Places in the Lake District
68 place guides, each with how to get there and park, the walks that start from it, the fells above it and, where we have stayed or eaten, what we thought. First visit? Start with how to plan a trip, which is the long read on where to base yourself; this page is the list.
- Towns and villages 16
- Valleys and passes 11
- Lakes 17
- Tarns 8
- Waterfalls 15
- Forests 1
Towns and villages 16
The bases: where to stay, park, eat and start from.
TownAmbleside
An honest, in-depth visitor guide to Ambleside in the Lake District — where to stay, what to do, the best walks and fells (including the Fairfield Horseshoe), parking, getting there, and Ambleside vs Windermere.
- Village
Bowness-on-Windermere
An honest, in-depth visitor guide to Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District — the lakeside resort village where the cruises leave from, the World of Beatrix Potter, where to stay and eat, the walk up Brant Fell, parking, and Bowness vs Windermere.
- Village
Braithwaite
An honest guide to Braithwaite, the quiet walkers' village just west of Keswick — how to say it, the Coledale Horseshoe and the Coledale Round on the doorstep, Barrow, Force Crag Mine, Whinlatter Forest and the Newlands valley, the pubs, and whether it's a good base.
VillageConiston
An honest, in-depth visitor guide to Coniston in the Lake District — the village under the Old Man, Coniston Water (Donald Campbell, Swallows and Amazons, the Gondola), Ruskin's Brantwood, the best walks and fells, the lake circuit, where to stay and parking.
VillageGlenridding
An honest, in-depth guide to Glenridding on Ullswater — parking and how to pay, the easiest way up Helvellyn, the Ullswater steamers and Aira Force, Glenridding Dodd, where to stay and eat, and getting there.
- Village
Grange-in-Borrowdale
An honest guide to Grange-in-Borrowdale, the tiny, postcard-pretty village in the heart of Borrowdale — the famous double packhorse bridge, Castle Crag (the lowest Wainwright), the Bowder Stone, swimming in the River Derwent, where to stay and how to get there by the 78 bus or the Derwentwater launch.
VillageGrasmere
An honest, in-depth visitor guide to Grasmere in the Lake District — the famous gingerbread, Wordsworth's Dove Cottage and grave, the lake circuit and Easedale Tarn, the best fells (Helm Crag), where to stay and eat, parking and getting there.
- Village
Hawkshead
An honest, in-depth visitor guide to Hawkshead in the Lake District — the pretty traffic-free village, Wordsworth's grammar school and the Beatrix Potter Gallery, the shops and ancient inns, the best walks (Latterbarrow, Tarn Hows), where to stay, and getting there from Windermere.
TownKeswick
An honest, in-depth visitor guide to Keswick in the Lake District — where to stay, what to do, the best walks and fells, parking, getting there, weather, and Keswick vs Windermere.
- Village
Patterdale
An honest, in-depth guide to Patterdale at the head of Ullswater — the YHA hostel question answered, Helvellyn and St Sunday Crag walks, the Coast to Coast, Brothers Water and Hartsop, where to stay and eat, and getting there by the 508 bus.
- Village
Pooley Bridge
An honest, in-depth guide to Pooley Bridge at the foot of Ullswater — the steamers and the Ullswater Way to Howtown, the big camping sites, the famous bridge washed away in 2015 and rebuilt in 2020, Dalemain, the Howtown and Martindale fells, where to stay and eat, and getting there.
- Village
Portinscale
An honest guide to Portinscale, the quiet village just over a mile west of Keswick on Derwentwater — Lingholm and the walled garden that inspired Mr McGregor's, the marinas and boat hire, the Catbells and Derwentwater-shore walks on the doorstep, and where to stay.
- Village
Rosthwaite
An honest guide to Rosthwaite, the central village of Borrowdale — the Royal Oak pub, the Flock-In farm tea-room, the easy riverside walk to Grange and the Bowder Stone, Castle Crag, Rosthwaite Fell, a Coast-to-Coast halt, and where to stay (incl. the closed Scafell Hotel).
- Village
Seatoller
An honest guide to Seatoller, the tiny National Trust hamlet at the foot of Honister Pass at the head of Borrowdale — the walkers' gateway to Great Gable, Glaramara and Scafell Pike, the historic Yew Tree pub (1628), the big NT car park, the buses, and where to stay.
- Village
Stonethwaite
An honest guide to Stonethwaite, the tiny, peaceful hamlet up its own quiet valley off Borrowdale — a Coast-to-Coast halt, the Langstrath walk, the Eagle Crag and Great Crag fells, Galleny Force (the "Fairy Glen"), the Langstrath Inn, and the latest on the campsite.
TownWindermere
An honest, in-depth visitor guide to Windermere in the Lake District — the difference between Windermere town, Bowness and the lake, where to stay, cruises and the ferry, the best walks (Orrest Head), parking, trains, and Windermere vs Bowness.
The walks: Ambleside (22) · Bowness-on-Windermere (3) · Braithwaite (14) · Coniston (8) · Glenridding (17) · Grange-in-Borrowdale (15) · Grasmere (20) · Hawkshead (6) · Keswick (17) · Patterdale (20) · Pooley Bridge (2) · Portinscale (18) · Rosthwaite (13) · Seatoller (12) · Stonethwaite (12) · Windermere (3)
Valleys and passes 11
The dales and the roads over them, with the walks that start in each.
ValleyBorrowdale
Borrowdale from Derwentwater to Honister — how to get there and park, what to see, where to stay, and the walks that start from its four villages.
- Valley
Duddon Valley
The Duddon Valley, or Dunnerdale, from Broughton to Cockley Beck — how to get there and park, Seathwaite and Ulpha, and the walks onto Harter Fell and Caw.
- Valley
Eskdale
Eskdale from Ravenglass to Hardknott Pass — the narrow-gauge railway, Boot, where to park and stay, and the walks onto Harter Fell and Scafell.
- Valley
Great Langdale
Great Langdale from Skelwith Bridge to the Dungeon Ghyll — how to get there and park, where to stay, what to see and the walks onto the Pikes and Bowfell.
- Pass
Hardknott Pass
Hardknott Pass between Eskdale and the Duddon valley — how steep it really is, whether it is open, parking at the top, the Roman fort and the fells above.
PassHonister Pass
Honister Pass between Borrowdale and Buttermere — how steep the road is, where to park at the top and what it costs, the bus over it, the slate mine, and the fells that start from the summit.
ValleyKentmere
Kentmere in the eastern Lake District — the Kentmere Horseshoe and its eight Wainwrights, the honest answer on parking at the church, the reservoir walk, and how to get there.
- Pass
Kirkstone Pass
Kirkstone Pass between Ambleside and Patterdale — how steep the A592 and The Struggle are, parking at the top, the 508 bus, the inn and the fells above.
- Valley
Little Langdale
Little Langdale in the Lake District — Slater Bridge, Cathedral Cave and the tarn, the honest answer on parking, the Three Shires Inn, and the walks onto Lingmoor Fell and Wetherlam.
- Valley
Wasdale
Wasdale in the far west — getting there and parking, the summer bus from Ravenglass, where to stay, and the walks onto Scafell Pike and Great Gable.
- Pass
Wrynose Pass
Wrynose Pass between Little Langdale and the Duddon valley — how steep it is, the Three Shire Stone, parking at the top and the fells from the summit.
The walks: Borrowdale (13) · Duddon Valley (3) · Eskdale (5) · Great Langdale (20) · Hardknott Pass (5) · Honister Pass (12) · Kentmere (5) · Kirkstone Pass (14) · Little Langdale (22) · Wasdale (6) · Wrynose Pass (9)
Lakes 17
The big waters, each with its shore walks and the fells above it.
LakeBassenthwaite Lake
Bassenthwaite Lake, the only Lake District water called a lake: ospreys, swimming and access, the Skiddaw and Sale Fell walks, parking.
LakeBrothers Water
An honest guide to Brothers Water, the small lake at the foot of Kirkstone Pass near Patterdale. The easy ~2.5–3 mile Hartsop circuit past 16th-century Hartsop Hall, the poignant "Broad Water"-to-Brothers name story (told honestly as legend), swimming, parking at Cow Bridge and the fells of Dovedale.
- Lake
Buttermere
Buttermere — the valley, the village and the 4.5-mile lake walk: how to get there and park, the Honister Rambler bus, where to stay, and the fells above.
- Lake
Coniston Water
An honest guide to Coniston Water — the third-largest of the lakes, below the Old Man of Coniston. Donald Campbell, Bluebird K7 and the 2026 run, the Swallows and Amazons connection (Peel Island), Ruskin's Brantwood, the Steam Yacht Gondola and the Launch, swimming and fishing, the Coniston fells, and the lake-vs-village difference.
- Lake
Crummock Water
An honest guide to Crummock Water — the quiet, beautiful National Trust lake in the Buttermere valley. Yes, you can swim (a popular wild swim from the boat-house beach), Scale Force (the highest waterfall in the Lake District), Mellbreak and the Grasmoor fells, Rannerdale's bluebells, rowing boats, the shore circuit, parking and where to stay.
LakeDerwentwater
An honest guide to Derwentwater beside Keswick — the Queen of the Lakes: Friar's Crag and Ruskin's view, the islands, the Keswick Launch, and the ~10-mile shore walk.
- Lake
Elter Water
An honest guide to Elter Water — the smallest of the lakes, set in Great Langdale with the classic Langdale Pikes reflection. The popular pram- and wheelchair-friendly Elterwater-to-Skelwith-Bridge riverside walk past Skelwith Force (a Skelwith circuit, not a true shoreline loop), parking, the Britannia Inn and where to stay.
- Lake
Ennerdale Water
An honest guide to Ennerdale Water — the most westerly and remotest of the lakes, the only one with no road alongside it. The Wild Ennerdale rewilding, Black Sail (England's most remote youth hostel) and the Coast to Coast, why you can't swim but can kayak, the shore circuit and the ring of high fells, and how to walk or cycle in from Bowness Knott.
- Lake
Esthwaite Water
An honest guide to Esthwaite Water near Hawkshead — a privately owned trout-and-pike fishery in Beatrix Potter country. No public swimming and no full shoreline path; what you can actually do — fishing, boat hire, wildlife — plus parking, the fells nearby and where to stay.
- Lake
Grasmere (the lake)
An honest guide to Grasmere lake (not the village) — the small Wordsworth lake with its single island, rowing boats at Faeryland, the gentle 1–1.5 hour circuit and the popular Grasmere-and-Rydal-Water loop. Plus the honest swimming caveat (blue-green algae), parking and how it differs from Grasmere village.
LakeHaweswater
An honest guide to Haweswater — the remote eastern-Lakes reservoir that drowned the village of Mardale Green. Why you can't swim in it, the lost village that re-emerges in droughts, the RSPB rewilding and England's last golden eagle, the Mardale Horseshoe and High Street fells, the dead-end road to Mardale Head, parking and where to stay.
LakeLake Windermere
Lake Windermere, England's largest natural lake: lake or mere, Bowness and the town, cruises and the 10-knot rule, shore walks, swimming.
- Lake
Loweswater
An honest guide to Loweswater — the quiet, uncrowded National Trust lake that famously drains inward toward Crummock Water. The flat ~4-mile circuit through Holme Wood, swimming, the Loweswater Gold and Kirkstile Inn story, the real surrounding Wainwrights, parking and where to stay.
- Lake
Rydal Water
An honest guide to Rydal Water — one of the smallest Lakeland lakes, in the heart of Wordsworth country. Rydal Mount, Dora's Field, the Instagram-famous Rydal Cave and the Coffin Route, the classic Rydal-and-Grasmere loop, swimming (very cold), parking at Pelter Bridge and White Moss, and the walk from Ambleside.
LakeThirlmere
Thirlmere, the reservoir between Keswick and Grasmere where swimming is banned, and the gentler way up Helvellyn without Striding Edge. Parking, buses and walks.The drowned hamlets of Wythburn and Armboth, the circular walk and West Road (now reopened), Raven Crag and Castle Rock, parking and where to stay.
LakeUllswater
Ullswater, often called the loveliest lake: the Steamers, the 20-mile Ullswater Way, the 10 mph limit, Aira Force, and a parking warning.
LakeWast Water
Wast Water, England's deepest lake at 79 m: the Screes, Britain's Favourite View, Wasdale Head, Scafell Pike and Great Gable, and the long drive in.
The walks: Bassenthwaite Lake (7) · Brothers Water (11) · Buttermere (12) · Coniston Water (7) · Crummock Water (16) · Derwentwater (17) · Elter Water (30) · Ennerdale Water (2) · Esthwaite Water (5) · Grasmere (the lake) (25) · Haweswater (8) · Lake Windermere (2) · Loweswater (9) · Rydal Water (21) · Thirlmere (11) · Ullswater (10) · Wast Water (7)
Tarns 8
The small waters on the fells and in the valleys.
- Tarn
Angle Tarn (Patterdale)
An honest guide to Angle Tarn above Patterdale — the walk in from Patterdale via Boredale Hause, wild swimming among the islets, parking, the best time to go, and the fells above (Angletarn Pikes & High Street).
- Tarn
Blea Tarn (Langdale)
An honest guide to Blea Tarn in Langdale — the small National Trust tarn with the most famous view of the Langdale Pikes, the easy circular walk, wild swimming, parking, the best time to go, and its Wordsworth connection.
- Tarn
Easedale Tarn
An honest guide to Easedale Tarn above Grasmere — the classic walk past Sourmilk Gill, the corrie tarn below Tarn Crag and Sergeant Man, wild swimming, the best time to go, parking and the Wordsworth connection.
- Tarn
Harrop Tarn
An honest guide to Harrop Tarn above Thirlmere — the reedy forest tarn reached by a short climb from Dob Gill, the woodland walk, the gateway to Ullscarf and parking.
- Tarn
High Dam
An honest guide to High Dam above Finsthwaite near Newby Bridge — the tranquil woodland tarn (a former bobbin-mill reservoir), the easy family walk, swimming and parking.
- Tarn
Loughrigg Tarn
An honest guide to Loughrigg Tarn near Grasmere — the small, reedy lowland tarn Wordsworth loved, with its Langdale Pikes view, the gentle walk, Loughrigg Fell above and parking.
- Tarn
Stickle Tarn
An honest guide to Stickle Tarn in Langdale — the steep walk up beside Stickle Ghyll, the dramatic cliff of Pavey Ark and Jack's Rake above, the old gunpowder-works dam, wild swimming, the best time to go and parking at the New Dungeon Ghyll.
- Tarn
Tarn Hows
An honest guide to Tarn Hows — the Lake District's most popular tarn, with its near-level accessible loop, the National Trust car park, the Coniston-fells reflection, autumn colour, red squirrels, and how it was landscaped from three small tarns.
The walks: Angle Tarn (Patterdale) (11) · Blea Tarn (Langdale) (13) · Easedale Tarn (18) · Harrop Tarn (6) · High Dam (1) · Loughrigg Tarn (24) · Stickle Tarn (8) · Tarn Hows (12)
Waterfalls 15
The falls, and the walks to them, best after rain.
WaterfallAira Force
An honest guide to Aira Force, the Lake District's most famous waterfall above Ullswater — the short walk from the National Trust car park, the ~65 ft fall and its stone bridges, red squirrels and specimen trees, whether you can swim, what it costs, and how to get there by bus or steamer.
- Waterfall
Colwith Force
An honest guide to Colwith Force, the two-tier woodland waterfall on the River Brathay between Skelwith Bridge and Little Langdale — the Cumbria Way walk in, parking reality, and how it pairs with Skelwith Force.
- Waterfall
Dungeon Ghyll Force
An honest guide to Dungeon Ghyll Force, the waterfall hidden in a deep ravine below the Langdale Pikes — not the hotels that share its name — with the short, rough walk in, the Wordsworth story, and a clear note on what you can and can't safely see.
WaterfallGalleny Force
An honest guide to Galleny Force near Stonethwaite in Borrowdale — the string of clear pools and small falls known locally as the Fairy Glen, the easy walk in, where to park, and honest wild-swimming safety. (Not the Fairy Glen in Wales.)
WaterfallLodore Falls
An honest guide to Lodore Falls at the head of Derwentwater — the wooded cascade made famous by Southey's poem, how to reach it from the Borrowdale road or Surprise View, where to park, and why it needs rain to be at its best.
- Waterfall
Moss Force
An honest guide to Moss Force, the three-tier waterfall beside the Newlands Hause road above Buttermere — magnificent in spate, modest when dry, minutes from the car, with a real warning about the scramble beside it.
- Waterfall
Ritson's Force
An honest guide to Ritson's Force, the small falls on Mosedale Beck behind the Wasdale Head Inn — the short walk in, the Will Ritson story, and why the setting outdoes the drop.
WaterfallRydal Hall Waterfalls
An honest guide to the Rydal Hall waterfalls near Ambleside — the Lower Falls seen from The Grot, one of Britain's oldest viewing houses, plus the Upper Falls, the café and gardens, parking, and the Wordsworth connection at Rydal.
WaterfallScale Force
An honest guide to Scale Force, often called the Lake District's highest waterfall at about 170 ft — the boggy walk in from Buttermere, where to park, whether you can swim, and the best time to catch it in full spate in its mossy ravine.
WaterfallSkelwith Force
An honest guide to Skelwith Force near Elterwater — a low but hugely powerful waterfall on the River Brathay, the easy near-level walk from Skelwith Bridge, where to park, whether you can swim, and the classic Elterwater–Colwith loop.
- Waterfall
Sour Milk Gill (Easedale)
An honest guide to Sour Milk Gill above Grasmere — the white ribbon of cascades below Easedale Tarn on the classic tarn walk — including which of Lakeland's three Sour Milk Gills this actually is.
WaterfallStanley Ghyll Force
An honest guide to Stanley Ghyll Force in Eskdale — one of the Lake District's most spectacular waterfalls, in a deep wooded gorge crossed by footbridges. The walk from Dalegarth and the little railway, where to park, and a serious safety note about the top viewpoint.
WaterfallStock Ghyll Force
An honest guide to Stock Ghyll Force, the ~70 ft waterfall just above Ambleside — the short woodland walk from the town, where to park, how long it takes, its mill-town history, dogs and pushchairs, and the best time to catch it in spate.
- Waterfall
Taylor Gill Force
An honest guide to Taylor Gill Force above Seathwaite in Borrowdale — often cited among the Lake District's tallest falls at ~140 ft, with a genuinely rough approach that this guide doesn't pretend is a stroll.
- Waterfall
Tom Gill waterfalls (Glen Mary)
An honest guide to the Tom Gill waterfalls — the cascades Ruskin renamed Glen Mary — on the classic woodland climb from the A593 up to Tarn Hows, with parking, the path's rough sections, and the family reality.
The walks: Aira Force (15) · Colwith Force (25) · Dungeon Ghyll Force (14) · Galleny Force (15) · Lodore Falls (14) · Moss Force (14) · Ritson's Force (5) · Rydal Hall Waterfalls (21) · Scale Force (16) · Skelwith Force (26) · Sour Milk Gill (Easedale) (18) · Stanley Ghyll Force (5) · Stock Ghyll Force (18) · Taylor Gill Force (12) · Tom Gill waterfalls (Glen Mary) (12)
Forests 1
The plantations with paths and car parks of their own.
The walks: Whinlatter Forest (9)
A place is listed here once its own page is published. Photographs are ours unless a card says otherwise; where a card carries no picture we have not photographed it yet.