36 Hours in the Lake District

Located in Cumbria in North West England, the Lake District is the perfect destination for nature lovers and enthusiastic readers. Its ethereal mountains and lakes are populated with beautiful flora and fauna and its towns are rich with literary history. The town of Keswick is about a three-hour train ride from Leuchars, and its array of restaurants, shops, and museums make it the ideal place to stay while visiting the Lakes.

DAY ONE 

10:00 Hike Catbells

Stretch your legs after travelling and hike Catbells, a moderate hike that affords beautiful views of Keswick and Derwentwater. Catbells and other picturesque locations are accessible by a ferry that leaves from Keswick and makes stops along the lake. 

13:00 Lunch at The Lingholm Kitchen

After completing your hike, walk to the Lingholm Estate. Beatrix Potter spent her summers at this estate, the nature and beautiful Victorian architecture inspiring some of her beloved stories and illustrations. The estate is now home to a restaurant that offers pastries, lunch, and coffee, making it the perfect place to grab lunch after a hike.

15:00 Explore Keswick

Catch the ferry and take a leisurely boat ride around the lake before stopping at the Keswick boat landing. Spend the rest of the afternoon touring the streets of the town.

18:30 Dinner at the Square Orange Café

Enjoy pizza or tapas at this lively restaurant in Keswick. The tapas, including smoky chorizo, homemade meatballs, and baked figs with honey, are ideal for sharing and a wonderful way to taste multiple items on the menu. The Square Orange Cafe also offers a selection of vegan dishes.

DAY TWO

10:00 Take the Bus to Grasmere

The forty-minute bus ride from the Keswick bus station to Grasmere takes you through farmland with sheep-laden pastures and roads providing views of the Lake District mountains. The double-decker bus also rides along the narrow Thirlmere reservoir on its way to Grasmere.

11:00 Visit Wordsworth Grasmere

Wordsworth Grasmere is ideal for literature lovers and tourists alike. The property contains Dove Cottage, a museum, and a garden, all of which memorialise William Wordsworth. The rooms of Dove Cottage are staged to represent how they would have appeared when Wordsworth and his sister lived there. Replicates of letters and stories are scattered throughout the dwelling and visitors are invited to touch and engage with these props, allowing for full sensorial immersement. The charming garden enhances the whimsical quality of Wordsworth Grasmere, and the museum provides information on the history of the poet’s life.

13:00 Explore Grasmere

The streets of Grasmere, which are equally as charming as Keswick’s, house lovely stores and restaurants, including the glorious Grasmere Gingerbread Shop. The shop is decorated with a bright green door and matching fence, and it neighbours St Oswald’s Church, where William Wordsworth is buried. The gingerbread is chewier than the typical gingerbread cookie, and it is coated in a soft layer of crumbs saturated with a ginger and cinnamon flavour. The employees, dressed in frilly aprons and mop hats, also sell a selection of butters, fudges, and even bags of gingerbread crumbs.

16:00 Take the Bus to Ambleside

After exploring Grasmere, make your way to Ambleside. This town is located near the northern end of Lake Windermere, the largest lake in England. For a tour of the lake, hop on a lake cruise that makes stops at Bowness, the Windermere Jetty Museum, and Wray Castle.

18:00 Dinner at Barua Street Food

Barua Street Food, which is a brunch spot in the earlier hours of the day, transforms into a restaurant presenting a selection of Indian food in the evening. This restaurant also encourages sharing, which allows you to sample multiple items from the menu. 

DAY THREE

10:00 Castlerigg Stone Circle

This Neolithic stone circle is a twenty-minute bus and walking journey from the Keswick bus station. With views of the Lake District mountains, Castlerigg Stone Circle is likely one of the oldest stone circles in England, dating back to 3000 BC. 

Image from Wikimedia Commons