4-Day Lake District Itinerary ⛰️🌿
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This 60-mile route offers a perfect mix of lakeside towns, scenic walks, waterfalls, and ancient landmarks. Ideal for a relaxed long weekend in the Lake District.
🚌 Don’t want to plan the trip or drive?
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I highly recommend the Lake District Rabbie’s tour.
They offer 3-day tours from Manchester and Edinburgh that will take you to all the main spots mentioned here.
I love travelling with Rabbie’s because the itineraries are very well done and the guides are always fantastic.
Also, they have mini vans and it’s always more comfortable to travel as a small group.
4-Day Lake District Itinerary Summary
🗓️ Day 1: Bowness on Windermere, Windermere & Orrest Head
🗓️ Day 2: Ambleside & Stock Ghyll Force
🗓️ Day 3: Castlerigg Stone Circle & Keswick
🗓️ Day 4: Hawkshead & Grasmere
Total Distance: 🚗 Approx. 60 miles
Recommended Time: ⌛ 4 days
📸 Photos & Info are located further down. Keep scrolling to see all these places. ⬇️
This Lake District itinerary is perfect for walkers, photographers, and anyone wanting to explore charming villages and beautiful natural scenery. 🚶♀️📸🛶
Get the FREE 4-Day Lake District Itinerary Map!
🚗 Need a car for this road trip?
If you don’t have your own car, I’d really recommend renting one — it gives you the flexibility to stop at each waterfall and explore at your own pace.
I usually use DiscoverCars to compare prices and find the best deals across different rental companies.
👉 It’s really easy to use:
- Compare multiple providers in one place
- Cheaper than booking direct
- Free cancellation on most options
- Their 3rd party insurance is a lot cheaper
- They have a great customer service for claims (though I hope you won’t have to use it!
Additional Information & Highlights
📍Bowness-on-Windermere
Located on the shores of Lake Windermere, it’s the largest town in the Lake District.
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Cruise on Lake Windermere (tickets can be booked here)
– Visit St Martin’s Church (free)
– Visit The World of Beatrix Potter
– Shopping in the local shops
🅿️ Parking: Parking is tricky in Bowness-on-Windermere. Glebe Road Car Park (pay and display) is ideal but it’s quite small so you will need to get there early.
📍Windermere
Located about 1/2 mile from the Lake, Windermere is an excellent starting point for walks.
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Go up to Orrest Head (the views over Lake Windermere are breathtaking). The hike is 4.5km long and takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to complete.
– Get a meal in one of the local pubs
📍Orrest Head
Orrest Head is one of the best easy hikes in the Lake District. It boasts spectacular views over Lake Windermere as well as pleasant parts through the woods.
🥾 Hike Details:
– Circular hike
– 4.5 km long
– 1 hour 20 minutes
– Starting point: Windermere Train Station
Details of the hike available here.
📍Ambleside
Situated at the northern end of Lake Windermere, Ambleside is a beautiful market town with historic landmarks and a waterfall.
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Visit the Bridge House (National Trust)
– Walk to Stock Ghyll Force (1.6 km – 30 to 45 minutes)
– Visit the Stagshaw Garden (National Trust)
– Go on a cruise from Ambleside Pier
– Visit the Ambleside Roman Fort
📍Stock Ghyll Force
A beautiful waterfall in Ambleside.
🥾 This is a short 1-mile walk which takes about 45 minutes From Ambleside town centre, head to Stock Ghyll Lane and follow the signs to the waterfall.
It’s a beautiful woodland walk.
📍Castlerigg Stone Circle
A very atmospheric stone circle located near the town of Keswick.
🅿️ Parking: You can park your car on the side of the road (there is a small parking area), cross the road, walk through the gate of the field and you will see the standing stones. There are only a few spots though which can make it tricky. Alternatively, you can walk from Keswick which takes about 30 minutes.
📜 It was raised in about 3000 BC, making it one of the earliest stone circles in Britain. There are some signs that explain the history of the site.
📍Keswick
A beautiful market town on the shores of Derwentwater.
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Walk through Hope Park and on the shores of Derwentwater (make sure to go to Friars Crag)
– Go to the Theatre by the lake
– Visit the Derwent Pencil Museum
– Go kayaking on Derwentwater
– Visit Keswick Museum
– Go canyoning
🅿️ Parking: Lakeside Car Park and Bell Close Car Park are good options.
📍Hawkshead
Located just north of Esthwaite Water, Hawkshead is a pretty village known for its connections with Beatrix Potter.
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Explore the village and get lost in the narrow streets
– Visit the Hawkshead Grammar School Museum
– Walk up to St Michael and All Angels Church and admire the views
– Get local products from the Honey Pot or the Chocolate Factory
– Visit Wray Castle (National Trust)
– Visit Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s former farmhouse (National Trust)
🅿️ Parking: The main car park in Hawkshead (pay and display) is the best place to park but it can be quite busy if you’re visiting during peak season.
📍Grasmere
An absolutely stunning village, once home to William Wordsworth, and where you can find the world famous The Grasmere Gingerbread.
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Get gingerbread from the The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop
– Go to Wordsworth Daffodil Garden
– Visit Dove Cottage and The Wordsworth Museum
– Go to St. Oswald’s Church
– Visit Allan Bank
🅿️ Parking: Stock Lane Car Park (pay and display) is very convenient but it can be very busy in summer or on a sunny day.
