Arriving in Bowness: Trains, Buses, Driving, and the Ferry

Quick facts

Nearest station: Windermere — about 1.5 miles uphill from the lake
Walking time: 25–30 minutes from the station, downhill the whole way
Bus: The 599, from directly outside the station
Taxi: About 10 minutes from Windermere station
Parking: Glebe Road or Rayrigg Road — both fill by mid-morning in season
Best arrival: Train to Windermere, then the 599 down to the lake
Step-free?: Level around the pier and promenade; low-floor 599 buses
Dogs?: Welcome on the 599 and on the lake cruises
Tour pickup: Outside Pier 1, where the cruise boats dock

The Windermere corridor at a glance: the station sits uphill in Windermere town, Bowness is on the lake 1.5 miles below, Ambleside is at the head of the lake — and the 599 bus links all three.

Bowness-on-Windermere has no railway station of its own, and that single fact catches out more visitors than anything else about getting here. Whatever route you take — train, bus, car, or the lake itself — here's exactly what to expect.

There is no railway station in Bowness

The nearest station is Windermere, about 1.5 miles away in the hilltop town the lake is named after. Direct trains run from Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport, taking under two hours, with no need to change. From further afield — London, Birmingham, Scotland — you'll usually change at Oxenholme Lake District station, on the West Coast Main Line, before the branch line on to Windermere. If you've booked a ticket to "Windermere," this is the station you'll arrive at — not Bowness itself.

Phil's local tipSat-navs and taxi apps sometimes default to "Windermere" as a destination when people mean Bowness. If you're booking a taxi from further away, it's worth specifying Bowness pier or your hotel address directly rather than just "Windermere." Windermere station's what3words address is ///diver.lend.wording, which can help a driver pinpoint the exact entrance if "Windermere station" alone brings up somewhere vague.

From Windermere station, the 599 bus is the easiest way down

The 599 bus travelling along the lakeshore between Windermere and Bowness — The 599 bus, running between Windermere station, Bowness, and Ambleside

The 599 runs frequently between Windermere station, Bowness, and on to Ambleside and Grasmere, and is the standard way to cover the 1.5 miles down to the lake without a car. It's a scenic ride in its own right, running close to the water for part of the journey. A taxi from the station takes around ten minutes if you'd rather not wait for a bus.

Phil's local tipThe 599 stops right outside Windermere station, so there's no need to look far after stepping off the train. Buy your ticket on board or use a contactless card directly at the reader.

Walking down from the station is genuinely pleasant

The road walking down from Windermere station toward Bowness and the lake — The walk down from Windermere to Bowness, downhill the whole way

If you've got luggage that allows it, walking from Windermere station to Bowness takes most people 25 to 30 minutes, and it's downhill for the entire route. The road is well signed and has a pavement throughout, and you get your first proper view of the lake gradually opening up ahead of you, which most people on the bus miss entirely.

Phil's local tipComing back up to the station afterwards is the same walk in reverse, gently uphill rather than steep — manageable for most people, but worth allowing a little more time than the downhill leg.

Driving in — and where it gets harder than people expect

Traffic and pedestrians on Bowness's narrow streets in summer — Bowness's narrow streets fill quickly with both traffic and pedestrians

Bowness's streets are narrow, pedestrian traffic is heavy, and the village simply wasn't built with modern visitor numbers in mind. Driving in is straightforward enough, but finding somewhere to leave the car once you're here is the real challenge, particularly on a fine summer day or bank holiday weekend.

Parking in Bowness — the two options that matter

Glebe Road pay-and-display car park near Bowness pier — Glebe Road car park, the most central option, right by the pier

The Glebe Road car park, right by the pier, is the most central option and also the first to fill. Rayrigg Road, a short walk further out, is the other main public car park in the village. Both are pay-and-display, take card payment and the RingGo app alongside coins, and both can fill completely by mid-morning in peak season.

Phil's local tipIf both are full, arriving before 10am on your next visit is the most reliable fix — Bowness's car parks are genuinely limited, and Windermere station's own car park is too small to count on as overflow, with only a handful of spaces reserved mainly for rail passengers. If you'd rather not gamble on parking at all, the train-and-bus or train-and-walk route covered above avoids the question entirely.

Arriving by boat — cruise or the working ferry

The Windermere car ferry approaching the eastern shore near Ferry Nab — The Windermere car ferry, crossing between Ferry Nab and the western shore

Windermere Lake Cruises call at Bowness pier from both Ambleside and Lakeside, so arriving by boat from either direction is genuinely an option if your day allows it. Separately, the Windermere car ferry crosses the lake itself between Ferry Nab, just south of Bowness, and Ferry House on the western shore — a working crossing with more than 500 years of history behind it, now forming an official part of the B5285 road and run by the local council rather than a private operator. It's useful if you're arriving from Near Sawrey, Hill Top, or Hawkshead rather than from Windermere or Kendal.

Phil's local tipThe cruise piers and the car ferry crossing are two completely different services at two different points — don't expect to drive your car onto a cruise boat, and don't expect the chain ferry to stop at the main Bowness pier itself. The ferry takes contactless card payment only, with fares around £1 for foot passengers and £5 for a car, and runs roughly every 20 minutes with no booking required.

Did you know? A ferry has crossed Windermere at Ferry Nab for more than 500 years — and today’s crossing is officially part of the B5285 road, run by the local council rather than a private operator.

Where our tours pick up

Small group tour guests gathering outside Pier 1 at Bowness — The Pier 1 pickup point, where every Bowness-departing tour begins

However you arrive, the pickup point in Bowness is the same for every tour: outside Pier 1, right where the cruise boats dock. The 8 Lakes Morning and Afternoon Tours, the 10 Lakes Full-day Tour, both Beatrix Potter tours, and both Wordsworth tours all start here. Just be at Pier 1 a few minutes before your departure time and your guide will find you.

Our tours are capped at 7 guests, with all-inclusive pricing and no on-the-day extras — small enough that your guide can stop and answer a question whenever something's worth pausing for.

Phil's local tipIf you've taken the 599 bus or walked down from Windermere station, Pier 1 is impossible to miss — it's the main pier directly in front of the bay, not a side entrance or quieter jetty further along.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Bowness have its own train station?

No. The nearest railway station is Windermere station, about 1.5 miles away in Windermere town. From there, most visitors reach Bowness by the 599 bus, a taxi, or a 25 to 30 minute downhill walk.

How do I get from Windermere station to Bowness?

The 599 bus runs frequently between Windermere station, Bowness, and Ambleside, and is the easiest way to cover the 1.5 miles without a car. A taxi from the station takes about ten minutes. Walking takes most people 25 to 30 minutes, downhill the whole way, and is a pleasant route in good weather.

Should I drive to Bowness, or take the train and bus?

Either works well, but driving means finding parking in one of the busiest villages in the Lake District, with limited public car parks that fill quickly in summer. Arriving by train to Windermere station and finishing the journey by bus, taxi, or on foot avoids the parking question entirely.

Where should I park in Bowness?

The Glebe Road car park by the pier and the Rayrigg Road car park are the two main public options in Bowness itself. Both are pay-and-display, accept card and the RingGo app, and fill up quickly on fine days and bank holidays. Arriving before 10am gives the best chance of a space close to the centre.

Can I reach Bowness by boat?

Yes. Windermere Lake Cruises call at Bowness pier from Ambleside and Lakeside, and the separate Windermere car ferry crosses the lake to Ferry House on the western shore from Ferry Nab, just south of Bowness. The ferry has run on this crossing for more than 500 years, takes contactless card payment only, and runs roughly every 20 minutes with no booking required.

Where do tours pick up in Bowness?

All tours departing from Bowness pick up outside Pier 1, right where the lake cruise boats dock. This includes the 8 Lakes Morning and Afternoon Tours, the 10 Lakes Full-day Tour, both Beatrix Potter tours, and both Wordsworth tours.

Keep exploring

New to Bowness? These go well together:

Must do Bowness — 12 things to get right → Arriving in Windermere → Lake District parking — how to avoid the problem → Where to stay — Windermere, Bowness or Ambleside →