Windermere

Travel Guide
Lake District National Park showing rainforest and a river or creek
Ride a boat around the islands of this scenic lake and visit the charming villages where some of England’s greatest writers lived.

Windermere is England’s largest lake, with spectacular views of the surrounding green hills and valleys. Pleasant villages with museums dedicated to the Lake District’s treasured writers surround the lake, which is 11 miles (17 kilometers) long. Rent a boat to visit some of the lake’s 18 islands.

Cycle along the lake’s perimeter and enjoy the serene ambiance. Find a spot for a picnic with a view of the water. Choose one of the many romantic cruises that take you around the lake. North of the water is Brockhole, the Lake District Visitor Centre, which has wildlife trails and intriguing displays.

Visit some of the quaint villages lining the shores. Ambleside on the northern side has rows of charming boutiques and cafés in Tudor buildings. Stroll through Bowness-on-Windermere to find the The World of Beatrix Potter™ Attraction, where the rooms and gardens depict scenes from her children’s books.

Northwest of the lake lies the village of Grasmere, formerly home to one of England’s greatest poets, William Wordsworth. See his former family houses at Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount and take a trip to the Wordsworth Museum.

Learn about the many world speed record attempts on the lake. Sir Henry Segrave broke the record in 1930 but later capsized and died of his injuries.

Expect fairly wet and mild weather in Windermere, with August the warmest month. April is the driest time of the year, while snow covers parts of the region in winter. The lake is up to 219 feet (67 meters) deep and just less than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) wide.

The area is in the southeastern part of the Lake District National Park in the county of Cumbria. Ride a 1-hour train south from Carlisle or drive the 50-mile (80-kilometer) journey. London is 280 miles (450 kilometers) south. Get around the lake via passenger ferries and steamers.

Enjoy a Windermere trip with a mixture of relaxing cruises, island visits and strolls through quaint villages.

The Windermere Hotel
The Windermere Hotel
3.5 out of 5
LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK, KENDAL RD,, Windermere, England
The price is NT$2,706 per night from Jul 1 to Jul 2
NT$2,706
per night
Jul 1 - Jul 2
Stay at this 3.5-star hotel in Windermere. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
7/10 Good! (431 reviews)
Nice overnight stay.
"Apart from a bit of aged bedroom furniture the room was very clean and comfortable, staff were nice and friendly and the at the hotel and bistro was excellent, no problem with a return visit."

Reviewed on 2024/6/14

The Windermere Hotel
Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa
Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa
4 out of 5
23 Church Street, Windermere, England
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is NT$6,403 per night from Jun 30 to Jul 1
NT$6,403
per night
Jun 30 - Jul 1
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Windermere. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,002 reviews)
Birthday break
"Wonderful return visit to the hotel, excellent room overlooking lake, friendly and helpful staff. Noted that breakfast was now a standard hotel self service buffet , (with cold plates ! ), not served to order as in the past.."

Reviewed on 2024/6/6

Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa
Lakes Hotel and Spa
Lakes Hotel and Spa
4 out of 5
Kendal Road, Bowness, Windermere, England
The price is NT$5,664 per night from Jun 16 to Jun 17
NT$5,664
per night
Jun 16 - Jun 17
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Windermere. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and 15 spa tubs. Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant in our ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (868 reviews)
"This property was immaculate- decor beautiful bright and modern very clean as expected. Rather expensive as parking and breakfast not included Spa - good facilities but rather dark and not a fan of alcohol being served and consumed around the pool and jacuzzi Room was spacious bathroom a little cramp ..."

Reviewed on 2024/6/13

Lakes Hotel and Spa
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Rayrigg Villa Windermere
Rayrigg Villa Windermere
4 out of 5
Ellerthwaite Square, Windermere, England
Stay at this villa in Windermere. Enjoy housekeeping. Popular attractions Lake Windermere and Orrest Head are located nearby.
8/10 Very Good! (142 reviews)
"What more could you ask for than a property where the supermarket (and many eateries) are around the corner and the bus stop is opposite the front door. Rayrigg is perfectly located, with a bus every 20 mins to take you to the railway station (about a 10 minute walk) or to other towns in the District. ..."

Reviewed on 2024/5/5

Rayrigg Villa Windermere
Kotel Windermere
Kotel Windermere
4.5 out of 5
Lake road, Windermere, England
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury aparthotel in Windermere. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a garden. Popular attractions Lake Windermere and Windermere Jetty ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (145 reviews)
"Excellent and charming renovated period buildinh with very responsive communication before and during stay. 15min walk from train station and business terminus and 10min into town center. Beautiful and serene garden and patio. Quality of the rooms and amenities are high/new. ‘Kozy’ rooms are best ..."

Reviewed on 2024/6/6

Kotel Windermere
Hapimag Burnside Park Apartments
Hapimag Burnside Park Apartments
4 out of 5
The Lodge, Kendal Road, Windermere, England
Stay at this 4-star golf aparthotel in Windermere. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a health club. Popular attractions Lake Windermere and Bowness Pier are ...
9/10 Wonderful! (51 reviews)
"Good accommodation in a very convenient location with good parking. No frills but everything that was needed for a family break."

Reviewed on 2024/6/1

Hapimag Burnside Park Apartments
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Reviews of Windermere

4.5
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
32
" "5 - Excellent 53.333333333333336%
4 - Good
26
" "4 - Good 43.333333333333336%
3 - Okay
2
" "3 - Okay 3.3333333333333335%
2 - Disappointing
0
" "2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Wendy

Beautiful, romantic villages with lots of cute places. It is probably crazy crowded in summer so I am happy to see it in the off season. The locals were so friendly and I would recommend a trip there to anyone.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler

The region is beautiful, but the towns are more densely developed and populated than we expected

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveler

Too crowded even in October.

4/5 - Good

George

Nice small town with plenty of small stores and restaurants

4/5 - Good

SuperMax

very nice area, amazing lake, a bit overcrowded with tourists

4/5 - Good

Geoff

Bank Holiday- a little overcrowded