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The Lake District is honestly one of my favourite places in England.
I live in Manchester, so it’s one of my closest national parks — and I’ve been there countless times over the years.
It’s stunning year-round and there’s something for everyone — quaint villages, water activities, hiking, and a deep literary history.
A bit of context: the Lake District became a national park in 1951, and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2017. So you know it’s special.
In this article, I’m sharing my 12 favourite beautiful places in the Lakes — the ones you really must see at least once.
Quick tip before we dive in: you’ll generally need a car to do the Lake District properly, since most of the best spots aren’t well connected by public transport.
That said, buses do run between the main towns (Windermere, Ambleside, Keswick, Bowness etc.), and they’re actually really handy for skipping the parking hassle.
1. Windermere & Bowness-on-Windermere
Windermere is arguably the most famous town in the Lake District and one of the best places to start your trip.
A quick clarification that catches a lot of first-timers out: Windermere (the town) and Bowness-on-Windermere are two separate places.
Windermere town sits about a mile inland, while Bowness is the one right on the lake shore. Most of the boat trips, cruises and tourist action happen in Bowness.
The thing I’d recommend most here is hopping on a cruise on Lake Windermere — the largest natural lake in England.
The cruises run year-round, with different routes connecting Bowness, Ambleside and Lakeside. Some are short hop-on-hop-off trips, others are full circular tours. Either way, the views from the boat are unreal.
While you’re in Windermere town itself, hike up to Orrest Head — it’s a short and easy walk with fantastic views over the lake and the surrounding fells.
You can also walk all the way down from Windermere town to Bowness and the lake.
And once in Bowness, you can’t really visit without popping into The World of Beatrix Potter — a small attraction where you’ll discover all the tales of Peter Rabbit.
2. Grasmere
Grasmere is my favourite village in the entire Lake District.
It’s one of the most popular villages in the Lakes, put on the map by the English poet William Wordsworth, who lived here.
As soon as you arrive, you’ll understand why the Lake District has attracted so many poets and writers over the years. It’s stunningly beautiful and feels like a proper holiday.
The main stop in town is the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop — a Victorian recipe invented here by Sarah Nelson in 1854, and considered one of the best gingerbreads in the world.
You can buy it elsewhere, but this is the only place where it’s actually made.
The queue can get really long, so I’d recommend going early in the day.
After the shop, head to Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum to learn more about the poet’s life here.
Also worth visiting: St Oswald’s Church (where Wordsworth is buried), and Allan Bank — a National Trust property where Wordsworth also lived for a few years.
3. Hawkshead
Hawkshead is one of those quintessential Lake District villages — quaint stone houses, cobblestone streets, and barely any cars.
It’s located near Esthwaite Water, on the other side of Lake Windermere from Bowness.
While you’re there, walk up to the church for some lovely views over the village and surrounding countryside.
This area is heaven for Beatrix Potter fans. She lived just down the road in Near Sawrey, and her former farmhouse, Hill Top, is now a National Trust property you can visit (free for NT members).
If you’re into the outdoors, Graythwaite Adventures is about a 10 minutes drive and runs everything from kayaking to high ropes courses, great if you want to do something a bit different.
4. Ambleside
Ambleside is a small town at the very northern end of Lake Windermere.
It’s one of the cutest small towns in the Lakes and a perfect place to stop and explore.
On a nice and sunny day, you’ll really enjoy grabbing a drink in one of the local pubs, a lot of them have outdoor seating.
The main landmark here is the Bridge House, a tiny 17th-century building sitting directly over Stock Beck. It’s run by the National Trust.
If you’ve been to Conwy in Wales and loved the smallest house in Britain, you’ll get a real kick out of this one.
Ambleside is also a walker’s paradise.
Loads of trails start right from town, but my favourite is the walk up to Stock Ghyll Force — an easy walk that brings you to one of the best waterfalls in the Lake District.
5. The Kirkstone Pass
This one is for everyone but especially for people who don’t fancy a long hike but still want to take in some serious Lakeland views.
The Kirkstone Pass is a beautiful mountain road that connects Ambleside to Ullswater, climbing to around 1,500 feet at its summit. It’s one of the highest paved passes in England.
The views from the road are some of the best in the entire Lake District — and you don’t have to do anything more strenuous than drive (or be driven) to enjoy them.
Fair warning though: the road from Ambleside is famously steep and twisty so if you are not a confident driver you might want to skip this one.
At the top of the pass, you’ll find the Kirkstone Pass Inn — one of the highest pubs in England (around 1,500 ft above sea level).
6. Aira Force
Aira Force is one of my favourite waterfalls in the entire Lake District.
Located in the northern part of the park, near Ullswater, it’s managed by the National Trust — so you’ll find a proper car park near the falls, plus a National Trust visitor centre at the bottom that runs activities (great if you’re visiting with kids).
The walk to the viewing platform is a really nice one. Not too long, not too steep.
I’ve done it with toddlers and it was completely fine.
For a longer walk, you can also do the loop around Gowbarrow Park — very scenic, with views over Ullswater.
The waterfall itself drops 65 feet and is genuinely spectacular. You can climb the stone steps and walk along the river above the fall too.
7. Keswick
Keswick is the perfect starting point to explore Derwentwater.
The scenery here is breathtaking. Between the lake and the surrounding mountains, you can’t really go wrong.
It’s also one of the bigger towns in the Lakes (though “big” is relative — it’s still very walkable), which means there’s loads to do.
I always recommend heading down to the shore of Derwentwater first. The boats, the lake, the fells in the background — it’s all stunning.
You can hire a kayak or paddleboard from the lakeshore — one of my favourite things to do here on a sunny day.
Also worth checking out: the Derwent Pencil Museum, a quirky little stop that’s perfect for a rainy day or with kids.
And the Theatre by the Lake right on Derwentwater — brilliant programme of plays and music year-round, with one of the best theatre settings in the UK.
8. Scafell Pike
This is by far one of the most famous hikes in the UK.
Scafell Pike is a mountain peak located near Wastwater (one of England’s deepest lakes).
It has an elevation of 978 metres above sea level, which makes it the highest mountain in England.
It’s part of the National Three Peaks Challenge, alongside Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) in Wales and Ben Nevis in Scotland.
The full round-trip hike takes around 6 to 8 hours depending on your route and pace. It’s a challenging walk but absolutely worth it — the views from the summit are incredible.
If you’re going to do it, bring proper hiking boots, plenty of water and snacks, layers, and a fully charged phone. Weather in the fells can change very fast.
9. Buttermere
Buttermere is in the north-west of the Lake District and is the ideal spot for lakes, cute villages and valley views all in one place.
It’s home to some of the best views in Britain, and there are so many hiking opportunities here.
The classic thing to do is the walk around Buttermere lake — a relatively flat 4.5-mile loop and absolutely stunning all the way around.
You can also bring (or hire) a paddleboard or kayak and explore the lake from the water — or even go wild swimming if you’re feeling brave.
While you’re in the area, definitely check out Honister Slate Mine.
It’s actually England’s last working slate mine, and they run guided mine tours where you go deep underground and learn about the slate mining history.
They also do a proper line-up of adventure activities: two Via Ferrata routes that climb up Fleetwith Pike, Cliff Camping (sleeping in a tent strapped to the side of the mountain — yes, really), the Infinity Bridge, and “Climb the Mine”.
10. Castlerigg Stone Circle
If there’s something Britain is famous for, it’s its stone circles. From the world-famous Stonehenge to the numerous ones in Scotland, there are so many you can see in the UK — and the Lake District is no exception.
Located near Keswick, Castlerigg Stone Circle is one of the earliest stone circles in Britain, built around 3000 BC. The site is now managed by English Heritage.
I think it’s a really nice quick stop on the way to Keswick — it doesn’t take long to walk around.
You can easily get there by car. The only thing to bear in mind is that parking is very limited, so try to arrive early.
The views over the surrounding fells are fantastic.
11. Glencoyne
Located on the side of Ullswater, Glencoyne is a bit of a hidden gem but well worth the visit if you’re in the area.
It’s very close to Aira Force, so you can easily do both in one day.
There’s a small National Trust car park on the side of the road (free for members), and you can cross the road to a small beach — a great launching spot for paddleboards and kayaks.
There’s also a walking path that leads to a waterfall.
But here’s the thing that makes Glencoyne extra special: this is where William and his sister Dorothy Wordsworth saw the daffodils that inspired the most famous poem in English literature — “I wandered lonely as a cloud” — in April 1802.
If you visit in late March or April, you can still catch the daffodils blooming along the lakeshore. Properly magical.
12. Lowther Castle
This one is technically just on the eastern edge of the Lake District, near Penrith, but I couldn’t leave it off the list — it’s one of my favourite castles and gardens in the entire UK.
Lowther Castle is a ruined country house with a fascinating history.
The castle itself has an exhibition where you can learn about the family and the building’s history. It’s genuinely interesting, even if you’re not normally into that kind of thing.
There’s also a lovely little café in the courtyard at the entrance — perfect for a coffee and a slice of cake.
But honestly, the gardens are the absolute highlight.
They cover 130 acres and you can easily spend hours wandering. There are different “garden rooms” — formal gardens, wild gardens, woodland, plus the Great Yew Avenue.
If you walk further into the woods, towards the edge of the estate, you also get really beautiful views over the surrounding countryside.
It’s just such a nice, peaceful place to spend a day.
Map of these beautiful places in the Lake District
I hope this article has given you loads of ideas for places to visit in the Lakes. This is genuinely one of the most beautiful parts of Britain — I know you’ll love it.
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