Exploring the Lake District by public transport is easier than you might think. This guide covers the locations and hikes you can get to without a car including the best places to stay and what to do in each area.
By - Mark Barnes | Published - 20 Aug 2024 | Go to - Comments & Questions
The Lake District has the best scenery in England with craggy mountains framing beautiful ribbon lakes.
But like many of Britain’s most beautiful places, it’s not always easy to know how to visit using public transport. With narrow country lanes that restrict some bus routes, and trains that only skirt the edges, it might seem difficult to visit the Lake District without a car.
Fortunately it’s much easier to explore this beautiful slice of northern England by public transport than it first appears.
We visit the Lake District every year, so we know how to get around. In this guide, we’ve selected the 3 best places to stay if you are visiting the area without a car.
We also have some ideas on what you can do while you are there with practical information on how to get around.
The Lake District is a wonderful extension to our 7-Day England Itinerary if you are visiting the country without a car but would like to see some dramatic English scenery.
WHERE IS THE LAKE DISTRICT?
The Lake District is a National Park in the north of England. It’s located to the north of Manchester and to the south of Carlisle.
The whole area is around 900 square miles of scenic mountain country. It was awarded a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its contribution to art, literature, traditional farming and landscape preservation.
VISITING THE LAKE DISTRICT BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
To get to the Lake District via public transport, mainline train services connect Oxenholme, Penrith and Carlisle with London and Glasgow.
From Oxenholme, local trains stop at Kendal, Staveley and Windermere.
A train also runs from Manchester to Windermere.
WHERE TO STAY IN THE LAKE DISTRICT WITHOUT A CAR?
The first thing you need to decide is where to stay. In our opinion, there are 3 good choices if you are visiting the Lake District without a car.
They are all reasonably easy to get to, but most importantly, they have good transport links allowing you to see more of the area. You can also get to some of the Lake District’s best hikes from these places.
The best places to stay without a car are:
- Keswick in the northern fells
- Windermere & Bowness in the southern fells
- Ambleside in the central fells
Each has quite a distinctive character, so choosing which is right for you is not too difficult. If you are staying for more than a few days, it’s easy to combine them as they are all well-connected via local buses.
- Keswick to Ambleside – 45 minutes by bus
- Keswick to Windermere – 1 hour by bus
- Windermere to Ambleside – 15 minutes by bus
WHY STAY IN KESWICK?
Keswick is the adventure capital of the Lake District. It has a stunning setting among some of the highest mountains, with plenty of adventure activities and hiking opportunities right on your doorstep.
The town centre is not the prettiest in the Lake District, but it has plenty of useful facilities.
Keswick is easy to reach by public transport and lies at the centre of a good bus network. Buses run south to Grasmere, east to Penrith and west to Cockermouth.
One excellent bus route, a circular loop via Buttermere and Honister, is possibly the most scenic in England.
Keswick is the best place to stay using public transport if you are looking for adventure activities, rugged hiking, and dramatic scenery.
WHAT TO DO FROM KESWICK?
Staying in Keswick and using the bus routes opens a host of great adventures. You could easily spend a week here and do something completely different every day. Here are just a few.
Go Ghyll Scrambling – one of our favourite non-hiking activities in the Lake District.
Hike Scafell Pike on the Corridor Route – Take the 78 bus (30 minutes) to Seatoller and walk up England’s highest mountain via the Corridor Route.
Kayak on Derwentwater – Kayaks and boats can be hired on the waterfront at Keswick.
Scramble up Blencathra – Take the bus to Scales and ascend Blencathra via Sharp Edge, the most challenging of the grade 1 scrambles in the Lake District.
Grasmere – The Lake District’s prettiest village is 30 minutes on the 555 bus. Try gingerbread and explore Wordsworth Cottage.
Walk Catbells – One of the most iconic walks in the Lake District. Take the ferry from Keswick over the lake and hike up Catbells.
Buttermere – The most photogenic lake in the Lake District. Take bus 77 to Buttermere and stroll around the lake and up the hills. Three of our favourite walks in the Lake District leave from here.
Castlerigg Stone Circles – Dating back to 3,000 BCE, the stone circles are 20 minutes from Keswick on bus 73A (Sat only), or bus 555 plus a 1-mile walk (around 20 minutes).
Via Ferrata – Take bus 77 to Honister and test your nerve on the Via Ferrata up Fleetwith Pike.
GETTING TO KESWICK
The best way to get to Keswick by public transport is to get the train to Penrith and then the bus to Keswick.
Penrith station is on the fast West Coast trainline and it’s particularly convenient from London Euston taking only 3 hours and 15 minutes.
From Penrith, there are regular buses to Keswick which take around 40 minutes.
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS
Fellpack House – Recently renovated guest house with a picnic area and sun terrace. Conveniently located halfway between the waterfront and town centre.
Inn on the Square – Right by the market square in the centre of Keswick, it’s a mix of Scandinavian homeliness and British modern design.
WHY STAY IN WINDERMERE & BOWNESS?
The town of Windermere is not actually on the lake of Windermere, it’s a little set back and in our opinion, not particularly scenic.
But there is a train station in the centre of town making it the easiest place in the Lake District to reach by public transport.
Bowness, another town just a 10-minute bus ride from Windermere, is on the lake. Combined they make a good option for exploring the Lake District, but in a very different way to Keswick.
Staying in Windermere and Bowness is more about enjoying the towns and the lake, rather than hiking or adventure activities. Both towns are full of arts and crafts shops, speciality museums and tea houses.
Windermere and Bowness are connected via a decent network of buses making it relatively easy to explore other parts of the Lake District. You could head north up to Ullswater, northwest to Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick, and south to Newby Bridge.
However, it’s not as convenient as the other two locations in this guide for getting deeper into the lakes.
WHAT TO DO FROM WINDERMERE & BOWNESS?
Although you can’t travel around quite as easily, many of the Lake District’s best attractions are nearby. Here are a few ideas for what you can do from Windermere and Bowness.
Beatrix Potter – Learn about the life of Beatrix Potter in the museum that was once her home.
Lake Cruise – Take a cruise on Windermere, one of the more popular things to do in the Lake District.
Arts & Crafts – Explore the independent arts and crafts stores and peruse the galleries in Windermere and Bowness.
Ullswater – Take bus 508 to Glenridding and get a steamboat on Ullswater. If you’re up for it, there’s a great hike up Helvellyn from here.
Grasmere – Explore the Lake District’s prettiest village (35-45 minutes on the 599 bus). Try the local gingerbread men and visit Wordsworth Cottage.
Claife Viewing Platform – Get the ferry across Windermere and walk up to this platform for views across the lake.
GETTING TO WINDERMERE
The best way to get to Windermere by public transport is to get the train to Windermere station. There are two common ways to get there, either via Oxenholme or Lancaster.
Oxenholme station is on the fast West Coast trainline. It is particularly convenient from London Euston (2 hours 45 minutes). From Oxenholme there is a small connector train to Windermere (20 minutes).
Lancaster station is also on the fast West Coast trainline (2 hours 30 minutes from London) from where trains connect to Windermere (40 minutes).
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS
Jerichos Boutique Accommodation – Family run guest house tucked on a quiet road behind the main street in Windermere. This is a good value, adults-only option.
Lakes Hotel & Spa – This spa hotel is just a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Bowness. There are plenty of facilities and extra touches to make the stay special.
WHY STAY IN AMBLESIDE?
Ambleside is a pretty town conveniently located in the centre of the Lake District and easy to get to by public transport.
It offers a great mix of convenient facilities along with good hiking and culturally interesting sights on its doorstep.
The town lies on several good bus routes. Buses run north to Grasmere and Rydal, south to Windermere town, west to the dramatic Langdale Valley and southwest to foodie Hawkshead.
Ambleside is not just between Windermere/Bowness and Keswick geographically; it also offers a good mix of Keswick’s outdoor adventures and Windermere’s artistic pottering.
It’s the best destination for a diverse Lake District experience.
WHAT TO DO FROM AMBLESIDE?
Staying in Ambleside and using the bus routes opens a host of fun things to do. Here are just a few ideas.
Windermere Ferry – Jump on a ferry at the southern edge of Ambleside and cruise the lake.
Walk up Loughrigg – With great views over Ambleside. Loughrigg is one of the easiest mountains in the Lake District to climb with amazing views.
Literary exploration – Take the 555 or 599 bus to Rydal and Grasmere and explore the homes of Wordsworth and the stunning lakes nearby.
The Langdales – Get bus 516 to Dungeon Ghyll and hike up the Langdale Pikes, one of the best walks in the Lake District.
Hawkshead – Take bus 505 to Hawkshead, a very pretty village with a growing foodie reputation. Explore the artisanal delis and old-school chocolate shops before trying their quirky ales.
Rydal Caves – Take the 555 or 599 bus to Rydal Water and hike around the lake and up to these eerie caves. The lake is one of our favourite spots for wild swimming in the Lake District.
Fairfield Round – This excellent high ridge walk leaves from the back of town. It makes for a wonderful day’s hiking in the hills.
GETTING TO AMBLESIDE
The best way to get to Ambleside by public transport is to get the train Windermere and then one of the numerous buses to Ambleside (15 minutes).
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS
Ambleside Townhouse – A popular townhouse on the main road in Ambleside. It has good value, clean rooms and a decent breakfast.
Lakehouse at Waterhead Inn – Perched on the northern end of Windermere with views of the lake, it’s a 12-minute walk into town.
Rothay Manor – Luxury Country House just a 10 minute walk from the centre of Ambleside. Old style luxury with a modern finish, it has excellent individually designed specs and a fine restaurant.
BEST PLACE TO STAY FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT
So, what would Anywhere We Roam do? Paul and I think it is a toss-up between Ambleside and Keswick. For a more rugged adventure head to Keswick. For a good diverse mix of experiences go for Ambleside.
If you are looking for more ideas for places to stay you can find all our recommendations on where to stay in the Lake District.
MAP & RESOURCES
For bus timetables – Use the Stagecoach website to see the bus timetables. Click on the location you are starting from to see bus routes. Use the journey planner for specific times.
For train journeys – Use thetrainline.com to search for trips to the Lake District from London, Glasgow or Manchester. They also cover local trains to Windermere.
MORE LAKE DISTRICT GUIDES
- Find your perfect area with our guide to the best places to stay in the Lake District.
- Use our detailed guide to see the Lake District without a car.
- Enjoy a scenic swim in Black Moss Pot.
- Tackle one of our favourite hikes in the Lake District.
- Try one of these amazing wild swimming locations in the Lake District.
- There’s more than hiking, find more great things to do in the Lake District.
- Find one of our top photography spots in the Lake District
READER-SUPPORTED
When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
Thanks for your support.
You can also buy us a coffee, and follow us on Instagram or Facebook.
- Paul & Mark.
