Take a train to nearby Windermere (3hrs from London, 2hrs from Glasgow) and hop on one of the frequent buses along to Ambleside (15 min). This bustling lakeside town is a great starting point for your adventure in the Lake District. Tonight you may wish to venture into town from your B&B and find a local pub in which to have dinner.
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Overnight Ambleside
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Accommodations
A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.
The Rothay Manor Hotel & Restaurant offers a relaxed, warm and friendly atmosphere in a luxury country house setting, with large individually designed en-suite bedrooms, spacious comfortable lounges, delicious fresh food and outstanding service.
Experience everything the Lake District has to offer in a stylish, sophisticated and contemporary luxury hotel. The Waterhead hotel near Ambleside, cleverly combines a traditional Lakeland setting with the comfort of a luxury boutique four star hotel. Every detail is designed to offer a relaxed, intimate atmosphere, while it’s attentive, award winning service will make you feel right at home.
Walk in the footsteps of Beatrix Potter today as you follow trails through landscapes that inspired her writing and visit famous sights associated with the famous author. Start by jumping on one of the iconic Windermere ferries across Lake Windermere to Wray Castle. From here, follow easy paths and tracks by the quiet western shore of the lake before heading slightly inland to visit Hill Top, the former home of Beatrix Potter, which she bought with her royalties from the sale of The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Visit Moss Eccles Tarn, one of Potter's favourite places for painting, and then continue to Ferry House, where you catch a ferry back over to the other side of the lake. Perhaps enjoy a quick ice cream in Bowness-on-Windermere, before catching the local bus down to Ambleside.
Ascent:+210m / Descent: -220m
Note:Â if you opt to walk from your accommodation to Ambleside pier it adds +1 extra mile to the distances stated above.
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Overnight Ambleside
![]()
Accommodations
A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.
The Rothay Manor Hotel & Restaurant offers a relaxed, warm and friendly atmosphere in a luxury country house setting, with large individually designed en-suite bedrooms, spacious comfortable lounges, delicious fresh food and outstanding service.
Experience everything the Lake District has to offer in a stylish, sophisticated and contemporary luxury hotel. The Waterhead hotel near Ambleside, cleverly combines a traditional Lakeland setting with the comfort of a luxury boutique four star hotel. Every detail is designed to offer a relaxed, intimate atmosphere, while it’s attentive, award winning service will make you feel right at home.
Head north through Rydal Park on the outskirts of Ambleside this morning, passing one of William Wordsworth's former homes, Rydal Mount, where Wordsworth spent his last days. This route is also known as the 'Coffin Road’ named for the fact that it was an old corpse road used in medieval times to carry the deceased to their final resting place in Grasmere. Enjoy following gently undulating trails as you head towards your next destination in the Lakes.
At White Moss Common at the north end of Rydal Water, the views ahead to Grasmere are spectacular and you will see why this was a favourite place of Wordsworth’s sister, Dorothy. Following the trail down into Grasmere arrive at the famous Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's first family home, and you may also visit his final resting place at St Oswald’s Church. Grasmere is a delightful little town with plenty of tempting tearooms, a few traditional pubs and the famous Sarah Nelson's Gingerbread Shop which we highly recommend paying a visit to!Â
Ascent:Â +90m / Descent: -85m
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Overnight Grasmere
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Accommodations
A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.
Standing proudly in the heart of Grasmere village and cradled by two acres of glorious gardens, you’ll find the historic Wordsworth Hotel. Once the Earl of Cadogan’s shooting lodge, this grand country mansion offers the idealplace in which to relax after a lovely day's walking. The rooms are luxuriously decorated and fitted out with Egyptian cotton bedlinen and you can enjoy award winning fine dining in their AA rosette restaurant. Perhaps even treat yourself to one of their delightful spa treatments!
Moss Grove is a 5-star guest accommodation which is designed to be both luxurious and environmentally friendly. They have 11 individually designed bedrooms, all with their own unique character and a range of organic and sustainable features. A ground floor suite bedroom is also available with exclusive use of an outdoor hot tub. All rooms share a relaxed and natural style.
Enjoy the perfect introduction to walking higher up in the Lake District fells as you make your way slowly to the top of Helm Crag today, and discover the iconic "Lion and the Lamb" craggy outcrops, so named because they are said to resemble the aforementioned creatures. Alfred Wainwright said of this walk "The virtues of Helm Crag have not to be lauded enough. It gives an exhilarating little climb, a brief essay in real mountaineering." From the Lion and the Lamb, enjoy some of the Lake District's best views, looking over the Fairfield and Helvellyn mountain ranges - you will have the real feeling of being up in the mountains today as Wainwright alluded to, but this is gained without too much effort!
Ascent:Â +325m /Â Descent:Â -325m
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Overnight Grasmere
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Accommodations
A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.
Standing proudly in the heart of Grasmere village and cradled by two acres of glorious gardens, you’ll find the historic Wordsworth Hotel. Once the Earl of Cadogan’s shooting lodge, this grand country mansion offers the idealplace in which to relax after a lovely day's walking. The rooms are luxuriously decorated and fitted out with Egyptian cotton bedlinen and you can enjoy award winning fine dining in their AA rosette restaurant. Perhaps even treat yourself to one of their delightful spa treatments!
Moss Grove is a 5-star guest accommodation which is designed to be both luxurious and environmentally friendly. They have 11 individually designed bedrooms, all with their own unique character and a range of organic and sustainable features. A ground floor suite bedroom is also available with exclusive use of an outdoor hot tub. All rooms share a relaxed and natural style.
After a hearty breakfast, a transfer will bring you to your final stop in the Lakes, the lively town of Keswick.
Soak in the views as you gently wind your way up to the heather-clad summit of Walla Crag, where you are rewarded with one of the finest views in all of Lakeland. The sparkling surface of Derwent Water below and the Skiddaw range rising behind Keswick are sights to behold! Descend to reach Ashness Bridge, one of the most photographed and picturesque packhorse bridges in the Lake District with stunning views. The lakeshore path back to Keswick is a delightful stroll through woodland and along wide bays. At the rocky outcrop of Friar’s Crag, you will find a memorial to John Ruskin who thought the views were some of the finest in all of Europe.
Ascent:Â +285m /Â Descent:Â -285m
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Overnight Keswick
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Accommodations
A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.
This hotel is set in 4 acres of lawns and tended gardens, the elegant Keswick Country House Hotel is only a 5-minute walk from the centre of Keswick. Each spacious room has a TV, tea/coffee facilities and en-suite bathroom. Many rooms boast views of the Lake District fells or hotel gardens, and some have a separate seating area. The Lonsdale Restaurant uses local produce in the creative menu, served in luxurious surroundings. There is free WiFi in public areas and a bar lounge. Some rooms are in the old Keswick Railway Station building and can be accessed by the original station platform. The beautiful gardens at Hotel Keswick have walkways and you can play croquet on the lawns.
This short, sharp climb up a "little mountain" or "lair of the wildcat" is a firm Lake District favourite. As Alfred Wainwright said, "It is a family fell where grandmothers and infants can climb the heights together, a place beloved". For a relaxing start to the day, take the Keswick Launch to Hawse End before starting to follow well-defined paths through the bracken. As you climb, views open up over lovely Derwent Water and the beautiful Newlands Valley. A short section towards the summit involves a little bit of scrambling and a head for heights, but if this isn't for you, you can still enjoy amazing views from very close to the top and you could simply turn round and go back the way you came. However, it is worth the effort on that very short section to stand on the top and take in the amazing views over the Lake District including the mighty Skiddaw to the North. After leaving the summit, the path heads downhill and then you can enjoy a relaxing stroll back via the shores of Derwent Water to Hawse End where the boat will take you back to Keswick in 10 minutes for your final night in the Lake District.
Ascent:Â +340m /Â Descent:Â -350m
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Overnight Keswick
![]()
Accommodations
A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.
This hotel is set in 4 acres of lawns and tended gardens, the elegant Keswick Country House Hotel is only a 5-minute walk from the centre of Keswick. Each spacious room has a TV, tea/coffee facilities and en-suite bathroom. Many rooms boast views of the Lake District fells or hotel gardens, and some have a separate seating area. The Lonsdale Restaurant uses local produce in the creative menu, served in luxurious surroundings. There is free WiFi in public areas and a bar lounge. Some rooms are in the old Keswick Railway Station building and can be accessed by the original station platform. The beautiful gardens at Hotel Keswick have walkways and you can play croquet on the lawns.
Your holiday comes to an end after breakfast. From Keswick take a bus to Penrith (50min) or Carlisle (1h15m) for onward travel connections.
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