Where would you visit in the Lake District?

[SendARavenToRiverRun]

Completely clueless about the Lakes aside from what I've googled. DH and I are looking for a cosy night away Easter time next year.
No kids
Travelling from South Yorks
Will have a wander but probably not a hike (sadly due to injury 😕).
Lovely scenery (which seems pretty much ubiquitous tbh).
Nice pub/ boat trip?
Maybe a few shops to poke around in.
Thanks in advance ☺️

Seriously don't bother with Bowness. It's a tourist trap, rather than a nice little Lake District town. It's where the coach trippers go.

So many ideas. Thank you all so much. Glad I asked!

I actually like Bowness - it's popular for a reason, and it's a nice hub to have boat trips on your doorstep.

It depends very much on when you're going, so yes it would be busy at Easter but if you're ever able to go outside school holidays I'd recommend it.

It'll be outside of school holidays. Not sure when Easter falls but I'm guessing we'd be going around mid April.

Windermere is ideal and can have a shortish drive to Ulverston which has some nice shops and bars

Masons Arms Strawberry Bank
Sadly not premier inn prices but fabulous ?

Have a look at the Lake District hotels website, some right on the water. Had to smile reading your post. I’m from South Yorks and been living up there for 10 years and just returned home. Keswick is very pretty. Penrith is a dump compared to what it was, sad decline of the high street and all that. If you’re travelling that far I guess you want to be in the scenery. The Daffodil Hotel is on Grasmere. Check the a66 before you travel and treat it with respect. Lots of accidents and deaths on there sometimes on a weekly basis. Most of all have fun

I would go Keswick or Grasmere. Beautiful scenery and great for a mooch. I love Penrith but wouldn’t stay there; it’s more of a proper working town and outside the Lakes. Don’t like Bowness—scenery not as nice and too busy. Same with Kendal—is nice but not the Lakes. If you book now you should be able to get a good deal

If you end up in Keswick the Keswickian fish and chip shop is the second best in the world! (Only beaten by Yorkshire Fisheries in Blackpool…)

I use os maps and lakes & trails pro for route ideas. Sometimes all trials. Also paper map

Ullswater is lovely, but not so great if you're a bit less mobile.

When you say "wander" rather than hike, does that mean that you can walk a couple of miles if it's flat and accessible? Because you can take the ferry across to walk along the far side of the shore and that's a lovely break from the swarms of Bowness.

Coniston could also be lovely if you can drive up to Tarn Hows (accessible circular walk) but also not far to Cartmel.

I adore Keswick, and Penrith is foodie heaven.

But my best Lakes trip was a road trip. I camped by Blencathra, then a night in Keswick (went to the twilight spa), before driving on down to Coniston via a day out in Windermere.

I thoroughly recommend this, as you get to see the best of the Lakes, the drives are stunning, and you don't have to go back and forth between the different places. Win win win.