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Village in the Lake District · getting there, parking and the fells nearby.

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Grasmere

Walks from the village: a tarn, a steep little fell, a long ridge round and the lake. Where each one starts, what it involves and how to get back.

Ready for your day: the walks from Grasmere, the tops above it, and the bus to the start.

Grasmere village and lake ringed by fells
© Lee McCoy

Daylight on 27 October: sunrise 07:03, sunset 16:48

The tops Marginal on 3 of the 6 fells nearest Grasmere, the best of them verdicts for 27 October

Choose from all 24 walksExplore the map

A walk can have more than one way to its start. Verdicts: the site’s scorer reading the weather on each top, not whether a walk suits you. Daylight: worked out for the centre of Grasmere; a latest start assumes a steady pace and an hour in hand before dusk, a computed time, not a guarantee. How we check →

First light

The sun reaches the Grasmere Village start about 09:04 in October · sunrise 07:41

From the terrain around the start (Copernicus GLO-30), mid-month · how we work it out

The last bus

From Grasmere, opposite Heaton Cooper Studio:

Towards Kendal (555): Tuesday to Saturday 23:02; Sunday 20:02 to Windermere, 19:32 to Kendal.

Towards Bowness on Windermere (599): Tuesday to Sunday 19:15 to Bowness on Windermere, 17:25 to Bowness on Windermere Braithwaite Fold Car Park.

As timetabled from 27 October to 1 November · checked against the operator’s timetable, 24 September · the bus map

A day from Grasmere

On the fells

Verdicts for 27 October, lowest fell first:

The fells nearest Grasmere · all 214 ranked · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Mountain forecast

Met Office mountain forecast for the Lake District

The forecasters’ own words for the tops.

Explore Grasmere

The walks from Grasmere on one map, with the fells above them, the buses that reach their starts, and where to park. Choose a walk to see how you reach its start; everything on the map is in the lists below it.

An overview, not a navigation map: carry a map and compass on the fell. Lines are simplified from our GPX; distances to a stop or landing are on foot, the others in a straight line. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, SRTM; map style © OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA).

The walks on the map

24 walks that start within 5 km of Grasmere, as Walks from Grasmere lists them, the ones you reach on foot first, then by bus, then by car; shortest first within each:

  1. Alcock Tarn from Grasmere

    4.48 km · ~320 m up · ~1¼–2 h

    Easy effort Severe: steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 36%.

    Starts at Grasmere Village

    • On foot from the village a loop that starts and ends in Grasmere
    • By car park at Broadgate Meadow car park, Grasmere (paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  2. Silver How from Grasmere

    5.06 km · ~311 m up · ~1½–2¼ h

    Easy effort Hard: steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 28%.

    Starts at Grasmere Village

    • On foot from the village a loop that starts and ends in Grasmere
    • By car park at Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  3. Grasmere lake circuit

    5.67 km · ~95 m up · ~1¼–1¾ h

    Easy effort Moderate: navigation

    Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.

    Starts at Grasmere village

    • On foot from the village a loop that starts and ends in Grasmere
    • By car park at Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  4. Stone Arthur from Grasmere

    6.82 km · ~528 m up · ~2¼–3 h

    Moderate effort Hard: steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 27%.

    Starts at Grasmere Village · Out and back

    • On foot from the village a loop that starts and ends in Grasmere
    • By car park at Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  5. Grasmere to Easdale Tarn

    9.52 km · ~237 m up · ~2¼–3¼ h

    Moderate effort Moderate: distance, steepness, terrain and navigation

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained climb, about 18%. Terrain and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground.

    Starts at Grasmere Village · Out and back

    • On foot from the village a loop that starts and ends in Grasmere
    • By car park at Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  6. Castle How & Lang How - Birketts

    10.91 km · ~490 m up · ~3–4 h

    Moderate effort Hard: steepness and navigation

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 26%. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.

    Starts at Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid)

    • On foot from the village a loop that starts and ends in Grasmere
    • By car park at Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  7. West of Grasmere

    15.44 km · ~863 m up · ~4½–6¼ h

    Hard effort Hard: distance

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance.

    Starts at Grasmere Village

    • On foot from the village a loop that starts and ends in Grasmere
    • By car park at Red Bank Road, Grasmere (W&F, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  8. Helm Crag & Far Easedale

    15.93 km · ~870 m up · ~4½–6¼ h

    Hard effort Hard: distance and steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained descent, about 27%.

    Starts at Grasmere Village

    • On foot from the village a loop that starts and ends in Grasmere
    • By car park at Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  9. Helm Crag, Gibson Knott, Calf Crag, Steel Fell and Tarn Crag

    20.82 km · ~950 m up · ~5¾–7¾ h

    Hard effort Severe: distance

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance.

    Starts at Grasmere Village

    • On foot from the village a loop that starts and ends in Grasmere
    • By car park at Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  10. The Royal Oak Pub Walk (Ambleside)

    5.94 km · ~68 m up · ~1¼–1¾ h

    Easy effort Easy: distance, steepness, terrain, navigation and exposure

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained climb, about 5%. Exposure and navigation: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet. Terrain: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.

    Starts at Ambleside

    • By bus 555 at the start
    • By car park at Ambleside, Rydal Road (paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  11. Ambleside to Rydal, with Refreshments and Stepping Stones

    6.21 km · ~78 m up · ~1¼–2 h

    Easy effort Easy: distance, steepness, terrain and navigation

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained descent, about 5%. Terrain and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground, on the stretches he walked.

    Starts at Ambleside · Out and back

    • By bus 555 at the start
    • By car park at Ambleside, Market Place (4 on-street bays)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  12. Rydal Water & Rydal Caves

    6.46 km · ~216 m up · ~1½–2¼ h

    Easy effort Moderate: steepness and navigation

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 16%. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.

    Starts at Pelter Bridge

    • By bus 555, 2.3 km walk from Rydal, at White Moss Common
    • By car park at Pelter Bridge, Rydal (paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  13. Cofa Pike Via Seat Sandal and Dollywaggon

    9.3 km · ~1195 m up · ~3¾–5¼ h

    Moderate effort Severe: steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 46%.

    Starts at Dunmail Raise

    • By bus 555, 1.7 km walk from Thirlmere, at Armboth turn
    • By car park at Roadside parking for Steel Fell (free)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  14. Ambleside, Todd Crag, Rydal Cave

    10.38 km · ~394 m up · ~2½–3¾ h

    Moderate effort Hard: steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 28%.

    Starts at Ambleside

    • By bus 555 at the start
    • By car park at Ambleside, Market Place (4 on-street bays)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  15. Loughrigg Terrace & Rydal Water

    10.71 km · ~288 m up · ~2½–3½ h

    Moderate effort Moderate: distance and navigation

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.

    Starts at Ambleside, Rydal Road car park

    • By bus 555, 1.6 km walk from Ambleside, at Scandale Bridge
    • By car park at Ambleside, Rydal Road (paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  16. Fairfield Horseshoe

    16.92 km · ~1009 m up · ~5–6¾ h

    Hard effort Hard: distance, steepness, navigation and exposure

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained climb, about 30%. Exposure: graded by Lee on the ground. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.

    Starts at Rydal (or Ambleside)

    • By bus 555, 2.3 km walk from Rydal, at White Moss Common
    • By car park at Pelter Bridge, Rydal (paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  17. Stickle Tarn from New Dungeon Ghyll

    3.75 km · ~397 m up · ~1¼–2 h

    Easy effort Severe: steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 37%.

    Starts at Great Langdale (New Dungeon Ghyll)

    • By bus, not from Grasmere 516 at the start
    • By car park at Stickle Ghyll (NT, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  18. Elterwater riverside loop

    4.25 km · ~91 m up · ~1–1½ h

    Easy effort Moderate: terrain

    Terrain: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet.

    Starts at Elterwater Village

    • By bus, not from Grasmere 516 at the start
    • By car park at Elterwater (NT, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  19. Elterwater & Skelwith Force

    7.6 km · ~164 m up · ~1¾–2½ h

    Easy effort Moderate: navigation

    Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.

    Starts at Elterwater village (NT car park)

    • By bus, not from Grasmere 516 at the start
    • By car park at Elterwater (NT, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  20. Loughrigg Tarn & Loughrigg Fell

    9.75 km · ~382 m up · ~2½–3½ h

    Moderate effort Severe: steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 35%.

    • By bus, not from Grasmere 516 at the start
    • By car park at Elterwater (NT, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  21. Lingmoor Fell from Elterwater

    11.51 km · ~489 m up · ~3–4¼ h

    Moderate effort Moderate: distance, steepness, terrain, navigation and exposure

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained climb, about 24%. Exposure, terrain and navigation: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet.

    Starts at Elterwater Village

    • By bus, not from Grasmere 516 at the start
    • By car park at Elterwater (NT, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  22. Langdale Pikes Round

    12.12 km · ~884 m up · ~3¾–5¼ h

    Moderate effort Severe: steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 39%.

    Starts at Great Langdale (New Dungeon Ghyll)

    • By bus, not from Grasmere 516 at the start
    • By car park at New Dungeon Ghyll (LDNPA, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  23. Langdale Horseshoe

    20.9 km · ~1770 m up · ~7–9½ h

    Severe effort Severe: distance and steepness

    Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained descent, about 40%.

    Starts at Great Langdale (New/Old Dungeon Ghyll)

    • By bus, not from Grasmere 516 at the start
    • By car park at Stickle Ghyll (NT, paid)

    The route, its map and GPX →

  24. Slater Bridge & Cathedral Cave

    2.2 km · ~92 m up · ~½–1 h

    Easy effort Moderate: navigation

    Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.

    Starts at Three Shires Inn, Little Langdale

    • By bus, not from Grasmere 516, 2.2 km walk from Elterwater, opposite The Britannia Inn

    The route, its map and GPX →

The fells on the map

Verdicts for 27 October, lowest fell first:

Buses and stops

The buses that call in Grasmere:

Their stops on this map:

Where the buses stop, not when: the stop and route pages have the timetables.

Car parks and toilets

Toilets near those car parks:

  • Grasmere (accessible, RADAR key), about 396 m from Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid) in a straight line
  • Stock Lane carpark (accessible), about 39 m from Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid) in a straight line

Grasmere at a glance

Grasmere is a small grey-stone village in its own green valley, beside a little lake and ringed by fells, and the walking starts from the village itself: Easedale Tarn, Helm Crag and Silver How on one side, Stone Arthur and the Fairfield skyline on the other, and the lake circuit for a lower day. It is also William Wordsworth's village and the home of Grasmere Gingerbread, made here since 1854; both are further down this page.

It can feel busy in the heart of summer — it's a honeypot, and an honest guide should say so — but it is easy to step out of the crowds and onto a fell or round the lake within minutes, and it works as a day out or as a quieter base than the bigger towns for a weekend or a week.

Quick facts

WhereCentral Lake District, Cumbria — in its own valley off the A591, between Ambleside and Keswick
What it isA single village (with a small lake of the same name folded in as a walk)
Famous forGrasmere Gingerbread and William Wordsworth (Dove Cottage, his grave)
DogsVery dog-friendly — many cafes and pubs, the lake shore and the fells
WeatherMild but genuinely wet — one of the rainier corners of the Lakes

Walks & fells from Grasmere

Three walks from the village, each with its own figures and its catch; the rest are in the table further down, and every fell named here links to its own page with a map, parking and a live conditions verdict.

  • Grasmere to Easdale TarnWalked June 2024

    9.52 km · 237 m of climbing · ~2¼–3¼ h

    A valley walk from Grasmere village up Easdale to its tarn, ringed by crags: 9.5 km and 237 m, with no summits. The path climbs beside Sourmilk Gill, and the becks rise fast in spate, so take care at the crossings. The ground round the tarn is boggy and rougher; elsewhere it is good paths and lanes, muddy in places. If you bring a dog, keep it close near sheep.

  • Stone Arthur from GrasmereWalked July 2023

    6.82 km · 528 m of climbing · ~2¼–3 h

    The steep little top above Grasmere, out and back in 6.8 km with 528 m of climbing. Easy for length, navigation and exposure — it is the gradient that makes it, rated hard. About 2¼–3 hours.

  • Helm Crag & Far EasedaleWalked January 2025

    15.93 km · 870 m of climbing · ~4½–6¼ h

    From Grasmere along the ridge above Far Easedale — Helm Crag's rocky top first, then Gibson Knott and Calf Crag — and round the head of Greenburn to Steel Fell. A long day at 15.9 km, and the head of Easedale can be vague in cloud.

  • The lake circuit. Our mapped lake circuit Planned is a low-level loop from the village: past Dove Cottage and White Moss, back along the west side of the lake, and the last kilometre on Red Bank Road into the village, facing oncoming traffic. Its distance, climb and time are in the routes table below; it is a line from the map, not yet walked. Many people take a variant that climbs to Loughrigg Terrace for the view back over the lake to the village; that is a different line from ours, and we have not measured it.
  • Easedale Tarn. The Grasmere valley walk — up beside Sour Milk Gill to a mountain tarn cradled by crags; out and back, or continued higher for a bigger day.
  • Helm Crag. The "Lion and the Lamb", whose rocky summit is the view that says Grasmere. A short climb; continue over Gibson Knott and Calf Crag (and on to Steel Fell) for the Greenburn round.
  • Silver How. A short fell with a view over the village and both lakes.
  • Loughrigg Fell. Reached over the terrace; a popular little fell between Grasmere and Ambleside.
  • Tarn Crag. The rocky little top above Easedale Tarn, a natural extension of that walk.
  • The skyline — Stone Arthur → Great Rigg → Fairfield. The horseshoe of fells above the village; add Seat Sandal, or Blea Rigg and Sergeant Man for longer days on the Easedale side. The Fairfield Horseshoe Walked April 2023 is within reach via Rydal — taking in Nab Scar, Heron Pike and the ridge — and we have the full route with GPX.

Before you choose, check today's conditions — the site scores every Wainwright on the current mountain forecast — and treat any forecast as guidance, checking the official mountain forecast before you set off.

The walks from Grasmere are in Explore Grasmere above, on one map and in a list you can filter by how you reach the start.

Places nearby: Grasmere (the lake) · Sour Milk Gill (Easedale) · Rydal Water · Rydal Hall Waterfalls

Getting there & parking

Without a car: The nearest stations as the crow flies are Windermere (12 km away) and Staveley (16 km away); the 555, 559, 599 and X8 stop at opposite Heaton Cooper Studio, 0.0 km from here in a straight line. The bus map has every stop we hold.

By car. Grasmere sits just off the A591, the main central-Lakes road, about 30–40 minutes from the M6 at Junction 36 (via Kendal, Windermere and Ambleside).

By bus. The key service is the Stagecoach 555 (the Lakeslink spine — Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere and on to Keswick), with the seasonal 599 open-top from Bowness and Windermere via Ambleside. Rural timetables are seasonal, so confirm times with Stagecoach or Traveline before relying on a last bus.

By train. There is no station in Grasmere. The nearest is Windermere, at the end of the Lakes Line branch from Oxenholme, then the 555 bus.

Parking. There is no easy free parking in Grasmere.

Editor's note: On a sunny day you can hardly move here. Whether that's finding a parking space, a seat on a bus or into the gingerbread shop. But if you're here for the hills and mountains you won't care too much. If you do need free parking then sometimes you can find a space on the long layby just after the small round-a-bout which you can find after the Daffodil Hotel & Spa if you're heading north from Ambelside.

Parking, toilets and buses: Parking near Grasmere

Parking near Grasmere

Grasmere Hall car park (paid) — 0.2 km from Grasmere (straight line)
About 0.5 km (straight line) to the Grasmere Village start (West of Grasmere, Stone Arthur, Helm Crag). Paid parking (OSM-tagged).
Directions
Pay & display Grasmere Hall
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Broadgate Meadow car park, Grasmere — 0.2 km from Grasmere (straight line)
About 0.5 km (straight line) to the Grasmere Village start (West of Grasmere, Stone Arthur, Helm Crag). Broadgate Meadow Car Park. Fees: pay and display; coins and cards; RingGo ID 37313 (LDNPA, checked August 2026).
Directions
Pay & display
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Red Bank Road, Grasmere (W&F, paid) — 0.3 km from Grasmere (straight line)
Walking base for Tarn Crag (Easedale), Codale Head, Sergeant Man and Blea Rigg — the 'West of Grasmere' route starts 6 m away. Also serves 'Helm Crag & Far Easedale'. Fees: pay and display. Charges apply 08:00-20:00, 7 days a week incl. bank holidays. The council's own page is contradictory about access outside those hours - it says both open all day and open from 8am to 8pm - so do not count on getting in before 08:00 (W&F council, checked August 2026). Motorcycles free. Blue Badge: +1h free. CASHLESS - card (Visa/MasterCard/contactless) or PayByPhone 9919 only. 3/7-day passes and permits accepted (W&F council, checked August 2026).
Directions
Pay & display Westmorland & Furness Council about 77 spaces
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Thirteen Valleys, Grasmere (LDNPA, paid) — 0.3 km from Grasmere (straight line)
Walking base for Tarn Crag (Easedale), Codale Head, Sergeant Man and Blea Rigg — the 'West of Grasmere' route starts 45 m away. Also serves 'Helm Crag & Far Easedale'. Fees: pay and display; coins and cards; RingGo ID 37338 (LDNPA, checked August 2026).
Directions
Pay & display Lake District National Park Authority
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Stock Lane Car & Coach Park (LDNPA, paid) — 0.4 km from Grasmere (straight line)
Walking base for Lang How, Swinescar Pike, Castle How (Raw Pike) and Stone Arthur — the 'Castle How & Lang How - Birketts' route starts 11 m away. Also serves 'Stone Arthur from Grasmere'. For Helm Crag, Silver How, the Easedale fells and the Far Easedale round. Signed as Stock Lane Car & Coach Park at the entrance. Pay and display (OSM-tagged).
🕑 Typically full before 10:00 on fine weekends, Apr-Oct — Lee McCoy, local observation, 9 August 2026.
Directions
Pay & display Lake District National Park Authority
If it is full: Red Bank Road, Grasmere (W&F, paid) (0.5 km); Grasmere, roadside layby (free) (0.5 km); Broadgate Meadow car park, Grasmere (0.7 km)
🚺 Stock Lane carpark (~39 m straight line) — Accessible
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Silver How (layby) — 0.0 km from Grasmere (straight line)
Walking base for Tarn Crag (Easedale), Codale Head, Sergeant Man and Blea Rigg — the 'West of Grasmere' route starts 290 m away. Also serves 'Stone Arthur from Grasmere'. Fee not verified — check signage on arrival.
Directions
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All the car parks around Grasmere on the parking map →

Straight-line distances from the centre of Grasmere. We publish whether a car park charges, and who runs it, but never the price — tariffs change and a stale one is worse than none, so check the sign or the operator’s own site on the day.

Vehicles are left entirely at their owner’s risk. We list places people park; we cannot vouch for any of them. Judge it on the day: take valuables with you, leave nothing on show, and if a spot feels wrong when you get there, park somewhere else.

Can you stay overnight?

  • Red Bank Road, Grasmere (W&F, paid) — run by Westmorland and Furness Council, whose public spaces order rules out an overnight stay on its land without its prior written consent. “No person shall position any vehicle, campervan, motorhome, caravan, tent or any other temporary structure designed or intended to provide shelter or accommodation for the purpose of an overnight stay or stays, within the areas listed in Schedule 2A and Schedule 2B, unless prior written consent has been obtained from the Council or National Trust.” (checked 2026-10-09)
  • Thirteen Valleys, Grasmere (LDNPA, paid) — run by Lake District National Park Authority, which does not permit overnight parking. “The only legal places to park are on formal camp sites.” (checked 2026-08-05)

These are the land managers’ and the council’s own published rules, quoted. Where a car park is not listed here we have found no published rule for it, which is not the same as permission.

Getting there across the Lake District: Buses · Parking map · By train · By boat

Weather & when to visit

Be honest with yourself about the weather: Grasmere sits in one of the wetter parts of the Lake District, so pack proper waterproofs whatever the forecast — the wettest months are in winter, and late spring and early summer tend to be the driest. Daffodil season (April) is especially apt here, given Wordsworth. July and August are warmest but busiest; autumn is quieter with good colour in the valley woods.

For a fell day, use our live conditions page; as ever, treat any forecast as guidance and check the official mountain forecast before you set off.

Food & drink

  • Forest Side — a restaurant known for its foraging-led Cumbrian cooking. Book well ahead.
  • Cafes & tea rooms — a good spread for breakfast, lunch and a post-walk cake.
  • Pubs & bars — historic inns and bars in and around the village (including those attached to the hotels), most dog-friendly.
  • Stocking up — the village store covers the basics; for a bigger shop, Ambleside (and Booths over in Windermere) is the nearest option.

Practical info

  • Dogs — very dog-friendly: many cafes and pubs welcome them, and the lake shore and fells are right there. Keep dogs under control around livestock and ground-nesting birds.
  • Toilets — public toilets in the village near the main car parks.
  • Money — card payment is the norm; carry a little cash for the smaller shops and the gingerbread queue.
  • Pharmacy & medical — limited in the village itself; the nearest fuller provision is in Ambleside, with hospitals at Kendal (Westmorland General) and Lancaster.
  • EV charging — at some village car parks.
  • Accessibility — the village centre, the church and parts of the lake shore are fairly level and accessible; the fells, naturally, are not.
  • Cost — it's a popular honeypot, and accommodation, eating out and parking are priced accordingly, especially in peak season; the walks, the church, the lake and the views are free.

Wordsworth & literary Grasmere

Grasmere is the centre of the Wordsworth story, and the key places are within a short walk of each other.

  • Dove Cottage & Wordsworth Grasmere. William and Dorothy Wordsworth moved into Dove Cottage in 1799, and he wrote much of his best-known poetry here. The cottage is open to visitors, with the Wordsworth Grasmere museum next door.
  • St Oswald's Church & Wordsworth's grave. He lies in the churchyard of St Oswald's with his wife Mary, sister Dorothy and other family; Hartley Coleridge is buried in the same churchyard.
  • Allan Bank. Wordsworth's later Grasmere home, on the hillside above the village, now National Trust.
  • Rydal Mount. His final and longest home, a couple of miles away at Rydal (see Day trips).

Grasmere Gingerbread

Sarah Nelson's Grasmere Gingerbread — a cross between a biscuit and a cake, spicy and chewy, made to a secret recipe created by Sarah Nelson in 1854 — is sold from the tiny shop in the former village school (Church Cottage) by the lychgate of St Oswald's Church, and by mail order online. The queue out of the little shop on a busy day is part of village life. It keeps well, which is why it travels and posts as a gift. ("Grasmere Farm" is a separate Lincolnshire pork and sausage producer, nothing to do with the gingerbread.)

Things to do & attractions

Much of it is indoor or under cover, which helps on a wet day.

  • The lake & Faeryland. A short stroll from the centre; at the lakeside, Faeryland is a quirky tea garden with rowing boats to hire.
  • Heaton Cooper Studio. The gallery of the Heaton Cooper family of Lakeland landscape artists, in the centre of the village.
  • Sam Read Bookseller. An independent bookshop in the centre.
  • The Wishing Gate. A gate on the old road south of the village with a view over the vale, named in a Wordsworth poem.
  • On a rainy day — the Wordsworth Grasmere museum, the Heaton Cooper Studio, Allan Bank, Sam Read and the gingerbread shop all work in the rain, with the tea rooms and pubs to retreat to.

Events & festivals

Two traditional events stand out, both with deep roots — dates move each year, so check official listings:

  • Grasmere Rushbearing — a centuries-old ceremony in which rushes are carried through the village to St Oswald's Church, usually held in late July or early August (around St Oswald's Day).
  • Grasmere Sports & Show — a traditional Lakeland sports meeting, with Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling, the fell guides' race and hound trailing, usually in late August.

Day trips & nearby

  • Rydal — the small village just south of Grasmere, with Rydal Mount (Wordsworth's final home), Dora's Field and Rydal Water, reached on foot or by the 555.
  • Ambleside — the bigger neighbour town at the head of Windermere, four miles south (guide). Grasmere or Ambleside as a base? Grasmere is smaller and quieter; Ambleside has more shops, restaurants and beds and is nearer the railhead at Windermere. Many people stay in one and visit the other.
  • Elterwater & the Langdales — the Langdale valleys and the hamlet of Elterwater, a short drive west.
  • Hawkshead & Hill Top — Beatrix Potter country, via Ambleside and the Windermere ferry.
  • Keswick — the northern walking town over Dunmail Raise, about 12 miles north (guide).
  • Thirlmere — the forested reservoir just north, with shore walks and the western flank of Helvellyn.

Stay near Grasmere

16 of the places below, mapped. Pins show where each one is, not how good it is — the cards say that. Distances in the cards are straight lines from the centre of Grasmere.

Beck Allans Self Catering Apartments guest house

about 0.1 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

A family with a dog must not book here - the site says so twice, in capitals and again in the facilities list.

Worth knowing: “WE REGRET NO PETS AND STRICTLY NO SMOKING IN THE APARTMENTS, OR GROUNDS.”

Staff fluent in Spanish, and the apartments sit in their own well-timbered grounds in the middle of the village

  • Parking “CAR PARKING One car space is reserved for each apartment.”
  • Children “CHILDREN of all ages are most welcome in our self-catering apartments Fairfield and Scafell, cot and high chair available on request free of charge.”

Dale Lodge Hotel (trading as Tweedies Bar & Lodge) hotel

about 0.2 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

Its own page says dogs are welcome without qualification.

They have put a sauna in the hotel grounds, run with an outfit called Sauna in the Lakes, and it is open to people who are not staying as well as to residents.

  • Dogs “Dogs are welcome too, an essential companion for exploring.”
  • Evening meal “Our seasonal menus can be savoured throughout the Bar & Lodge, providing a selection of culinary delights, sharing platters, and familiar home-cooked favourites.”

Lake View Country House guest house

about 0.4 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

Nine rooms and suites, five of them fully self-catering, and a private path from the garden to the Grasmere lake shore with fishing rights included. The family claim is softer than Glen Rothay's: sofa beds in many rooms, no cot, no child rate.

There is an active badger sett five metres from the house and they put food out most evenings; guests watch from the garden, and trail-camera footage plays on a panel in the guest lounge

  • Dogs “Both our accommodation at Lake View and our pub The Distiller's Arms are completely dog friendly, with no extra charge.”
  • Parking “Plenty of free parking right on your door-step at the guest house.”
  • Children “we have introduced solid oak sofa beds in many of the guest rooms. We hope this will allow families and groups of friends to more easily enjoy our fantastic location amidst the beautiful lakes and fells.”

Raise View guest house

about 0.5 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

It deals with the two Grasmere arrival problems in its own words: it states the car park's actual capacity - six cars - and says there is unrestricted on-road parking directly opposite, which is the fact that matters at 4pm in Grasmere in August. It also does packed lunches on request, so a family can leave for Easedale Tarn or Helm Crag without queuing in the village.

Four of the five rooms look at Helm Crag, and the rooms are named for what they see - Helm Crag, Easedale, Silver How, Rothay, Wordsworth

  • Packed lunch “Packed lunches available on request”
  • Parking “Car parking is at a premium in Grasmere and Raise View House has a small car park with sufficient space to park six cars.”

The Yan at Broadrayne hotel

about 1.7 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

Two of the seven rooms take dogs. Muddy boots are explicitly encouraged.

The place is a converted 17th-century sheep farm - seven bistro bedrooms in the 19th-century building plus cottages and apartments around the old farmyard

  • Dogs “Two of our bedrooms are also dog-friendly, ensuring that even your four-legged friends can enjoy a trip to The Lakes.”
  • Family rooms “Our ensuite bedrooms range in size from delightful superking rooms which can sleep up to 3, to spacious deluxe superking rooms that will sleep up to four.”
  • Children “Catering to the needs of individuals, couples and families.”

Elterwater Hostel hostel

about 3.1 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

A walking family arriving with a dog will be turned away - the bar is stated once, plainly, on the accommodation page. Without a dog it offers a single en-suite family room sleeping five, an excellent drying room, a full self-catering kitchen, a shop selling maps, and a bike wash.

Worth knowing: “We are sorry, we do not take dogs or other pets.”

An independent family business since 2014 in a building that has taken guests since 1939, with lockable cycle storage, e-bike charging and a bike wash

  • Drying room “Excellent drying room”
  • Family rooms “One en-suite family room, sleeping up to 5 people”
13 more places to stay near Grasmere

Long House and Yan Tan Tethera cottages

about 3.2 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

A family taking a dog on a Langdale week needs to see that line before it books.

Worth knowing: “Sorry but we do not allow pets.”

A 17th-century Lakeland cottage sleeping 6 in 3 en-suite bedrooms, in Great Langdale where the villages grew up around the old gunpowder works and slate quarry

  • Parking “The cottages have private off-road parking and WiFi Internet access.”

Stickle Tarn (Neaum Crag) self-catering

about 3.8 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

The lodge to pick if you are travelling with a toddler and a dog at once: enclosed decking so neither can wander, parking for two cars, and the free estate pool and games room a short walk down the hill. Note the laundry here is described as coin operated and the pool closes for the winter on 15 November.

It stands at the top of the estate and its decking is enclosed - the page sells that fence as the point, for toddlers and dogs alike.

  • Dogs “Pet friendly Secure Decking Area”
  • Family rooms “2 Bedrooms Sleeps 4 People 1 x King Bedroom 1 x Super King / Twin Bedroom”
  • Parking “Private Parking 2 cars”
  • Children “The lodge also has the benefit of private parking and a secured decking area, great for small children and pets.”

Kemp Tarn (Neaum Crag) self-catering

about 3.8 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

The largest of the Neaum Crag lodges - three bedrooms, two bathrooms, sleeps six - which makes it the one that takes a family of five or six without splitting them up, and it takes the dog too. The swimming pool and games room a short walk away are there for a rainy afternoon with children, and the coin laundry deals with three days of wet socks. Check pool hours before you count on it: 9am-1pm and 2:30-6:30pm, and closed from mid-November.

Guests get free use of the estate's indoor swimming pool, open 1 March to 15 November, with a games room, table tennis and a coin-operated sauna beside it.

  • Dogs “Pets Allowed”
  • Family rooms “2 Bathrooms Sleeps 6 People”
  • Parking “Private Parking”
  • Children “it is the perfect choice for families and groups looking to explore everything that the Lake District has to offer”

Watendlath Tarn (Neaum Crag) self-catering

about 3.8 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

Eleven Neaum Crag lodges share one estate page, and this one's own text says something the other ten do not: Watendlath is the only one of the eleven with EV charging in its facts, it states its sleeping plan as 2 adults + 2 children rather than 'sleeps 4', and it describes the bunk mattresses and the raisable top bunk - the detail a parent of a small child actually needs.

Its EV charger is untethered and billed by the kilowatt-hour against a £100 refundable deposit, so you bring your own cable and get the unused balance back at the end of the stay.

  • Dogs “Private Outdoor Deck Area Walks Nearby Café and Pub nearby Pets Allowed”
  • Family rooms “2 bedrooms Sleeps 2 adults 2 children 1 x Double Bedroom 1 x Twin Bunk Bedroom”
  • Parking “Watendlath Tarn holiday lodge also features private parking for 2 cars with private use of an EV charger in the parking bay”
  • Children “The twin bedroom includes bunk beds, which are standard mattress length and 2.5ft wide, (suitable for small children) with the option to raise the top bunk securely out of the way to allow for more head room on the bottom bunk, when the top bunk is not in use.”

Stickle Cottage

about 4.4 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

An eight-bed cottage in Elterwater with parking for three cars is exactly what a two-family walking group books - and the no-dogs rule appears three separate times (No pets, No Dogs in the features grid, No pets allowed in the summary). A group that brings one dog between them loses the whole booking, so the bar belongs in front of them, not in an exclusions list.

Worth knowing: “No pets allowed”

The listing gives its own mileages: Elterwater 0 miles, Chapel Stile 0.5, Ambleside 5, Grasmere 5

  • Parking “Private parking for up to three cars”

Great Langdale Bunkhouse

about 4.4 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

It answers the three questions a soaked party arriving after dark actually asks, and it answers them in writing. Check-in is by key code at any hour; the earliest is 4pm but they will try for earlier if asked; parking is quantified (2 cars, 4 if you co-operate) with the National Trust car park named as the overflow; and the dog policy is not just yes/no but a condition and a price.

Their own directions warn that the sat-nav postcode drops you in a field about 300 m short, so they tell you to look for the driveway signposted for the pub and go round the back of it.

  • Dogs “We love well behaved dogs and are very happy to accommodate them as long as they are never left alone in the room or allowed to run freely in the bunkhouse.”
  • Parking “There is sufficient parking for 2 cars (or 4 if you work together). If these spaces are taken there is a National Trust carpark next door.”

Nab Cottage B&B guest house

about 2.2 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

Hartley Coleridge died in this house in 1849 with Wordsworth at his side, Thomas de Quincey lived here from 1817 and his writing desk is still by the fire - and the old pig house is now a sauna.

  • Evening meal “Dinner: £20”
  • Children “Children by arrangement”

Glen Rothay Hotel hotel

about 3.0 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

There is a badger colony in the grounds and they are fed every evening in front of guests, free to watch - and the bar keeps four hand pumps, in a building that started life as David's Inn in 1624.

  • Dogs “Your dog can stay in the Bluebell, Otter, Woodland, Daffodil & Heron rooms. Cost £15 per night per dog, maximum 2 well behaved dogs.”
  • Family rooms “There are two extra beds in the room, making this a good family room as well.”
  • Evening meal “Good home-cooked food is served in the bar each evening, and we sell a fine selection of well-kept real ales as well.”
  • Parking “We have our own car park for all guests. One car per room.”
  • Children “Family rooms: Additional adults in a room are each £35 extra. Children under 18 are £20. Babies are free though there is a charge of £5 for a cot. Please bring your own baby bedding.”

Elterwater Park Country Guest House guest house

about 4.4 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

Worth knowing: “Well behaved dogs are welcome to stay in our self-catering barns (Low Barn, The Byre and The Grainstore). We do not accept dogs in our Bed and Breakfast.”

They will do breakfast at 6:30am for anyone with an early start, and the tea room is in the original cow byres of the bank barn with the tables set inside the old stalls.

  • Family rooms “The Byre can either be rented with one bedroom for 2 adults or rented with 2 bedrooms for a family of four.”
  • Children “Low Barn sleeps 2 adults, or 2 adults + 1 infant. The Grainstore sleeps 2 adults, or 2 adults + 1 infant. The Byre can either be rented with one bedroom for 2 adults or rented with 2 bedrooms for a family of four.”

Meadowbank guest house

about 4.5 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

They publish a what3words square for the entrance itself rather than the building - ///alpha.choice.packets - and give the bus stop by name for anyone arriving without a car.

  • Family rooms “Family Room : Spacious and versatile, giving families plenty of room to relax together and look out at the amazing view.”
  • Parking “Parking is available on site.”

Also nearby, but not independent

YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe hostel

about 0.3 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

Not independent, so it sits below the independents - but it is a well-equipped bed for a family with small children and wet kit: cot, high chair, baby changing, a shared drying room and laundry, breakfast from 07:30 and meals until 20:00, and under-10s eating for £1. The two things that would turn people away are stated in its own words and carried here: dogs are banned except on the campsite, and under-16s must be with an adult.

Worth knowing: “Dogs: Pets are not permitted at YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe, except in our Camping & Cabins accommodation. Assistance dogs are welcome - please notify us at the time of booking.”

A Victorian mansion in its own grounds off Easedale Road; under-10s eat for £1, and the hostel holds a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge (105538).

  • Drying room “Shared drying room Shared laundry room Shared lounge Shared TV Unlimited breakfast Water refill station WiFi”
  • Family rooms “What our private rooms offer Bed linen Central heating Cot available Heating Hot water Lock on doors Smoke alarm”
  • Evening meal “Breakfast is served to guests daily from 07:30 – 09:00. Meals are also available from 17:00 – 20:00.”
  • Packed lunch “With tasty breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals, groups are sure to find something delicious to eat at YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe (see sample menu ). Meal plans range from bed and breakfast up to full-board catering.”
  • Parking “The property has a small car park 200m from the hostel with limited free spaces for guests and patrons. This car park is controlled by an ANPR parking system.”
  • Children “Guests under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 years or over to stay at YHA.”

Rothay Garden hotel

about 0.4 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

Carried for one reason and it should be read that way: it states a dog charge - £30 per dog per night - and a walker arriving with a dog needs that number before booking.

It has a spa on site with hydrotherapy, a herbal pine sauna and heated infra-red loungers.

  • Dogs “Your furry friends will love Grasmere's expanse of fells and dales — that's why we're dog-friendly. We charge a fee of £30 per dog per night, with a doggy gift bag, bowls and a woofing good bed included.”

The Swan hotel

about 0.7 km from the centre of Grasmere, in a straight line

Not independent, and here only because of one sentence a family with a baby has to read before booking: it has proper family rooms with bunks, but it will not give you a travel cot. Beyond that it is a straightforwardly equipped roadside base near Dunmail Raise - free car park behind the inn, food all day, two dogs at £15 a night each.

A 1650 coaching inn that Wordsworth put into The Waggoner in 1806, reopened after a multi-million-pound refurbishment with 46 bedrooms.

  • Dogs “When you book direct, up to two of your four-legged friends can be added to your booking for £15 per night.”
  • Family rooms “Family Room with Bunks 4 Spacious family rooms with a double bed, an en-suite bathroom and bunk beds perfect for children.”
  • Evening meal “At The Swan Grasmere, guests can enjoy a menu full of pub classics prepared with freshly sourced ingredients. From hearty breakfasts and light bites to generous evening meals, our seasonal menu celebrates the best of the Lake District's flavours.”
  • Parking “We offer complimentary parking at The Swan car park to the rear of the inn for guests only. Space is limited on a first come, first served basis and we do not under any circumstances reserve or guarantee parking spaces.”
  • Children “Guests Adults Ages 13 or above Children Ages 12 or below For large bookings, please call us on 01915 803610”

Worth knowing before you book

These places state on their own site that they do not take children.

What each place says about itself, quoted from their own site. We have not stayed at any of them. We set no prices of our own and take no bookings or affiliate fees; any price shown is quoted from the property’s own site on the day we read it. Distances are straight lines from the centre of Grasmere, never walking times. Properties found via OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions about Grasmere

Can you walk around Grasmere lake, and how long does it take?
Yes. Our mapped lake circuit from the village is 5.67 km (about 3½ miles) with 95 m of climbing, and we estimate about 1¼ to 1¾ hours before stops. It is a line from the map, not yet walked, and its last kilometre follows Red Bank Road into the village, facing oncoming traffic. Many people take a variant that climbs to Loughrigg Terrace for the view back over the lake; that is a different line from ours, and we have not measured it.
What is the easiest walk or fell from Grasmere?
The lowest is the lake circuit: 95 m of climbing on our mapped line, which we have not walked yet. Easedale Tarn is longer, 9.5 km with 237 m of climbing and no summits, but the becks rise fast in spate and the ground round the tarn is boggy and rougher. For a first fell, Silver How and Helm Crag — the "Lion and the Lamb" — are the short climbs from the village.
Is Grasmere dog-friendly?
Very — many cafes and pubs welcome dogs, and the lake shore and fells are right on the doorstep. Keep dogs under close control around livestock and ground-nesting birds on the open fell.
Is there free parking in Grasmere?
Realistically, no — there's no easy free parking in Grasmere. The village car parks (Stock Lane, Broadgate and Red Bank Road) are pay-and-display, and roadside parking is very limited and restricted. Arrive early, or come by the 555 bus. Don't plan around finding a free space.
How do you get to Grasmere, and is there a train station?
There's no railway station in Grasmere. The nearest is Windermere, at the end of the Lakes Line branch from Oxenholme, then the Stagecoach 555 bus (Kendal–Windermere–Ambleside–Grasmere–Keswick), with the seasonal 599 from Bowness. By car, Grasmere is just off the A591, about 30–40 minutes from the M6 at Junction 36.

Sources: Community Rail Cumbria — Lakes Line

Events across the Lake District

Planning a trip around a show or festival? See our Lake District events & festivals guide for what's on near Grasmere — traditional Lakeland sports, agricultural shows and seasonal events, month by month.