White Cross Bay occupies sixty acres of lakeshore woodland between Windermere and Ambleside — a lodge park with its own marina, its own bay, and, if you know where to look, one of the most remarkable hidden histories on the whole lake. You're brilliantly placed here: two of the busiest little towns in the national park sit minutes either side, the water is at the end of the path, and the wilder country beyond opens up easily with a bit of local knowledge. Here's how to make a week of it.
Quick Facts
Every park has facilities; very few have a story like this one. During the Second World War, this quiet bay was transformed into an aircraft factory: great Sunderland flying boats were built here in a vast hangar complex and launched straight onto Windermere, with a workforce drawn and billeted from across the country — an industrial town conjured on a Lakeland shore almost overnight, and dismantled almost as completely when peace came. The commemorative stone by reception is the visible trace, but once you know, you read the shoreline differently: the level ground, the slipway logic of the bay, the sheer improbability of heavy industry in this most spectacular of settings. As a social historian I'd call it one of the best "hidden in plain sight" stories in the Lakes — and it's literally beneath your lodge.
Brockhole on Windermere — the national park's own visitor centre is practically next door: lakeside gardens, adventure play for the younger crew, boat hire and a good café. The easiest half-day on this shore.
Windermere & Bowness — minutes south for the shops, the piers, the World of Beatrix Potter and the evening bustle.
Ambleside — minutes north: a proper working town with outdoor shops, a lovely cinema for wet evenings, and Stock Ghyll Force thundering in the woods behind, at its best after rain.
The lake itself — cruises call at Waterhead and Bowness either side of you, and the park's own marina and boat-launching make this one of the easiest bases on the lake for actually getting afloat.
The best of the Lake District — the high passes, the far valleys, the storybook villages — sits beyond the bus routes, and summer driving there is nobody's holiday. Our small-group tours run with seven guests at most and depart from Windermere railway station, Bowness Pier 1 and Ambleside library, five minutes from the park gate; private tours can usually collect you at the entrance.
The week's anchor day: ten lakes, the spectacular passes between them, and an Ullswater Steamers cruise included on no other tour. Book this first and build the week around it.
See dates & bookAcross the lake to Hill Top and the lanes of Near Sawrey with our illustration-matching walk — back to the park in time for an afternoon on the water.
See dates & bookThe afternoon version crosses the lake by boat instead of by road — a lovely alternative if you'd rather make the crossing part of the adventure.
See dates & bookA lazy lodge morning, then eight lakes and their valleys at an unhurried seven-seat pace while someone else does the driving.
See dates & bookThe same eight lakes as the afternoon tour, run the opposite way round first thing — leaves the afternoon free for the marina.
See dates & bookDove Cottage at Grasmere — entry included as standard — and the daffodil valleys that made the poems.
See dates & bookA full Dales day: Grassington's "Darrowby", the Wensleydale Creamery, Kilnsey Crag and Bolton Abbey, with live scene technology matching the filming locations around you.
See dates & bookEast to Haworth — the Parsonage, the cobbled village and the Wuthering Heights moors, freshly famous all over again. Oxenholme pickup available.
See dates & bookYour party only, collected at the park, the day shaped to you — and well-behaved dogs are welcome aboard, travelling safely in the crates our vehicles carry.
Enquire about a private dayA lakeshore park with its own marina is a genuine rarity, and it's worth building at least one day around it properly rather than treating it as a facility to glance at. Launch your own boat if you've brought one, hire a rowing boat for an hour of unhurried exploring along the bay, or simply take a bench by the water at the quiet end of the afternoon when the day-trippers have moved on to Bowness. The bay itself is sheltered enough for confident beginners and pretty enough that experienced sailors linger longer than planned — either way, it's the single facility here that best rewards unhurried use over a quick look. Time it for early evening and you'll catch the bay at its most spectacular, the water stilling to glass as the fells across the lake catch the last of the light.
A private day collects from the park entrance and follows whichever route suits your group, with no fixed departure to work around. Popular with parties celebrating something, and well-behaved dogs are welcome to join.
Not sure which route suits your plans, or want a day built entirely from scratch — a family reunion, a wedding anniversary, scattering ashes somewhere that mattered? Tell us what you have in mind and we'll design a day around it — see our guide to celebrating a special occasion for ideas, or get in touch directly.
Car-free: genuinely workable — the A591 buses stop near the park and link Grasmere to Bowness, cruises cover the lake, and tour days do the rest. Park once, holiday everywhere.
If you drive to the villages: Windermere and Bowness parking fills by mid-morning in season — Broad Street, Braithwaite Fold and Glebe Road are the reliable choices.
Booking rhythm: tour days first, the moment your lodge dates are fixed — seven seats, and summer departures fill two to three weeks out. Place them early in the week for weather flexibility.
Ages: our tours suit adults and older children, about seven and up — for younger ones, Brockhole and the water are the winning combination.
The park sits on the lakeshore at Troutbeck Bridge — roughly 1.7 miles from Windermere and under 3 miles from Ambleside, a few minutes' drive or a short bus hop either way along the A591.
Our scheduled small-group tours depart from Windermere railway station, Bowness Pier 1 and Ambleside library, about five minutes from the park by car or taxi. On private tours we can usually collect you at the park entrance.
During the Second World War the site was an aircraft factory where Sunderland flying boats were built and launched onto Windermere — a commemorative stone by reception marks the story.
Yes, with light planning — buses along the A591 stop nearby and link Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere, lake cruises cover the water, and guided tour days handle the far valleys and passes.
We are an independent local tour operator. This guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by White Cross Bay Holiday Park or Parkdean Resorts.