Activities in Lake District
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Windermere Lake Cruises
Top on the list of things to do in Windermere is to take a lake cruise. The first passenger ferry was launched back in 1845, and cruising on the lake is still a hugely popular pastime: some of the vessels are modern, but there are a couple of period beauties dating back to the 1930s. Cruises allow you to jump off at one of the ferry landings (Waterhead/Ambleside, Wray Castle, Brockhole, Bowness, Ferry Landing, Fell Foot Ferry and Lakeside) and catch a later boat back.
Blue Cruise (adult/child/family £6.75/3.40/18.50) 45-minute cruise around Windermere's islands and bays.
Green Cruise (adult/child/family £6.20/3.10/17) 45-minute cruise from Waterhead/Ambleside via Wray Cas…
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Keswick Launch Company
Derwent Water has an excellent boat service run by the Keswick Launch Company calling at seven landing stages around the lake: Ashness Gate, Lodore Falls, High Brandlehow, Low Brandlehow, Hawse End, Nichol End and back to Keswick. Boats leave every hour, clockwise and anticlockwise; single fares to each jetty are also available.
There are six daily boats from March to November, with a couple of extra afternoon sailings in high summer. There's also an evening cruise at 19:30 in summer, which includes a free glass of wine (one hour, May to September). There are only two daily sailings from November to March.
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Lakeland walks
The town makes an excellent base for many well-known Lakeland walks. One of the most popular trails is the easy-going woodland stroll up to Stock Ghyll Force, a 60ft waterfall plunging into a narrow canyon. For something more strenuous, you could try the hour-long ascent to the top of Wansfell, followed by a two-hour return trip via Jenkins Crag, with views across to Coniston and the Langdale Pikes. Serious hikers are spoilt for choice - several classic circuits start from Ambleside, including the 10-mile Fairfield Horseshoe via Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Fairfield and Dove Crag.
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Coniston Launch
A more contemporary way to get around the lake is aboard Coniston's two modern launches, which have run on solar panels since 2005. There are two routes: the Northern service calls at the Waterhead Hotel, Torver and Brantwood, while the Southern service sails to the jetties at Torver, Water Park, Lake Bank, Sunny Bank and Brantwood via Peel Island. You can break your journey and walk to the next jetty. There are between five and nine daily trips depending on the time of year.
As with the Gondola, commentated cruises on the Campbells (adult/child £11.70/5.75) and Swallows & Amazons (£12/6) are available throughout the year. Ask at the ticket office for details.
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Walking
The popular climb to the summit of the Old Man (7½ miles, four to five hours) starts at St Andrew's Church in Coniston. On a clear day the views stretch to the Cumbrian coast and Windermere. Another walk from St Andrew's Church climbs through picturesque countryside to Tarn Hows, an artificial lake backed by woods and mountains. Allow 2½ to three hours for the 5-mile walk. The tourist office has leaflets on both walks.
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Gondola
Rescued from dereliction by the NT, the steam yacht Gondola, described by the Illustrated London News as 'a perfect combination of the Venetian gondola and the English steam yacht', was launched on Coniston Water in 1859. The luxurious saloons have been completely refurbished, and the boat runs like clockwork between Brantwood and Coniston Pier.
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Low Wood Watersports & Activity Centre
The brand-new Low Wood Watersports & Activity Centre offers all kinds of ways to get out on the lake, including rowing boats, kayaks and canoes, wayfarer sailing boats and outboard motor boats. It also offers sailing, water-skiing and wakeboarding tuition and a climbing wall.
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Keswick Climbing Wall & Activity Centre
Keswick Climbing Wall & Activity Centre, behind the Pencil Museum, organises outdoor activities including canoeing, abseiling, rock climbing and cycling.
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Summitreks
Arranges outdoor activities and hires out walking gear, as well as kayaks and canoes.
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Coniston Boating Centre
The Coniston Boating Centre hires out rowboats, motor boats, canoes and dinghies.
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Nichol End Marine
Nichol End Marine hires out kayaks, windsurfers, rowboats and motor-boats.
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Boat & Train
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Boat & Aquarium
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Steam Yacht Gondola
Built in 1859 and restored in the 1980s by the National Trust, this wonderful steam yacht looks like a cross between a Venetian vaporetto and an English houseboat, complete with cushioned saloons and polished wood seats. It's a stately way of seeing the lake, especially if you're visiting Brantwood. There are five trips daily from mid-March to October, plus less frequent commentated Explorer cruises covering Ransome, the Campbells and Ruskin. Reduced fares are available to other points round the lake.
And don't fret about carbon emissions; since 2008 the Gondola's been running on ecofriendly waste-wood logs, cutting her carbon footprint by 90%.
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Low Wood Watersports
If you feel like getting out on the lake, this watersports centre rents row boats (one/four hours £12/34), kayaks (two/four hours £16/21), canoes (two/four hours £20/30) and motor boats (one/four hours £20/45).
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Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
Classic standard-gauge steam trains puff their way along this vintage railway from Haverthwaite, near Ulverston, to Newby Bridge and Lakeside. There are five to seven daily trains in season, timed to correspond with the Windermere cruise boats. There are various combo tickets available for local attractions – ask at the ticket office. Standard fares from Haverthwaite:
Lakeside (adult/child £5.90/2.95)
Bowness (adult/child £14.00/7.50)
Ambleside (adult/child £19.40/9.70)
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Fell Hikes
Ambleside marks the start of several well-known walks, including the wooded trail up to the 60ft waterfall of Stock Ghyll Force, or the three-hour round trip via Wansfell and Jenkins Crag, with views across to Coniston and the Langdale Pikes. Serious hikers can tackle the 10-mile Fairfield Horseshoe via Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Fairfield and Dove Crag.
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