For any hotel or guesthouse in either town
Staying in Windermere or Bowness
Which of the two towns you are actually in, which tour pickup is nearest, using the boats as transport, the parking traps, and a sensible shape for the week.
Read the guideA quick orientation before you dive in. Windermere railway station — one of our three main departure points, alongside Bowness Pier 1 and Ambleside library — sits at the heart of it all, with everything below within a ten-minute hop.
Schematic — not to scale. Our three main pickups are Windermere station, Bowness Pier 1 and Ambleside library.
The two towns hold more small hotels and guesthouses than anywhere else in the national park. This guide covers using them properly, whichever one you have booked.
For any hotel or guesthouse in either town
Which of the two towns you are actually in, which tour pickup is nearest, using the boats as transport, the parking traps, and a sensible shape for the week.
Read the guideThe two towns hold more independent guest houses than anywhere else in the national park — better value than the hotels, and usually better breakfasts.
Windermere town
Ten of the town's best-regarded independents, why the Victorian villas are there at all, and the station pickup on the doorstep.
Read the guideBowness village
Ten village independents on the lanes above the bay — and Bowness Pier 1, one of our three pickups, minutes downhill.
Read the guideLocal guides for the hotels our guests stay at most often — the views, walks and tables near each one, and the tours that collect a few minutes from reception.
Windermere lakeshore
A grand lakeside setting between Windermere and Ambleside, perfectly placed for lake cruises and guided days alike.
Windermere
Watersports on the doorstep, the fells across the water — and small-group tour departures minutes up the road.
Windermere lakeshore
A lakeside base made for slow mornings — and for a spectacular day among the high passes on our 10 Lakes Full-day Tour.
Above Bowness village
On the rise above the village with the water below — and Bowness Pier 1, one of our three pickups, a few minutes downhill.
On the shore, middle of Bowness
Lawns and a private jetty on the shore — and Bowness Pier 1, one of our three pickup points, effectively next door.
Above the lake, towards Ambleside
Lord Lonsdale's Victorian hunting lodge, with Arts and Crafts interiors and one of the finest views on this shore.
Hilltop above Bowness
Fourteen acres of garden, sculpture and a private tarn with rowing boats — ten minutes above the village.
Crook Road, Gilpin Valley
Seventy-two acres of woodland with its own tarn, a smokehouse in the kitchen and a microbrewery in the bar.
Crook, east of Windermere
Quiet lanes well off the A591, with the great houses of Levens and Sizergh a short drive south.
Longtail Hill, above Bowness
The only Lake District hotel Beatrix Potter owned — she bought it in 1915 for her mother, and illustrated two tales here.
Above Bowness, Lyth Valley Road
An Edwardian Arts and Crafts house in seven acres of garden, a mile above Bowness with the Coniston fells across the water.
Windermere village
A ten-room boutique country house on the edge of the village, walking distance from the lake and the station.
Windermere
An adults-only base minutes from the station — ideal for a couple's stay built around a proper day out.
Bowness village centre
Half the rooms have their own hot tub, the lake is two minutes away, and the spa makes this a favourite for couples' breaks.
Above Bowness, overlooking the lake
Five quiet acres of garden above the village — a five-minute walk from the bustle when you want it.
Between Bowness and Windermere
A boutique hotel with one of the widest panoramas in the valley — Bowness and Windermere both within an easy walk.
Kendal Road, Bowness lakeshore
A Victorian mansion in six acres of lakeside garden, built in 1845 and still one of Bowness's grandest addresses.
Helm Road, Bowness
A restored Victorian hillside hotel with a Wellness Club and a terrace view — the World of Beatrix Potter is a very short walk.
“We booked our tour the same week we booked the hotel, and it was the best decision of the trip — everything else just fell into place around it.”
A cottage or lodge week runs to its own rhythm. These guides help you shape it — which days to tour, which to keep slow, and where everything is from your door.
Bowness-on-Windermere
Five minutes on foot from Bowness and the lake cruises — the easiest car-free base in the Lakes, with tour departures close by.
Troutbeck Bridge
Lakeshore woodland between Windermere and Ambleside — and a week's worth of walks, cruises and guided days within easy reach.
Troutbeck valley
A fellside valley setting with glorious walking from the gate — and Windermere's departures a short hop down the valley.
For every cottage, anywhere in the Lakes
The week-planner: changeover-day tips, supplies, car-free days out, and how to weave one or two guided days through your stay.
Windermere's western shore
A 5,000-acre private estate held by one family since the 1500s — dog-friendly cottages on the right side of the lake for Beatrix Potter country.
These are the days our guests plan their whole stay around. Seven seats, expert local guides, departing Windermere railway station, Bowness Pier 1 and Ambleside library — minutes from wherever you're staying above. Book online now and your Lake District is sorted before you've packed a bag.
Morning · small group
Hill Top, Near Sawrey and the illustration-matching walk through the village that inspired the tales — a morning of pure story.
See dates & bookAfternoon · small group · by boat
The same Hill Top and illustration-matching walk, reached by crossing the lake by boat instead of by road — a lovely alternative approach.
See dates & bookAfternoon · small group
Eight lakes, high passes and spectacular viewpoints in a single unhurried afternoon — the Lakes distilled.
See dates & bookMorning · small group
The same eight lakes as the afternoon tour, run in the opposite direction — an early start in soft morning light.
See dates & bookFull day · small group
Our signature full day — ten lakes and an Ullswater Steamers cruise you'll find on no other tour. Oxenholme pickup available.
See dates & bookFull day · small group · Yorkshire
Across the Pennines to Haworth and the wild moors that made Wuthering Heights — a full literary day out from the Lakes. Oxenholme pickup available.
See dates & bookFull day · small group · Yorkshire Dales
Grassington's "Darrowby", the Wensleydale Creamery, Kilnsey Crag and Bolton Abbey — the filming locations brought to life with live scene technology.
See dates & bookLiterary day · small group
Dove Cottage entry included as standard, Grasmere, and the valleys that shaped the poems — with Dora's Field golden in daffodil season.
See dates & bookYour party only
Collected from your accommodation, shaped to your interests — and well-behaved dogs are welcome aboard.
Enquire about your dayDepart from three main pickup points — Windermere railway station, Bowness Pier 1 and Ambleside library — so most guests can join within a short walk or a few minutes' taxi of where they're staying. Our Ultimate (The 10 Lakes Full-day Tour) also collects at Oxenholme. Never more than seven guests, priced per person, booked instantly online. The simplest way to reach the places a car (or a bus timetable) won't take you.
Your party only, your pace, your interests — and we can usually collect you directly from your accommodation, whether that's a hotel in Bowness or a cottage up a valley. Well-behaved dogs are welcome on private tours and travel safely in the crates our vehicles carry. Limited evening dates are also available in season, subject to availability.
Our tours are made for adults and older children — the pace and storytelling suit curious minds of about seven and up. If you're travelling as a multi-generation group, a private day is often the most comfortable fit, shaped around everyone's legs and interests.
As soon as your stay is confirmed. Seven seats fill quickly — summer departures often two to three weeks ahead — and booking early lets you place tour days early in your stay, keeping flexibility for weather.