Windermere Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Windermere
Windermere
Windermere
Windermere
Windermere

Windermere is the perfect lakeside destination all year round.

With the water’s shores so close, the scenery is always fantastic and the leisure activities plentiful. The village of Windermere itself has plenty of shops and nice restaurants to enjoy where you can eat outside and enjoy the fantastic scenery. Several local viewpoints offer visitors panoramic views of both the lake and the more distant Pennines.

Windermere and wider Cumbria have a wide selection of accommodation types to choose from, including some local hotels and bed & breakfasts. Why not spoil yourself and stay in a luxurious spa, perfect to relax in and receive some pampering.

Windermere, originally a small hamlet called Birthwaite, came to prominence with the completion of the railway link from Kendal. The railway terminated at Windermere to avoid the steep descent into the lakeside at Bowness.

Bowness-on-Windermere is one of the most popular holiday locations in the Lake District. With immediate access to the waters of Windermere, it is an excellent location for water activities, such as boating.

Bring the family to Grizedale Forest, which offers tree top adventure activities and much more for the whole family to enjoy. It makes for a perfect location for a great day out. There are different levels of park walking trails to suit all needs. Take a picnic and make a day of it.

While staying in Windermere take the opportunity to explore the rest of Cumbria. The North Pennines, Eden Valley and a section of the Yorkshire Dales are all located within Cumbria.

Cumbria itself is a real treasure trove of historic sites including some of the earliest stone circles in the UK. Hadrian’s Wall runs along its border making for a real interesting place to delve further into Britain’s historic and famous past.

Explore Cartmel Priory a simple beautiful priory with some great examples of Norman architecture. This large Priory in the small village of Cartmel does not disappoint in terms of structure with beautiful carved effigy of a knight and his lady, coupled with interesting wall plaques and floor tomb stones.

Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the North Pennines is one of England’s most picturesque places. Made up of expansive countryside of heather moors and peatlands, with lush green dales as far as the eye can see, along with its welcoming communities and intriguing remains of a mining and industrial past, make it a top place to visit when in Cumbria.

Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa

Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa

4 out of 5
23 Church Street Windermere England
The price is £160 per night from 5 Jul to 6 Jul
£160
5 Jul - 6 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this spa hotel in Windermere. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in their ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,001 reviews)
"Top quality hotel in a brilliant location, absolutely loved it here. We didn’t find a better bar to have a drink in or a better restaurant to eat in, all perfect… with a wonderful view over the lake too! The leisure facilities really helped too, the pool was a proper pool you could actually swim ..."

Reviewed on 8 Jun 2026

Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa
Lakes Hotel and Spa

Lakes Hotel and Spa

5 out of 5
Kendal Road Windermere England
The price is £176 per night from 2 Jul to 3 Jul
£176
2 Jul - 3 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Windermere. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and 15 hot tubs. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (1,280 reviews)
"We had a wonderful stay at Lakes Hotel & Spa. The location is perfect, with stunning views that made our trip feel extra special. Our accommodation was comfortable, modern, and had everything we needed for a relaxing break. A special mention must go to the concierge team, who were absolutely amazing ..."

Reviewed on 21 Jun 2026

Lakes Hotel and Spa
Beech Hill Hotel & Spa

Beech Hill Hotel & Spa

4 out of 5
Newby Bridge Road Windermere England
The price is £110 per night from 24 Jun to 25 Jun
£110
24 Jun - 25 Jun
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Windermere. Enjoy free parking, 2 hot tubs and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff and the comfy rooms in their ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (154 reviews)
"Fantastic stay. Room was modern and comfortable. Very clean in the room and everywhere else. The staff were lovely, really friendly and helpful. The view was amazing and we had a very pleasant stay"

Reviewed on 21 Jun 2026

Beech Hill Hotel & Spa
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Kotel Windermere

Kotel Windermere

4.5 out of 5
Lake road Windermere England
Stay at this luxury aparthotel in Windermere. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a garden. Popular attractions Lake Windermere and Windermere Jetty Museum of ...
Kotel Windermere
Hapimag Burnside Park Apartments

Hapimag Burnside Park Apartments

4 out of 5
The Lodge, Kendal Road Windermere England
Stay at this golf aparthotel in Windermere. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a health club. Popular attractions Lake Windermere and World of Beatrix Potter ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (85 reviews)
"Amazing place we only stayed one night but everything was top notch. From checking into checking out."

Reviewed on 25 May 2026

Hapimag Burnside Park Apartments
Rayrigg Villa Windermere

Rayrigg Villa Windermere

4 out of 5
Ellerthwaite Square Windermere England
Stay at this villa in Windermere. Popular attractions Lake Windermere and World of Beatrix Potter are located nearby.
8/10 Very Good! (160 reviews)
"Great location, very clean, spacious room would definitely stay here again 💯😊"

Reviewed on 12 May 2026

Rayrigg Villa Windermere
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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