouvering skills. He was also very accommodating dropping people off at desired stops on the way back.
As you have to stick to the schedule there may be bits you would have liked to explore more and this is the only reason I missed a star rating. Although, with this tour you familiarise yourself and can come back to do it differently and/or pick specific places.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thanks so much for your thoughtful review! We’re glad you enjoyed the tour overall and appreciated the driver’s skill, humor, and flexibility with stops. You’re right—sometimes the schedule means a quick pace, but it’s great to hear it gave you a good overview to plan future visits. We hope you get to come back and explore more next time!
From $107.74
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Ten Lakes tour of the Lake District National Park
1,769
8 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$107.74
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in Windermere, England
More attractions near Windermere, England