Lake District Walking Holidays

Stock up on gingerbread and Kendal Mint Cake! - A must on every trip to the Lake District is a visit to the famous Sarah Nelson's Grasmere Gingerbread Shop. Here at Macs, we all have a bit of a sweet tooth but this gingerbread is the stuff of dreams! A delicious combination of spicy and sweetness, it will have you running up those fells in no time! And on this note, another famous Lake District treat which will give you a much needed sugar boost is Kendal Mint Cake. If you feel yourself flagging, a couple of bites of this will sort you out in no time! 

Enjoy a picnic!  - The views you get from some of the Lake District fells are simply too beautiful to pass by quickly! Pack a picnic lunch, pick your perfect spot overlooking one of the shimmering lakes, breathe it all in and enjoy it! 

Make sure you have the right gear - Take a look at our Coast to Coast equipment blog for more details – as this can make a big difference to how enjoyable you find the walk.  For walking in the Lake District, good waterproofs are essential as well as a sturdy pair of boots! 

Take to the water! - If you have the time, we highly recommend adding some extra nights onto your trip to allow you the time to relax. And a great way to spend the afternoon in the Lake District is to take a boat trip! This way, your feet can take a rest and you can experience the lakes from ground level instead of looking on them from above. Add an extra night in Ambleside and enjoy a trip on one of the Windermere Lake Cruises. Or add a night in Patterdale to experience the romance of the Ullswater Steamer boats, which have been operating since 1855.

It’s not just us at Macs Adventure who think the Lake District is inspiring—Hollywood agrees! Keep your eyes peeled while walking and you might spot scenes from these films:

• Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens – Derwentwater doubles as a galaxy far, far away.
• Peter Rabbit – Beatrix Potter’s backyard brought to life, starring James Corden and Margot Robbie.
• Tommy – 1970s cult classic filmed in Borrowdale Valley—Haystacks included.
• Miss Potter – Renée Zellweger steps into Beatrix Potter’s actual home at Yew Tree Farm.

Q: When is the best time to walk in the Lake District?

A: Spring is a personal favourite of the Macs team as the nicest time of year to walk in the Lake District. The weather is usually fairly mild (although it is the Lake District so you should always bring your waterproofs!), the flowers are in bloom and lambs dot the fields and pastures. 

Q: Do I need to be able to navigate?

A: Many of the trails are signposted in the Lake District and booking with Macs Adventure you can download our app, which has the routes already loaded, so that we no longer need to use paper and can do our bit for the planet. However, as the weather can be rather unpredictable in the Lake District fells, we do recommend that you have had some experience in navigating in order to get full enjoyment from these trips.

Q: What are the paths like?

A: You will find a variety of terrain in the Lake District, including rocky, mountainous terrain, some boggy sections and lakeside and woodland paths. Most days will involve a couple of steep ascents and descents.

Q: Will there be places to eat on the walks?

A: Depending on the walk, you may pass a small village with a cafe or tempting tearoom. There are other days where the walk will take you into the fells where there are no facilities and on those days, you will be able to pick up a packed lunch from your accommodation or the village shop. Our detailed route notes will advise you of the days where this is the case.

Q: How fit do I need to be?

A: All of our Lake District tours are graded moderate and above and pass through hilly terrain, so you will enjoy the walks more if you have a reasonable level of fitness. However, on the Lake District Trail and Lake District in Comfort tours, you will stay for 2 nights in each place so you can always take it easy on the second day if you would prefer not to walk!