Lake District Easter weekend tips

[Moirarosesgarden]

We are staying for Easter weekend in the northern lakes (near Ullswater/Derwentwater)

First time trip and I know it will be busy but we are early risers so hoping if we drive to any places we want to visit before 9ish we will get parking etc?!

Any tips for easy walks up that way? OH had knee issue so happy to stay on flat walks rather than hiking. Just the two of us and two dogs so no kids to keep entertained.

Top tip - download all the parking apps on your phone because IME it’s a different one in each car park. Also take change because in many of them you can’t use the app because there’s no mobile phone signal.

If you get out early you should be fine.

Nice flat walks round Rydal Water and Brothers Water - park in the Badger Bar car park for Rydal Water, Brothers Water has a car park but you would need to be early.

Very beautiful walk round Buttermere - flat - park at Gatesgarth or Buttermere / Buttermere NT car park, arrive v early.

I mean - they're popular for a reason - they're well served in terms of public transport and amenities and you can easily get by without a car. They're good for kids and for anyone with mobility issues and you're not going to struggle to find anything you need. There's also loads to do even in bad weather.

I agree that there are loads of quiet places as well but they're not as easy to get to and don't have as much going on, which can be difficult if you're driving on unfamiliar narrow roads or have kids etc. to worry about.

I love Ambleside as a base. Shops and restaurants when you need them, walks from the door and a good bus (and boat) service that means you can park the car when you arrive and never use it again until you leave. Whilst the town is very busy at peak times, you don't need to walk far before you barely see a soul.

The bus service is all well and good if you are staying close to the bus stop.

The bus down Borrowdale and over Honister Pass to Buttermere is wonderful if the service has started by Easter - I assume it has.

The bus service down Ullswater is much less frequent as far as I know.

Well its too late to say go somewhere else........but Use buses instead of your car. So much easier as parking will be horrific. They're open top too which is fun.

Orrest head is a good walk. It's also wheelchair friendly and has a stunning view from the top and the obligatory gruffalo sculptures on the way up.

@Talipesmumcame on to say that. My dad does it every week!

I love the Threlkeld quarry railway and museum too.

Bring a hat!

Haha, I was also going to recommend the Oddfellows arms! How strange.

Where are you staying OP? Pre-book your tables for food now but I think you’ll be fine parking before 9am almost everywhere.

Amazing tips everyone, thank you!

bus service starts on 1 April.

I live near Keswick and keep a boat on Ullswater so know the area fairly well. It will be very busy. Parking in Keswick has already been quite difficult over the last few weekends when the weather has been nice. I basically don't go into the town at weekends between Easter and the end of August unless I really have to, but if you get up early and plan ahead you be OK.
In terms of easy walks, I guess it depends whether you want flat easy or non demanding fells. Flat easy, as has already been mentioned, the Keswick to Threlkeld path is nice but it will be heaving. It's one of my favourite places before 9am on a weekday but at weekends, not so much. Most of the lakes have easy paths at least part of the way round including Derwentwater, Buttermere and Crummock. Or have a look at the Ullswater Way. It's quite a long route but you don't have to do it all and you could combine with a trip on the Ullswater "Steamers". There's a variety of well signed paths of varying length and difficulty starting from the Whinlatter Visitor Centre and of course the classic easy fell from Keswick is Catbells. One of my personal favourites is Aira Force/Gowbarrow but it will be heaving if the weather is good and the NT carparks fill up quickly - definitely get there early. Or again you could park in Pooley Bridge and get the boat to Aira Force but parking gets busy there too, especially as the carpark outside the town has been closed down.
Definitely book ASAP if you want to eat out anywhere. There's loads of nice places to choose from but they'll all be busy. We like The White Horse at Scales. It's a nice traditional pub with a decent menu at reasonable prices. For something a bit different, afternoon tea on the train at Bassenthwaite Lake Station is lovely but they may well already be fully booked by now as it's very popular. If you're an animal lover, check out the alpacas and llamas at Basecamp North Lakes.
As long as you're organised and have reasonable expectations you can still have a lovely time in the Lakes at a Bank Holiday weekend - just don't expect peace and quiet or to have anywhere to yourself.

I agree with a PP in that I’ve not found it anywhere as near as bad as some people are making out around Ullswater. Windermere gets v busy but I find the North Lakes are less so. There’s a good flat walk around Rydal Water I think and one around Coniston if I remember from pushchair days. Agree a short walk and Ullswater steamer back is a good thing to do too

One around Coniston if I remember from pushchair days

You might mean Tarn Hows, not Coniston. The circular of Coniston is a very long way for a pushchair walk!