12 Best Things to Do in Windermere (Lake District, UK)

Are you wondering what are the best things to do in Windermere? When my husband and I went to the Lake District region of the UK, we stayed at the caravan park near Windemere.

I loved our visit to the charming village of Windermere. Let me share with you some of the best things to do in Windemere in the Lake District, UK to help you plan your trip.

I wrote another article about the Best Things to Do in the Lake District if you are interested in knowing more about the Lake District region.

Best Things to Do in Windermere (Lake District, UK)

1. Windermere Lake

📍Address: Windermere, UK
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Half-Day 8 Lakes Afternoon Tour
🌟 Ratings: 5 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: The White House Windermere

Windermere Lake is considered to be the largest lake in England, with almost 11 miles in length and 1 mile in width. Formed about 17,000 and 14,700 years ago, this ribbon lake has 18 islands or ‘holmes.’

It is about a mile from Windermere village and is part of the Lake District National Park. There are several water activities to be enjoyed around and within the lake. Lake cruises, ferries, and steamers are some of the most popular ways for guests to explore the lake.

Visitors can also enjoy water sports activities such as yacht sailing, rowing and water-skiing. Guests opting to enjoy the view of the lake can also take any of the several footpaths around the lake shore.

Glamping is also now becoming a popular activity around Windermere Lake.

Read More: 33 Best Places to Visit in the UK

2. Wray Castle

📍Address: Low Wray, Ambleside LA22 0JA, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Half-Day Tour of Beatrix Potter Country and Places
🌟 Ratings: 4.9 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Randy Pike

Wray Castle is one of the few grand mansions located around Windermere Lake. This imposing structure is famous for its Victorian neo-Gothic architectural design and church-like interior.

Despite its name, Wray Castle was originally built to be a private home for Liverpool surgeon Dr James Dawson. The first and only design of John Jackson Lightfoot, who died before it was finished, the castle was later completed by H.P.Hormer.

It was later acquired by the National Trust and had been used for several purposes before it was opened to the public in 2011. Famed author Beatrix Potter even stayed at the Wray Castle in 1882 when she was 16 years old.

Nowadays, Wray Castle is a favourite tourist destination for families. There are footpaths around the estate that families can enjoy. There is also an exhibit of 19th-century photographs taken by Rupert Potter, father of Beatrix Potter.

The collection of photos shows the original interiors of Wray Castle, landscape sceneries during his time, and private family photos.

3. World of Beatrix Potter Museum and Hill Top

📍Address: Crag Brow, Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere LA23 3BX, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Beatrix Potter Half-Day Tour
🌟 Ratings: 4.7 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Parkdean Resorts Fallbarrow Holiday Park

For the kids and the kids at heart, and anyone who loves Beatrix Potter will surely enjoy The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction.

This tourist spot celebrates the life and works of the beloved author and illustrator, who wrote 30 books in her lifetime, 23 of which are children’s books. Her most famous book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, has been translated into 36 languages and sold about 45 million copies.

Since its opening in July of 1991, the museum has been bringing the beloved Beatrix Potter illustrated characters to life through detailed lifesize sculptures. Recently, the museum has been incorporating 3D digital projections to enhance the visitor’s experience.

There are also monthly scheduled events and activities lined up. For more information, check out The World of Beatrix Potter website.

Aside from the museum, fans of the beloved author can also get a glimpse of her life by visiting Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top. The author bought the farmhouse in 1905 and it still houses some of Beatrix’s personal belongings.

The Hill Top House has also retained most of its original design so as to keep with how Beatrix viewed them for her illustrations.

Read more: 4 Ways How to Get from London to Lake District (UK)

4. Rydall Cave

📍Address: Rydal, Ambleside LA22 9LW, United Kingdom
🌟 Ratings: 4.7 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Ambleside Salutation Hotel, BW Premier Collection

Fans of the Netflix series The Witcher will recognize this large cavern on the northern slopes of Loughrigg Fell. That’s because the area of the Rydall Cave was used as one of the shooting locations for the series.

It can be viewed in the seventh episode, titled Voleth Meir, of season 2, where the bard Jaskier took a bath after Geralt rescued him from the Oxenfurt Prison.

Don’t be deceived though. Despite its rough and natural appearance, this Lakeland spot used to be a mine called Loughrigg Quarry during the 19^th century. The slate from the cave was extracted to create the traditional roof slate of houses during that time, such as the one used by the Bridge House in Ambleside.

There used to be several quarry mines in the area, but Rydall Cave is the only one left and preserved. The only remnants of its mine quarry history are the stepping stones on the shallow lake at the cave entrance.

Long abandoned, this man-made cavern is now open for the public to explore for free. Although it’s tucked away in the woodland and can only be accessed on foot, there are several starting points to get to the cave, such as the ones from White Moss Car Park (about 30 minutes); Grasmere (45 minutes); Rydal Village (20 minutes); Ambleside (50 minutes); and Loughrig Fell (30 minutes).

5. Blackwell

📍Address: Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house, Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere LA23 3JT, United Kingdom
🌟 Ratings: 4.7 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: The Ryebeck

The Blackwell Arts and Craft House is a Grade 1 house that is one of only a few surviving houses from the 20th century. Designed by Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott between 1897 and 1901, it was originally intended as a holiday home for the family of Sir Edward and Lady Holt.

Its well-preserved interior and exterior design are one of the best examples of the Arts and Crafts movement. Its design is considered to be a cross between Victorian and Modern architecture. The Blackwell Garden, on the other hand, was designed by Thomas Mawson last 1902.

Recently restored in 2001, it now operates as a museum. Aside from displaying art collections, the museum also regularly hosts art events. There is also a Tea Room and a shop offering local products.

For schedule and other information, visit the Blackwell website.

6. Claife Viewing Station

📍Address: Windermere west shore, Near Sawrey, Hawkshead LA22 0LW, United Kingdom
🌟 Ratings: 4.5 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Cuckoo Brow Inn

If you’re looking for a unique — and very colourful — scenery of Windermere Lake, then the Claife Viewing Station is the best place to be. Situated atop Claife Heights, it offers one of the most panoramic and unobstructed landscape views of Windermere Lake.

This Victorian structure is also most recognized for its eye-catching tinted windows of varying colours. The coloured glasses of its drawing room were designed to recreate how the view of Windermere Lake would look during every season.

Visitors can look through the yellow-tinted glass and see Windermere Lake as it would be in the summer season; orange for autumn; light green for spring; and light blue for autumn. The windows also have dark blue tinted glass to give the impression of moonlight, and lilac for thunderstorms.

Built in the 1790s, it is also one of the oldest tourist attractions built around Windermere Lake. Aside from being a viewpoint, it was also an event venue for dinner dances and parties for wealthy people during the 1830s and 1840s.

As described by Mary Maria Higginson, a guest at one of the lavish dinner dances held there, “the winding walks around the Station lightened up with Chinese lanterns and coloured lamps made charming promenades.”

Nowadays, the Claife Viewing Station can be accessed by the general public via a footpath from the ferry crossing or by biking along the west shore path. While there, guests can also take a sample of the local food at the café in the courtyard, named Joey’s Café, where coffee and pastries are available. 

Read More: 12 Best Scenic Drives in the UK: For a Perfect Road Trip in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

7. Orrest Head

📍Address: Windermere LA23 1AW, United Kingdom
🌟 Ratings: 4.8 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Windermere Manor Hotel

One of the best ways to appreciate Windermere Lake’s landscape is from the top of Orrest Head. This hill on the northern edge of Windermere offers a stunning 360-degree view of Windermere and central fells.

The picturesque view from the Orrest Head is said to have enchanted the then 23-year-old Alfred Wainwright so much that he was inspired to later write A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells.

This seven-volume book, in turn, is also credited to be one of the main factors for the tourist influx to the Lake District. As described by Wainwright in his autobiographical book Ex-Fellwanderer,

“…quite suddenly, we emerged from the trees and were on a bare headland, and, as though a curtain had dramatically been torn aside, beheld a truly magnificent view…”

Alfred Wainwright

Orrest Head is accessible from the railway station and the town centre. It is also part of Lake District National Park’s Miles without Stiles route, a trail that can be taken by people on wheelchairs, pushchairs, and visually impaired individuals.

For detailed information about the Orrest Head trail, check here.

8. Miller Ground and Adelaide Hill

📍Address: Windermere LA23 1EY, United Kingdom
🌟 Ratings: 4.7 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: The Willowsmere

If you’re looking for a footrail that gives an up-close view of Lake Windermere, then you will love the Miller Ground footpath. Located on the eastern shore of Lake Windermere, along this footpath are remnants of WW2 warfare.

This trail will also lead to the Miller Ground area, which is one of only a few spots where the lakeshore is accessible to the public. The Miller Ground area is about 2 km north of Bowness or about 20-minute walk from the village of Windermere.

Further north of the path, there are also the old Windermere Bathing Pools and the Lower Miller Ground Tower, a 17th-century bell tower.

Along the Miller, Ground trail is a boulder with a plaque marking the place where Dowager Queen Adelaide, Queen Victoria’s aunt, set foot on the 26th of July 1840. Further up the trail is Queen Adelaide Hill. It was previously named Rayrigg Bank before it was renamed after Queen Adelaide. 

9. Watersports and boating experience

📍Address: Windermere, UK
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Lake District Sightseeing Adventure Day Trip
🌟 Ratings: 4.7 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: The Belsfield Hotel

For the reason that the central attraction of Windermere is its lake, a visit to Windermere is not complete without trying on some water activities. Guests can rent out, or bring their own, canoes, kayaks, or paddleboards.

For some adrenaline rush, there’s also water skiing and sailing. Group activities such as dragon boat racing are also becoming popular. Windermere Lake is also an ideal place for swimming.

Visitors can also take Lake Cruises, which operates about 100 daily trips during the summer and will take you about 45 minutes to 3 hours around Lake Windermere. There are also options for visitors to rent out private boats or yachts.

10. Lakeland Motor Museum

📍Address: Old Blue Mill, Backbarrow, Ulverston LA12 8TA, United Kingdom
🌟 Ratings: 4.7 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: Whitewater Hotel & Leisure Club

Walk down the memory lane – or rather, drive into it – with the Lakeland Motor Museum. A haven for car enthusiasts, the car museum has over 30,000 exhibits of motor cars, motorbikes, cycles, and other automobile memorabilia.

Located in Leven Valley, near the Newby Bridge in Windermere Lake, it has been exhibiting rare car collections for more than 50 years.

The motor museum houses about 140 rare antique cars, petrol pumps, enamel advertising signs, pedal cars, and more. Some of the displays include exhibits celebrating the Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy and Vincent motorcycles.

The museum also has an exhibit titled Campbell Bluebird, a display dedicated to Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald, who are both speed record holders. Donald Campbell, in particular, broke eight world speed records, both on land and water. Aside from exhibiting motor vehicles, the museum has lifelike recreations of historical events.

For more information, visit the Lakeland Motor Museum website.

11. Stott Park Bobbin Mill

📍Address: Colton Hill, Lakeside, Ulverston LA12 8AX, United Kingdom
🎟️Find Tickets – Book in Advance: Attractions Pass for Overseas Visitors
🌟 Ratings: 4.4 / 5
🛌🏻 Accommodation Nearby: The Knoll

For some educational tours about the industrial heritage of making wooden bobbins, the Stott Park Bobbin Mill is your next stop.

Located near Newby Bridge, the 19th-century mill produces a quarter of a million bobbins per week. Built by local landowner John Harrison in 1835, the mill only ceased operations in 1971.

As the only surviving bobbin mill left in Lake District today, it is an excellent reminder of the wooden bobbin trade that used to be a thriving industry in Lake District.

Now a working museum, visitors of Stott Park Bobbin Mill can witness first-hand the process of turning a raw wood block into bobbins. Kids will also enjoy a trail called Bob’s Adventure, where special bobbin pins are used for a quiz game.

For scheduled visits and other information, check out the Stott Park Bobbin Mill website.

12. Belle Isle

📍Address: LA23 1BG, UK
🌟 Ratings: 4.5 / 5

With an area of about 16.8 hectares, Belle Isle is the largest of the 18 islands found in Windermere Lake. It is also the only one that previously had formal residents, who lived privately on the famed Island House up until 1993.

Built in 1774, Island House’s architecture is reminiscent of the old Pantheon building in ancient Rome. It is famous for its four-column portico and circular design, as designed by John Plaw. The villa was later sold to the Curwen family, who renamed the island after their daughter, Isabella Curwen; hence, Belle Isle.

Although currently uninhabited, Belle Isle remains private property. You can still get a glimpse of this magnificent structure by taking a cruise or renting out a boat on Lake Windermere.

I hope that helped you in planning your upcoming trip and appreciate more the best things to do in Windermere in the beautiful Lake District region in the UK.