Windermere

Travel Guide

Windermere featuring signage, heritage architecture and street scenes
Lake District National Park featuring rainforest and a river or creek
Windermere
Windermere showing heritage architecture, street scenes and signage
Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole which includes forest scenes and a lake or waterhole

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 kilometres) 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. AmblesideOpens in a new window on the northern side has rows of charming boutiques and cafés in Tudor buildings. Stroll through Bowness-on-WindermereOpens in a new window to find the The World of Beatrix Potter™ AttractionOpens in a new window, where the rooms and gardens depict scenes from her children’s books.

Northwest of the lake lies the village of GrasmereOpens in a new window, formerly home to one of England’s greatest poets, William Wordsworth. See his former family houses at Dove CottageOpens in a new window and Rydal MountOpens in a new window 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 metres) deep and just less than 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) wide.

The area is in the southeastern part of the Lake District National ParkOpens in a new window in the county of CumbriaOpens in a new window. Ride a 1-hour train south from Carlisle or drive the 50-mile (80-kilometre) journey. LondonOpens in a new window is 280 miles (450 kilometres) 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 RM380 per night from 13 Jul to 14 Jul
RM380
RM456 total
13 Jul - 14 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3.5-star hotel in Windermere. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
7.2/10 Good! (665 reviews)
Older style hotel in central location.
"Older style hotel in central location. Friendly helpful staff. Basic but clean room."

Reviewed on 4 Jul 2025

The Windermere Hotel
Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa
Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa
4 out of 5
23 Church Street, Windermere, England
The price is RM899 per night from 17 Jul to 18 Jul
RM899
RM1,079 total
17 Jul - 18 Jul
includes taxes & fees
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 ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,000 reviews)
"Very enjoyable stay in a very comfortable room with a spectacular view of the lake, thanks to Sandra on reception being most helpful. All very close to plenty of watering holes and restaurants, made for a great weekend!"

Reviewed on 13 Jun 2025

Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa
Lakes Hotel and Spa
Lakes Hotel and Spa
5 out of 5
Kendal Road, Bowness, Windermere, England
The price is RM843 per night from 7 Jul to 8 Jul
RM843
RM1,011 total
7 Jul - 8 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Windermere. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and 15 hot tubs. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,066 reviews)
Wonderful stay.
"From start to finish this was a wonderful 3 days.Excellent facilities and wonderful food.Had room with hot tub on balcony…..total luxury.All staff very friendly and extremely efficient.Thank you.Will return."

Reviewed on 3 Jul 2025

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.
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! (228 reviews)
"Really nice stay"

Reviewed on 15 Jun 2025

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 ...
"My family and I had a lovely stay here. We will definitely be back as we enjoyed the location and facilities. Staff was also very helpful"

Reviewed on 5 Jan 2025

Hapimag Burnside Park Apartments
Rayrigg Villa Windermere
Rayrigg Villa Windermere
4 out of 5
Ellerthwaite Square, Windermere, England
Stay at this 4-star villa in Windermere. Enjoy laundry facilities. Popular attractions Lake Windermere and Orrest Head are located nearby.
8/10 Very Good! (154 reviews)
"It was excellent! !"

Reviewed on 25 Jun 2025

Rayrigg Villa Windermere
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

Things to do

Reviews of Windermere

4.7
Top destination
5 - Excellent
400
5 - Excellent 71%
4 - Good
151
4 - Good 27%
3 - Okay
9
3 - Okay 2%
2 - Disappointing
0
2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
3
1 - Terrible 1%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Great location to base from to explore the Lakes

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Beautiful

4/5 - Good

Brandon

Lovely place to visit i can imagine it would be alot better with nicer weather but it didnt spoil our trip just disappointed with the room considering the price we paid

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Nice and quiet this time of year. Superb place for relaxing and walking the dogs.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

It’s a beautiful place

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Perfect for a weekend break