Guides
The best tarns in the Lake District, and how to reach each one
Sixteen Lake District tarns worth the walk, from step-free Tarn Hows and Blea Tarn to Stickle, Easedale, Red Tarn and Innominate, with routes and parking.
Walks & Views, updated 21 October 2026
Easy family walks in the Lake District: our favourites under 3 miles
Short, easy Lake District walks for families and beginners: waterfalls, tarns, lakeshores and first summits, each under 3 miles, with what to expect.
Walks & Views, updated 21 October 2026
A weekend in the Lake District: a realistic two-day itinerary
Two days in the central Lakes, by car or by train, bus and boat: Rydal Water, Grasmere, a Windermere cruise, Langdale or Coniston, and a Cartmel option.
Things To Do, updated 21 October 2026
Restaurants in Ambleside: where to eat, from Michelin stars to pub suppers
Ambleside has two Michelin-starred restaurants and a third just up the road. Our checked guide to eating well in town, from tasting menus to cinema suppers.
Food & Drink, updated 21 October 2026
The best afternoon teas in the Lake District
Where to take afternoon tea in the Lakes, from Windermere country houses to Derwentwater and Ullswater, checked against each venue's own site in October 2026.
Food & Drink, updated 21 October 2026
The best Wainwrights to climb: a shortlist for every kind of walker
What the 214 Wainwrights are, and the fells we would climb first: short family summits, classic half days and the big mountain days, with verified heights.
Walks & Views, updated 21 October 2026
Lake District boat trips: Windermere, Ullswater, Derwentwater and Coniston
The main public boat services on the Lakes, from Windermere cruises and Ullswater 'Steamers' to the Gondola and the car ferry, with seasons and walks.
Things To Do, updated 21 October 2026
Scafell Pike: how to climb England's highest mountain
The three main routes up Scafell Pike from Wasdale, Borrowdale and Langdale, with honest times, parking, navigation and the war memorial on the summit.
Walks & Views, updated 21 October 2026
Michelin-starred restaurants in Cumbria and the Lake District (2026)
Every Michelin-starred and Bib Gourmand restaurant in Cumbria in the 2026 guide, from three-star L'Enclume to village pubs, with the chef behind each.
Food & Drink, updated 21 October 2026
Keswick town guide: markets, museums, the lake and where to eat
Our Keswick guide, checked October 2026: market days, the Pencil Museum move, Theatre by the Lake, the launch, walks from town, food and parking.
Things To Do, updated 21 October 2026
Dog-friendly hotels in the Lake District: where your dog is properly welcome
Lake District hotels and inns whose own websites say dogs are welcome, with the fees and house rules they publish and the walks to do from each.
Hotels & Stays, updated 21 October 2026
Helvellyn via Striding Edge: the complete guide to the classic scramble
What Striding Edge is really like: the Bad Step, the final climb, winter conditions, the fell top assessors, safe descents and parking in Glenridding.
Walks & Views, updated 21 October 2026
Rainy day in the Lake District: what to do when the weather turns
Museums, galleries, cinemas, a slate mine and waterfall walks that are better in the wet: our pick of rainy day Lake District, checked October 2026.
Things To Do, updated 21 October 2026
The best views in the Lake District: 10 viewpoints and how to reach them
Ten Lake District viewpoints worth the effort, from roadside Surprise View to Helvellyn, with where to park, how long it takes and which walk to follow.
Walks & Views, updated 21 October 2026
The cosiest pubs in the Lake District for a winter afternoon
Real fires, real ale and muddy boots welcome: our checked list of the Lake District's cosiest pubs, from Ambleside and Grasmere to Langdale and Coniston.
Food & Drink, updated 21 October 2026
The Lake District with kids: a family guide to boats, trains, walks and wet days
Where to take children in the Lake District: lake boats and steam trains, short walks that end somewhere good, and attractions for when it rains.
Things To Do, updated 21 October 2026
The best restaurants in the Lake District: our guide
Where to eat in the Lake District, town by town: Michelin-starred tasting menus, honest pubs, pizza and a cinema supper, all checked October 2026.
Food & Drink, updated 21 October 2026
Beatrix Potter country: Hill Top, Hawkshead and beyond
A practical guide to Beatrix Potter's Lake District: booking Hill Top, the Sawreys, Hawkshead's history, Wray, Tarn Hows and Derwentwater.
Culture & Heritage, updated 21 October 2026
The best luxury hotels in the Lake District
The Lake District's finest hotels, checked October 2026: Michelin Key country houses, starred restaurants with rooms, spa retreats and lakeside stays.
Hotels & Stays, updated 21 October 2026
An Ullswater long weekend: a three-day itinerary for first-timers
Three days on Ullswater: the steamers, Hallin Fell, the shore path from Howtown, Aira Force and Helvellyn, plus where to eat and stay.
Things To Do, updated 21 October 2026
Wild swimming in the Lake District: where you can swim, and how to do it safely
Where swimming is allowed in the Lake District, which reservoirs are off limits, the designated bathing waters on Windermere and Coniston, and how to stay safe.
Things To Do, updated 21 October 2026
The best boutique hotels in the Lake District
Small, characterful Lake District hotels and inns with rooms, checked October 2026, plus our pick of the most romantic places to stay as a couple.
Hotels & Stays, updated 21 October 2026
