The Lake District has nearly 1,000 miles to explore, but you only have two days to do it.
You won’t see all 16 bodies of water nor will you visit the dozens of towns surrounding the shoreline, but you can base yourself in a central location and get a taste of the lakeside leisure that millions of Brits embrace every year. Here are a few suggestions for where to stay and how to spend 2 days in the Lake District without a car.
View across Elter Water to the Langdale Pikes in the Lake District. Image Credit: Getty Images, David C Tomlinson
From posh hotels to glamping in the Lake District
Unless you’re attempting an out-and-back visit from London by train, you’ll need to add an overnight stay to your Lake District itinerary without a car. If you want to rough it in as regal of a sense as possible, glamping in the Lake District’s yurts, wigwams, and pods is fantastic. You’ll find pods in Penrith, glamp sites in Windermere, and yurts in Witherslack, among others. A more buttoned up affair awaits at boutique luxury hotels like the 1850s stone mansion that’s now the Forest Side hotel and the Gilpin Hotel, which has a Michelin-starred restaurant, hot tubs in nearly every room, and a cria herd and flock of alpacas roaming the grounds.
Where in the UK is the Lake District?
The Lake District is located in northwest England. It’s around 80 miles north of Manchester. When you see mountains, and England’s largest lake, you’ve found the right place. If you’ve hit Carlisle, you’ve gone too far.
How many days should I spend in the Lake District?
Could you do a day-trip to the Lake District? Probably, if you got an early start, but we wouldn’t recommend it. This relaxing refuge is best experienced with a 3 to 5 day trip. Multiple overnights mean you can hop by ferry, train, bus, or cab to different towns and waters without stressing about having enough time to sightsee, relax, and take a long stroll along a lakeside or mountain trail.
Sunrise at Lake Windermere in the Lake District. Image Credit: Getty Images, joe daniel price
How to spend 2 days in the Lake District without a car
A Lake District itinerary without a car is no problem. First, pick one body of water to base yourself near; Windermere and Derwentwater have ferries gliding across their waters, but you can get around most lakes via bus or taxi. Cycling the Lake District is a great way to see the landscape, too. A cruise around Bowness Bay, hiking the Castlerigg Stone Circle, and sipping gin at The Lakes Distillery are all easy adds to a 2-day Lakes District itinerary.
Read also: how to get to Cumbria’s Lake District by train from London
How to spend 2 days in the Lake District with kids
All suggestions for a Lake District itinerary with kids should include The World of Beatrix Potter in Bowness-on-Windermere where they can meet Peter Rabbit. We’d suggest one day spent at specific attractions like the Lake District Wildlife Park and on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, then the other spent letting them dictate how much you hike, swim, and eat ice cream. If it’s a rainy day, the Lakes Aquarium is a good day-saver, FYI.
Where to go for the first time in the Lake District
Obviously, you can’t visit the Lake District without visiting Lake Windermere. It’s the largest lake in England, so don’t feel like its namesake town is the only place you should go. Ambleside, at the north end of the lake, is a cool choice: it has Roman ruins, the Armitt Library & Museum Centre devoted to the Lake District’s cultural heritage, and a ferry port so you can easily sail to other parts of the lake.
Windermere town in the Lake District. Image Credit: Getty Images, Andrea Pucci
Which town is best to stay in the Lake District?
When arriving by train, we’d suggest Windermere is the best place to stay in the Lake District if it’s your first visit, as it’s one of the most popular towns. Keswick isn’t a bad choice, either; it has plenty of ways to explore, relax, and experience the Lake District (specifically, Derwentwater) among a smaller crowd.
What is the best time to visit the Lake District?
The Lake District is lovely throughout the year, so the best time to visit depends on how you want to experience this English retreat. Summer has the best weather and the worst crowds, so you’ll share the shoreline with other sunbathers. Winter is quieter, and though it gives you more alone time with the hauntingly beautiful landscape, your list of water-based activities shrink in the cold. Spring and autumn can offer a bit of both: visit for the fall foliage and first blooms of the season or visit on the edges of summer for fewer crowds but pleasant enough weather.
What is the Lake District best known for?
Well, the lakes — shocker, right? But England’s largest national park has more than moisture. It’s also home to Scafell Pike, the country’s highest mountain. Aside from its landscape, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its towns and villages, like Windermere, draw the crowds.
Read also: walking Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Ullswater in Penrith in the Lake District. Image Credit: Getty Images, joe daniel price
How old is the Lake District?
The Lake District National Park was officially established in 1951, but the area is way older. The northern and southern ranges date between 400 and 500 million years ago. Bassenthwaite Lake was created during the last Ice Age; humans got there during the Stone Age. Romans followed. Then the Norse. Eventually Londoners on holiday and influencers on Instagram followed.
How many lakes does the Lake District have?
So, you roll up to the Lake (singular) District and hear people talking about lakes (plural). What gives? The Lake District has 16 bodies of water but, technically, only one legitimate lake: Bassenthwaite Lake. The other “lakes” are tarns, reservoirs, or waters that don’t have lake in their name.
But, once you’re enjoying sweet serenity on its shorelines, you won’t care what they call the water in this delightful English national park.
Getting to Cumbria’s Lake District by train from London is easy, making it a great two-day vacay with no car required. Download the Trainline app and plan your trip to the Lake District National Park today.
Ullswater Steamers in the Lake District. Header Image Credit: Getty Images, joe daniel price
