Windermere

[bendmeoverbackwards]

I’m going to Windermere in May to see a play at the newly renamed Victoria Wood Theatre. Originally booked for 2 nights but might add a third as it’s the bank holiday weekend.

Is there enough to do for 3 nights? Coming by train so won’t have a car (unless we hire one). I don’t really fancy watersports but a boat trip would be nice.

Where are you staying? The theatre is in Bowness which is by the lake and about 1.5 miles from Windermere (where the train station is). There are plenty of options for boat trips from Bowness or Ambleside - both on bus routes including the open topped one. What else do you like? There are museums, walks of all levels, plenty of cafes etc.

We’re staying in a guest house in Bowness. Like the sound of the open top bus! We enjoy walks and museums too.

Plenty to do for three days without a car. Windermere is a “hub” - you should be able to get a bus (public bus or tour) to all sorts of lovely Lakeland places.

The open topped bus is the 599 which runs frequently from Bowness to Grasmere via Windermere and Ambleside. Grasmere is a lovely (busy) village with the Wordsworth museum and gingerbread shop, Ambleside has a small museum and a good walk by waterfalls (with cafes). From Bowness there are a variety of boat cruises and ferries - you can take the chain ferry as a foot passenger to the other side of the lake and walk along/up to the viewing station or walk to Beatrix Potter's house (via Joey's Cafe). If you want great views then Orrest Head is a short walk from the railway station in Windermere and it's what inspired Alfred Wainwright. There's a Steamboat museum just outside Bowness which has a cafe with a window overlooking the lake.

I'm guessing you don't do hill walking/hiking. There are still plenty of walks with great views. Getting around by bus is quite easy. There's a route that connects the main Lake District towns - I thinks it's the 555.

Keswick also has the famous Theatre by the Lake. Nice lakeside walk and boat trips.

Check out various Wordsworth or Ruskin houses. Wordsworth houses are in Cockermouth, Grasmere and near Grasmere. If you go to Rydal Mount look out for the engraving/print of the Coleorton Hall garden designed by Wordsworth. The caption underneath details how British Coal ruined the garden by building a house in it in the 1950s. A relative of mine lived in said house 🤣 some years ago.

If the weather is fine, it's so beautiful in the Lakes. If not, the pubs and tea rooms are fab.

3 days wouldn’t scratch the surface for walking in the lakes so that should keep you entertained!

My top tip would be not to eat fish and chips outside by the lake. The guls are organised criminals, highly trained in stealing food!!

Absolutely masses to do.

I use os maps and lakes & trails pro for route ideas. Sometimes all trials. (Also paper map). Filter to the routes that best suits you

Plenty to do. If you would like to see more of the lake district these do minibus tours eg 6 lakes in half a day https://mountain-goat.com/tours-from/bowness/

The Mountain Goat tours are very good.