The Lake District
England's highest ground, and the densest walking country in Britain.
High point: Scafell Pike, 978 m
Where to base yourself
Ambleside
Windermere's head, and the easiest Lakeland base without a car.
Station: Windermere
Buttermere
Two lakes, one village, and Honister at the top of the pass.
Station: Workington
Coniston
Slate, copper, and the Old Man rising straight from the village.
Station: Windermere
Eskdale
The one Lakeland valley you can reach by two trains.
Station: Ravenglass
Glenridding
Ullswater's steamer pier, and Helvellyn straight up the valley.
Station: Penrith
Keswick
Derwentwater, Skiddaw, and the busiest bus links in the north.
Station: Penrith
Hot tubs in the Lake District
Walks
Aira Force and Gowbarrow
An easy National Trust waterfall walk on Ullswater's shore, the spot said to have inspired Wordsworth's daffodils.
- 7.2 km
- Easy
Buttermere Lake Circuit
A level, four and a half mile path around Buttermere's shore, through a short rock tunnel, with no climbing.
- 7 km
- Easy
Catbells from Hawse End
A short, popular ridge walk above Derwentwater, reached from Keswick by launch or lakeshore path, with light scrambling near the top.
- 5.6 km
- Moderate
Harter Fell from Hardknott Pass
A short but steep climb from the top of Hardknott Pass to a rock-towered summit above Eskdale and the Duddon Valley.
- 4.7 km
- 267 m up
- Moderate
Haystacks from Buttermere
A rocky circuit over Scarth Gap to the fell Alfred Wainwright named his favourite, and where his ashes were scattered.
- 13.7 km
- 671 m up
- Hard
Helvellyn via Striding Edge
A narrow, exposed ridge scramble to England's third-highest summit, the best-known serious ridge walk in the Lakes.
- 14.1 km
- 900 m up
- 4.3 hr
- Severe
Views without the walk
Castlerigg Stone Circle
A Neolithic stone circle on a hilltop plateau near Keswick, with a 360-degree view of surrounding fells reached in a couple of minutes on foot.
- Drive to it
- Step-free
- 2 min from the car
- View all round
Hardknott Roman Fort
A ruined Roman fort on a spur above Eskdale, free to visit, with parking beside the site and panoramic valley views.
- Drive to it
- View all round
Stock Ghyll Force
A wooded waterfall dropping around 21 metres in two stages, a short, stepped walk from Ambleside's main street.
- 15 min from the car
Tarn Hows
A National Trust tarn with an accessible path from the car park and views to the Coniston fells and Langdale Pikes.
- Drive to it
- Step-free
- 5 min from the car
- View all round
Adventure
Coniston Water Watersports
Kayak, canoe and rowing boat hire on Coniston Water from a National Park-run centre a few minutes from the village.
- watersports
- Coniston Boating Centre
- from £30
Honister Slate Mine Via Ferrata
A fixed-cable route up a working slate mine's quarry face at the top of Honister Pass, run by the mine.
- via ferrata
- Honister Slate Mine
- from £55
Whinlatter Forest Bike Park
Forestry England mountain bike trails northwest of Keswick, graded blue and red, free to ride with paid parking only.
- bike park
- Forestry England