An Ullswater long weekend: a three-day itinerary for first-timers

Ullswater is the second largest lake in the Lake District after Windermere, and many people would say the most beautiful. It runs from Pooley Bridge at the northern end to Glenridding at the southern, with gentle farmland at one end and the Helvellyn range rising straight out of the water at the other. You can see it in a day from the car. You should not. This is how we would spend three days here on a first visit, built around the lake steamers, a couple of small fells and one big mountain if you have the experience for it.

Getting there and getting around

The nearest railway station is Penrith. From there the Stagecoach 508 runs along the lake through Pooley Bridge to Glenridding and Patterdale, with a more frequent service in the main season and a reduced winter service that does not cross the Kirkstone Pass. Check current times before you travel.

On the lake itself, Ullswater Steamers link Pooley Bridge, Howtown and Glenridding. Their fleet of heritage boats includes Lady of the Lake, launched in 1877 and believed by the company to be the oldest working passenger boat in the UK, and Raven, launched in 1889. Journey times are about an hour from Glenridding to Pooley Bridge, 35 minutes from Glenridding to Howtown and 25 minutes from Pooley Bridge to Howtown.

Fares for 2026 include £26 adult for a round-the-lake trip and £18 adult for a Glenridding to Howtown return, with reduced child fares and under-fives free (checked October 2026). Dogs travel for a small charge on a short lead. Timetables change through the year, so use the operator's current timetable rather than any times you see quoted elsewhere.

One important change: the Aira Force pier is not in use. Sailings there are suspended until further notice, and the operator expects the route to reopen in 2027. To visit Aira Force, drive, take the bus or walk.

Day one: Pooley Bridge and the lake

Arrive at Pooley Bridge, the small village at the northern foot of the lake. Its old stone bridge was destroyed by Storm Desmond in December 2015; the replacement, opened in October 2020, is the UK's first stainless steel road bridge. Stretch your legs along the shore, then take the steamer the full length of the lake to Glenridding and back. It is the best introduction there is: the scenery changes from soft pasture to proper mountains as you sail south.

If you would rather make a half day of it, take the boat one way to Howtown and come back on a later sailing.

Spend the evening in Pooley Bridge or drive out to Askham for dinner (see below).

Day two: Hallin Fell and the lakeshore path

Today is the walking day most visitors remember.

Take an early steamer to Howtown pier. From here, two options:

• Hallin Fell (388m). One of the finest small fells in the Lakes. The standard ascent is from the car park by St Peter's Church at Martindale Hause, a short walk uphill from Howtown, and takes about 20 minutes to a huge square cairn with views up and down the lake. Our walk adds a loop round the wooded shore below: Hallin Fell and the Ullswater shore.
• Howtown to Glenridding along the shore. The classic Ullswater walk follows the south-eastern side of the lake through Sandwick, round the foot of Hallin Fell and on past Side Farm to Patterdale and Glenridding. Countryfile puts it at about 6.6 miles (10.6 km) and around four hours. It is undulating, rocky and rooty in places, and longer and more remote than it looks from the boat, so go prepared and check the last sailing if you plan to ride back.

Fit walkers can combine the two: climb Hallin Fell first, then pick up the shore path to Glenridding.

Day three: Aira Force, then a choice

Start at Aira Force, the National Trust's waterfall on the western shore, which drops just under 20 metres through a narrow gorge. The main loop from the pay-and-display car park off the A592 is about a mile and takes about an hour, with toilets and a tea room at the car park. Go early to beat the crowds. Our route is here: Aira Force waterfall loop.

This is also Wordsworth country in a very particular sense. It was on the shores of Ullswater, in April 1802, that he saw the daffodils that became his most famous poem.

Then choose your afternoon, or your whole day:

• For experienced hillwalkers: Helvellyn (950m). From Glenridding, the classic round crosses Striding Edge, a narrow and exposed rock ridge, to the summit and returns by Swirral Edge. It is a serious day of six hours or more and should only be attempted in calm, dry conditions. See Helvellyn via Striding Edge. If the edges are not for you, the Pony Path route reaches the same summit without the scrambling.
• For a gentler day: potter around Glenridding, or take the steamer back towards Howtown and walk part of the shore path in reverse before turning round.

Where to eat

Ullswater has fewer restaurants than Windermere, so book dinner in advance in summer.

• Allium at Askham Hall. A Michelin-starred restaurant in a historic hall near Penrith, with Ullswater on its doorstep, run by head chef Richard Swale and built around produce from the estate. The best meal in the area.
• Another Place, The Lake. The hotel at Watermillock has three places to eat: Rampsbeck for seasonal cooking, The Living Space for a relaxed menu and The Glasshouse for wood-fired pizza with lake views.
• Inn on the Lake, Glenridding. The Lake View Restaurant, the Ramblers Bar and afternoon tea in the lounges and Orangery, in grounds that run down to the shore.
• The Ullswater Inn, Glenridding. An Inn Collection Group pub serving home-cooked food from breakfast to evening, handy after Helvellyn.
• The Horse and Farrier, Dacre. A freehold village pub a few miles from the lake with rotating real ales and homemade food.

A note on older guides: Sharrow Bay, the famous country house hotel on the eastern shore, closed in 2020 and is not trading. Ignore any recommendation to dine there.

Where to stay

• Another Place, The Lake is the obvious choice for active couples and families: paddleboarding, kayaking and open water swimming from its own shore, a pool with fell views and a sauna.
• Inn on the Lake puts you on the shore at Glenridding, a short walk from the steamer pier and the start of the Helvellyn paths.
• Askham Hall, home of Allium, has bedrooms too, and the family who own it say they love welcoming dogs.

For more options, see our Glenridding and Pooley Bridge pages.

Before you go

• Parking: Glenridding's main car park at Beckside and the National Trust car park at Aira Force are both pay and display and fill early on fine summer days. See our parking guide.
• Information: the National Park's Ullswater Information Centre is at Beckside car park in Glenridding, near the bus stop and steamer pier. It opens daily from April to October and at weekends in winter.
• Without a car: the 508 bus and the steamers together cover almost everything in this itinerary. See our car-free guide.
• Weather: if the cloud is down, swap Helvellyn for Aira Force after rain, when it is at its best, and see our rainy-day ideas.
• Camping: the National Park Authority says wild camping is not permitted anywhere in the Lake District without the landowner's permission, and camping in car parks or on verges is never allowed. Use a campsite.