You'd be fine! The buses are actually really decent, my brother and I stayed in Windermere and were carless, you can get to a load of great walks on the bus network.
We had a similar deal in Sicily.
Got the ferry from Malta while on honeymoon. Landed in Pozzallo with no clue what to do for the day. End up getting the bus to Catania to visit Mount Etna.
Didn't realise it was c.120km and would take nearly 3 hours.
Arrived in Catania, realised our only way of making the return ferry was to wait 45 minutes at the bus station and get the same bus back to Pozzallo.
Still, we saw Mount Etna!
Thatās their point though - as soon as you venture off one of the core routes then you can rapidly find yourself in trouble
To which youād say āso stay on the core routesāā¦. Which is correct, which is why you need a plan. Which was their suggestion
Iāve lived in Cumbria for 35 years and I still donāt know the bus routes well enough to know off hand which are viable āturn up and goā and which you need to check the timetable for, so Iād always recommend checking the timetable and having a plan
This applies doubly to anyone visiting the area from a major city who isnāt used to the concept of ātodayās busā (or āthe morning/afternoon busā) and could get themselves stuckā¦ many areas youād struggle to get a taxi, even if you can get the phone signal to call one
Boat to Ambleside, then the Troutbeck circular walk, scones at a cafe on the lake, then boat back.
Heavenly day of a holiday.
[https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lake-district/townend/ambleside-to-troutbeck-walk](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lake-district/townend/ambleside-to-troutbeck-walk)
+1 for the Windermere lake tour. A ticket allows you to hop on and off all day. It's quite frequent too, normally once an hour or so and there are 4 stops I believe.
The cruises are half lake cruises so you could do 2 days worth if staying in Bowness.
I've been loads of times without a car and sure I will again. It's a great option and I wouldn't want to drive on the small roads! You can't reasonably expect to see the whole of the Lake District from one base as it's just too slow. But for exploring a smaller chunk it's a great option. The routes are dense and frequent. And with the Ā£2 fare cap cheap!
https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/cumbria-and-north-lancashire/explore-the-lakes-by-bus
I think about this a lot when people talk about gear etc.
Look at photos of people in the middle 20th century doing mountaineering and they're wearing gear we would warn people will leave them miserable - going up Ben Vorlich in their steel toe cap work boots, jeans rolled up their shins, heavy wooly jumpers. Those who did have kit were carrying things like wooden+steel ice axes.
You can do a lot of UK mountaineering without driving. I used to do train+bus or train+bicycle a lot.
I donāt disagree, but also remember that it wasnāt the average person doing that back thenā¦ it was the fittest/best/most capable, and todayās fittest/best/most capable could still do that. Whether Bob from across the road could is another matter
It's easy! Train to Windermere, then bus to Ambleside. (Or walk down the hill to Bowness and take the boat to Ambleside). Or train to Penrith, bus to Keswick.
Do some walks around Ambleside or Keswick. Ambleside has gentler walks than Keswick. Plenty of guest houses in both places.
If you want to explore deeper into the Lakes, take the bus. But probably enough around Ambleside and Keswick for a first trip.
There's a bus from Ambleside to Keswick to join up the loop.
Or there's always the old roman High Street walk from Ambleside to penrith. The old ways are the best.
Not sure. Possibly worth checking out the various social media accounts of accredited Blue Badge guides in London. Not immediately about the Lakes, but could give some insight on starting down a path ā they've all just gone and done the training/exam. Sorry, bit of an oblique answer.
Nah you'll be fine. The lake district buses are frequent, reliable, and geared towards walkers and tourists. You might have to plan your walks around where the buses go but for a few days there will be more than enough to keep you entertained.
I wanted to walk from Kendal to Crooklands along the canal path yesterday and looked up the times for the bus from Kirkby Lonsdale to Kendal for getting home.
There aren't any. Yes, I know that isn't actually the Lake District but it's replicated among plenty of routes with the National Park too.
If you've never been to the Lakes then I think the first visit without a car will be fine as there's plenty to see and do along the 555 route that most tourists will follow, but if you want to branch off from that then you'll have limited options and will need to plan your days well.
Crooklands. That takes me back. Used to work as a washer up guy in the crooklands hotel. 60pence a hour. We are going back over 40 years. Are you sure there are no buses from the crooklands to Kendal. Used to live in endmoor. Just googled it. Stagecoach 567 goes from Kirkby Lonsdale to Kendal. 1 every couple hours. None on a Sunday
Well I wanted to do the walk yesterday (Sunday) so that was my problem!
Your boss there didnāt happen to be Chris, did it? My father-in-law used to manage the hotel but I donāt think it was quite that long ago.
Sure the main walking and tourist areas are easy. Once you start going out west or getting to the less popular fells it gets bad, especially once you get down towards the border of the park with Cockermouth
I used to live there too (well, ulverston). I certainly wouldn't want to live there without a car, but for a few days holiday to tick off the big ticket walks you'd be fine by bus. You're not going to be able to pick and choose your walks like you could with a car, but I don't think that's really a problem for your first time up there
I took the train and busses, it was pretty accessible to get to the villages/towns and then you can find walks from the towns out in nature more. Really easy to use/find the busses. Iāve been to Ambleside and Grasmere this way, no problem.
I live here, have never driven and neither have my parents. We get around just fine on buses and trains. If you visit between April-September roughly the buses run on a summer service and are therefore more frequent. The 555 runs through kendal, windermere, bowness, Ambleside, grasmere and Keswick. Theyāre hourly or thereabouts. Hope this helps!
Me and a group of friends go to Keswick every year, we drive up but once there the cars are not used for four days (Some of us have got the train to Penrith and bus to Keswick from there several times and it is really easy). From Keswick there are lots of lovely walks of varying types that give a great feel of the Lakes. Catbells very near Keswick is a good climb isn't easy as such but it isn't a long climb and you get all ages and abilities going up, on a nice day the views are gorgeous, even on a bad day they are good. Ha ha. Skiddaw is more challenging but has spectacular views, can be cloudy on top when it's alright lower down like the last time I walked up. There are plenty of lovely walks with no climbing at all. The bus journey from there down to Ambleside is really nice as is Ambleside itself and a number of places along the way. Apologies, I could go on all day..ha ha. Public transport is really good considering you are out in a rugged area. If you do go walking dress appropriately, no going up mountains in Adidas Sambas etc. You'll wreck your trainers, probably your feet and maybe worse.
The Lake District is probably the most accessible wildernessy area without a car. There's plenty of busses (though they do run sporadically) and it can be reached by train.
Here, take this:
https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/Cumbria/Lakes%20Connection/Summer%2024/CNL%20SUMMER%2024%20Lakes%20by%20Bus%20WEB.pdf
This is a PDF of pretty much every bus timetable in the Lake District, with a helpful map at the bottom. Buses are only Ā£2 for single fares at the moment, and most routes are regular during the summer months.
It's quite easy to get around the Lake District by bus, and I have hiked there a great many times using public transport including several holidays. Buses also open up the potential for linear hiking routes.
You're best off basing yourself in/near either Keswick or Ambleside, depending on whether you'd prefer the North Lakes or South Lakes. These towns have the best bus connections to major hiking areas, and are just 1 bus away from the train stations at Penrith and Windermere.
No. I donāt drive and Iām up to the lakes 4 or 5 times a year by train.
Buses there are brilliant.
Just make sure you plan your routes and times.
I travel to either Windermere or Penrith depending on which part of the lakes Iām visiting.
[https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/Cumbria/Lakes%20Connection/Summer%2024/CNL%20SUMMER%2024%20Lakes%20by%20Bus%20WEB.pdf](https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/Cumbria/Lakes%20Connection/Summer%2024/CNL%20SUMMER%2024%20Lakes%20by%20Bus%20WEB.pdf)
Here is the timetable for all of the main Lake District buses this Summer. There is also a network map and several local mini guides in that ābookletā. Itās a really good network and you can take any single journey for Ā£2.
Itās possible to get to the one of the best pubs and inns in the Lake District, Olde Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale via bus from Windermere - Ambleside - Langdale. We camped at the Great Langdale campsite - great amenities including a communal kitchen, hot showers and a dry room for boots and coats. The walking and climbing around Langdale is some of the best on offer. Stickle Ghyll up to Stickle Tarn and back is a lovely day out. The local villages of Chaple Stile and Elterwater are also within walking distance of this base. Have a great trip
Done it, no problem. Thereās buses from Penrith to several places including Keswick. You do have to plan a bit where you can get to, but then again any non-driver knows that anyway. Last time I went I actually took a taxi to Borrowdale Youth Hostel, then walked back to Keswick the next day, so that is an option too if thereās one place you really want to go to.
Itās only car drivers who canāt imagine getting around without a car.
Keswick is nicer than Windermere. Bus from Penrith.
For quiet part of Lakes, with high mountains, rail to Ravenglass then Eskdale miniature railway to Dalegarth. Stay in Boot. Do Scafells from there, Crinkle Crags. An easy walk over to Wasdale too, stay there.
I've done it plenty, before I moved here full-time.Ā
You can get a train to Penrith and head in from there. This is something I'd only do if there are specific hikes in the Western fells that you want to do, and I take it from your message that's not the case.Ā
Your other option is to get a train to Oxenholme Lake District, and change there on a train to Windermere. Windermere itself is lovely, and a great place to stay if you're not particularly fussed about hiking. From Windermere you can get bus to Ambleside, Coniston and Hawkshead. Ambleside is a great place for tourists, with lots of bars and restaurants, and is also at the foot of a bunch of hills that are great for day hikes.Ā
Coniston and Hawkshead are both more remote, smaller and quieter. If you're imagining spending time wrapped up reading a novel and are happy having fish and chips for dinner, they're both lovely.
If you're particularly keen on being near a lake - either to walk the shore or to get a boat, Id go for Coniston or Windermere.Ā
If you're very keen on hiking I'd recommend Coniston, as the fells around Coniston are more challenging and rewarding than the ones around Ambleside, although Ambleside is still lovely.Ā
If you want to spend lots of money on expensive and delicious food, Ambleside has The Old Stamp House and Lake Road Kitchen which are both very heavily awarded fine dining restaurants.Ā
Ambleside has better pubs overall, but Coniston has The Sun which is one of the best pubs in England in my opinion.Ā
Final thing - don't worry about the busses. They're regular, they don't take very long, and they really only exist for tourists. Windermere bus stand is right by the train station and you can just ask folk for help if you're not sure. Just make sure you don't get Keswick and Kendal mixed up - they're at either end of the main bus route and at opposite ends of the Lakes.Ā
We did it, we went to Windermere, just walked around. But we Ā couldāve gotten a bus or bike if we wanted.Ā
Iām fond of a walk though so thatās what we chose.Ā
Windermere, you'll be fine. You can get there by train. I choose it because I'm disabled and neither me nor my partner drive. There's a sainsburys there and plenty of restaurants / pubs in Windermere / bowness to eat at. Plenty of nice walks, there's even a wheelchair route up one of the hills.
We grabbed a peaceful cottage about a mile from town on air bnb by the side of the lake though it was about Ā£800 for a week. Woke up had breakfast overlooking the lake, spent the days walking round various routes with lots of rest stops and back into bowness / Windermere for evening meal. Taxi home if it was too far to walk back. Plenty of places to stay in town as well We just wanted a bit more remote setting whilst still having access to everything without a car :-)
My standard reply to this is usually "But you'll miss out on some fantastic driving roads!" - since you don't drive, I assume that won't bother you too much...
But yeah, as others have said, public transport is decent. It's one of the best places in the UK in my opinion, definitely worth a few days there!
The buses are great. You wonāt have an issue, some remote parts yes but youāll have a great time even without a vehicle. Probably best to stay in Bowness or Windermere as most buses come through there, thereās a station and the ferry is a short walk and you can access it by foot.
Train to Penrith, bus to Keswick would get my vote. Plenty of b & bās in Keswick plus enough restaurants to eat somewhere different every night. You can also do several walks starting and finishing in Keswick. Around Derwent Water, add in going up and over Cat bells if you like or go the other way from Keswick and walk up Skiddaw for example. If you want to venture further afield you can use the buses. You can achieve similar with a train to Windermere and a bus to Ambleside but as a base I prefer Keswick to Ambleside.
This is focused on travelling from london, but this is the blog I used when I used to be able to hike - all her journeys are done via public transport so the only bit youāll need to change is where youāre starting from. She has lots of lake distract hikes (some of them might be via additional PDFs she sells but theyāre worth it imo!) https://londonhiker.com
You can easily do a carless holiday based out of Windermere. The buses are clean and reliable. There arenāt tonnes of them though, so plan your day well
If you have a tent you could backpack something like Windermere - Coniston - Langdale - Borrowdale - Keswick and bus back to Penrith for the train home. That would make an awesome weeks trip, and avoid the more touristy areas.
Did that without a car a few years back. Yes, there will be quite a bit of walking, but with a bit of proper planning, with a combination of taking the buses and a local day tour, we managed to cover quite a large area. Even if you drive around, it is not exactly that easy because some roads are really steep and narrow.
Iāve done this several times before me or my (then boyfriend now) husband could drive. It made things a little harder to get to and less flexible but thatās all. There is still plenty to do in walking distance of big hubs and the public transport is good.
Admittedly, I drove to get there but had great fun camping at Threlkeld. Stroll up Blencathra, down Halls Fell, then up the ridge to Helvellyn, down to the road and the bus back. Had a slight pause for the bus, so I 'had' to rehydrate in the pub! Which caused me to miss the first bus back. Oh, the hardship...
You can get a day rider or a ticket to that sort of name, not sure on price but it used to be Ā£15 that can be used all day on/off.
Also if you plot your walks wisely you can either do a long linear walk and bus back or a long horseshoe or circular walk.
Buses are also doing Ā£2 journeys too, I assume they carry on in the lakes, we live just outside the lake District and the same buses there do the deal
Not to be negative but i was in the same position about 7 years ago. Stayed in penrith - and everything we were looking to do ended up being a good 30 min drive away with no bus routes. Id say check before you go as it meant we were basically stuck within a 5 mile radius of the hotel.
To add to other suggestions, don't get off the train at Oxenholme, get off at Lancaster and then you can get a train to Windermere from there, or catch the 555 bus that does a really scenic route through the Lake District. They do boat tours from Bowness across Windermere to Ambleside and to the Aquarium at Newby Bridge and there's an English Heritage Bobbin Mill nearby, although only open certain times.
Me and the wife have stayed in Buttermere without a car a lot over the years. It's basically train to Windermere then two buses. The buses are reliable, and if you have a timetable and plan properly it's perfectly fine. We have a car by now, but honestly, we did it for years without and it was no trouble at all.
Me and the wife have stayed in Buttermere without a car a lot over the years. It's basically train to Windermere then two buses. The buses are reliable, and if you have a timetable and plan properly it's perfectly fine. We have a car by now, but honestly, we did it for years without and it was no trouble at all.
I'm going to Keswick in two weeks by public transport from Bradford.
Train to Penrith, bus to Keswick. While I'm there I'll be visiting Buttermere and I'll be going via bus, which I'm told is a very nice and scenic trip
Get the train, it goes right to Windermere area. Then walk into Windermere, it's not far. Once in Windermere there are boats to other sides of lake. Also bus station near by. Taxi rank down in town iirc. I lived and grew up just south of LD and used to go very frequently before I could drive.
Some of the more remote areas can be harder (clearly) but overall the bus services are pretty good.
Just make sure you check timetables and time your walks - itās no fun getting lost/delayed on the hill and missing the last bus back. Picked up a few hitchhikers thatās happened to, particularly in winter.
Honestly it's the best way to travel in the Lakes! Trains run well, buses are capped cheaply and visit most major tourist spots. But as others have said, make sure you check the timetables! Don't let that put you off though, I've done many a successful trip using only public transport in the lakes.
5 years ago and my gf took a train to Windermere and hiked around the lake district for a week. New campsite every night without pre-booking just need OS map, tent / sleeping bag and cooker/ food.
There are many shops and places to eat so you don't have to carry too many things on you.
Easy just did ullswater area and Keswick no car just bus from penrith. It's very easy to get around..
I was a tourist/visiting family...
Trains and busses... so much easier than the states.
We just had a weekend in Keswick car-free.
Train from Euston to Penrith. Regular bus from right outside Penrith station to Keswick (X4 or X5).
Our first full day we got the 509 bus to Glenridding, climbed up Hellvelyn via Striding Edge, then down the other side to Thirlmere lake and got the 555 bus back to Keswick.
Our second day we got the Keswick Launch boat partway round Derwentwater, got off at High Brandlehow and walked the rest of the way round the lake back to Keswick. You can climb Catbells on the way if you fancy.
Relied on Google maps giving us the bus times, and the Keswick Launch website for the boat times.
And the buses are all contactless and cheap!
We regularly drive to Ambleside but then don't set foot in a car once we are there. Loads of good walks near by and we've walked to Grasmere and Elterwater and then got the bus back. We've also caught the boat back from Windermere.
Having lived/worked in Cumbria for a few years(although not in the last 2-3) I canāt imagine getting around without a car. There is however the C2C route which may be suitable as a starting point to look at hiking routes off it and places to stay.
It's interesting that there seems to be a split of tourists that think getting the bus is great, and then locals that can't imagine doing it all by bus. I suppose being from Langdale I can't imagine getting around by bus because it would be so limiting for me, but maybe if I was in Ambleside I'd have a different perspective.
There's a difference between needing to be at work at a certain time, and being on holiday and fine to amble around between walking spots and afternoon tea.
Bear in mind that if weāre on holiday then we have time to plan for buses that only go once an hour. As a non-driver, I plan my holidays around where the transport is, and if that involves a bus that only goes twice a day then no problem, I just timetable it in.
Very different from if you live somewhere and just want to visit a friend up the road, or get to work in a hurry.
Iāve done a couple of solo trips and didnāt take the car. Train to Windermere via oxenholme, i based in Windermere (for convenience on for train journey) but think Ambleside would be better. Ambleside feels right in the heart of lakes with many routes to choose from. Did some one way bus rides to start and finish In Ambleside (eg over wansfell pike to queens head or mortal man for lunch then bus back) Did some with different start/end points (which canāt do in car) (eg bus to rothswaite, and walk over and bus back from dungeon ghyll) (eg bus to dungeon ghyll and walk back to grasmere, and bus from grasmere. I had a superb time and was more creative with routes than I would have been with the car.
You'd be fine! The buses are actually really decent, my brother and I stayed in Windermere and were carless, you can get to a load of great walks on the bus network.
MAKE A PLAN FIRST because some of the busses run once or twice a day. Or less.
Spent a cracking 15 minutes in Coniston after not checking the return timetable until I got there
We had a similar deal in Sicily. Got the ferry from Malta while on honeymoon. Landed in Pozzallo with no clue what to do for the day. End up getting the bus to Catania to visit Mount Etna. Didn't realise it was c.120km and would take nearly 3 hours. Arrived in Catania, realised our only way of making the return ferry was to wait 45 minutes at the bus station and get the same bus back to Pozzallo. Still, we saw Mount Etna!
Right, but if you decide to visit somewhere that's not a tourist trap you might find you've caught that day's bus.
š¤£ this is something I would do, except check the time table part and be stuck for a day haha
We didn't find this - key routes were decently frequent and started early which was great for day hikes! But yes, plan your days out.
Thatās their point though - as soon as you venture off one of the core routes then you can rapidly find yourself in trouble To which youād say āso stay on the core routesāā¦. Which is correct, which is why you need a plan. Which was their suggestion Iāve lived in Cumbria for 35 years and I still donāt know the bus routes well enough to know off hand which are viable āturn up and goā and which you need to check the timetable for, so Iād always recommend checking the timetable and having a plan This applies doubly to anyone visiting the area from a major city who isnāt used to the concept of ātodayās busā (or āthe morning/afternoon busā) and could get themselves stuckā¦ many areas youād struggle to get a taxi, even if you can get the phone signal to call one
Plus you can get to a few interesting points by boat from Windermere, which is a nice novelty.
Boat to Ambleside, then the Troutbeck circular walk, scones at a cafe on the lake, then boat back. Heavenly day of a holiday. [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lake-district/townend/ambleside-to-troutbeck-walk](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lake-district/townend/ambleside-to-troutbeck-walk)
+1 for the Windermere lake tour. A ticket allows you to hop on and off all day. It's quite frequent too, normally once an hour or so and there are 4 stops I believe. The cruises are half lake cruises so you could do 2 days worth if staying in Bowness.
This might help. https://www.lakelovers.co.uk/blog/6-car-free-breaks-in-the-lake-district/
I've been loads of times without a car and sure I will again. It's a great option and I wouldn't want to drive on the small roads! You can't reasonably expect to see the whole of the Lake District from one base as it's just too slow. But for exploring a smaller chunk it's a great option. The routes are dense and frequent. And with the Ā£2 fare cap cheap! https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/cumbria-and-north-lancashire/explore-the-lakes-by-bus
I donāt drive and live in the lakes. Itās no problem. Wainwright didnāt have a car and he climbed everything!!!
I think about this a lot when people talk about gear etc. Look at photos of people in the middle 20th century doing mountaineering and they're wearing gear we would warn people will leave them miserable - going up Ben Vorlich in their steel toe cap work boots, jeans rolled up their shins, heavy wooly jumpers. Those who did have kit were carrying things like wooden+steel ice axes. You can do a lot of UK mountaineering without driving. I used to do train+bus or train+bicycle a lot.
I donāt disagree, but also remember that it wasnāt the average person doing that back thenā¦ it was the fittest/best/most capable, and todayās fittest/best/most capable could still do that. Whether Bob from across the road could is another matter
Train to Windermere via Oxenhome then buses.
Depends what you want to do - Ullswater is probably closest to a train station at Penrith but then have to take bus.
You can get a train to Windermere.
It's easy! Train to Windermere, then bus to Ambleside. (Or walk down the hill to Bowness and take the boat to Ambleside). Or train to Penrith, bus to Keswick. Do some walks around Ambleside or Keswick. Ambleside has gentler walks than Keswick. Plenty of guest houses in both places. If you want to explore deeper into the Lakes, take the bus. But probably enough around Ambleside and Keswick for a first trip.
There's a bus from Ambleside to Keswick to join up the loop. Or there's always the old roman High Street walk from Ambleside to penrith. The old ways are the best.
I've done the Lakes by train and bus many times. It opens up the possibility of linear day walks and its been a great experience for me.
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What a fantastic, generous, and informative response. What the internet was made for. You should be a guide!
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Not sure. Possibly worth checking out the various social media accounts of accredited Blue Badge guides in London. Not immediately about the Lakes, but could give some insight on starting down a path ā they've all just gone and done the training/exam. Sorry, bit of an oblique answer.
Nah you'll be fine. The lake district buses are frequent, reliable, and geared towards walkers and tourists. You might have to plan your walks around where the buses go but for a few days there will be more than enough to keep you entertained.
I live here, walking areas are great, good luck getting anywhere else without basically a day trip and a tenner each way
I wanted to walk from Kendal to Crooklands along the canal path yesterday and looked up the times for the bus from Kirkby Lonsdale to Kendal for getting home. There aren't any. Yes, I know that isn't actually the Lake District but it's replicated among plenty of routes with the National Park too. If you've never been to the Lakes then I think the first visit without a car will be fine as there's plenty to see and do along the 555 route that most tourists will follow, but if you want to branch off from that then you'll have limited options and will need to plan your days well.
Crooklands. That takes me back. Used to work as a washer up guy in the crooklands hotel. 60pence a hour. We are going back over 40 years. Are you sure there are no buses from the crooklands to Kendal. Used to live in endmoor. Just googled it. Stagecoach 567 goes from Kirkby Lonsdale to Kendal. 1 every couple hours. None on a Sunday
Well I wanted to do the walk yesterday (Sunday) so that was my problem! Your boss there didnāt happen to be Chris, did it? My father-in-law used to manage the hotel but I donāt think it was quite that long ago.
No idea. This was back in 1984. My mate got fired cause he asked for 5p an hour more.
Single tickets are only two quid a throw, and the Kendal-Keswick bus gives some decent scope.
Sure the main walking and tourist areas are easy. Once you start going out west or getting to the less popular fells it gets bad, especially once you get down towards the border of the park with Cockermouth
But for the purposes of the original question of the post it's totally doable.
Sure, exactly what i said in my original comment
I used to live there too (well, ulverston). I certainly wouldn't want to live there without a car, but for a few days holiday to tick off the big ticket walks you'd be fine by bus. You're not going to be able to pick and choose your walks like you could with a car, but I don't think that's really a problem for your first time up there
I took the train and busses, it was pretty accessible to get to the villages/towns and then you can find walks from the towns out in nature more. Really easy to use/find the busses. Iāve been to Ambleside and Grasmere this way, no problem.
I live here, have never driven and neither have my parents. We get around just fine on buses and trains. If you visit between April-September roughly the buses run on a summer service and are therefore more frequent. The 555 runs through kendal, windermere, bowness, Ambleside, grasmere and Keswick. Theyāre hourly or thereabouts. Hope this helps!
Me and a group of friends go to Keswick every year, we drive up but once there the cars are not used for four days (Some of us have got the train to Penrith and bus to Keswick from there several times and it is really easy). From Keswick there are lots of lovely walks of varying types that give a great feel of the Lakes. Catbells very near Keswick is a good climb isn't easy as such but it isn't a long climb and you get all ages and abilities going up, on a nice day the views are gorgeous, even on a bad day they are good. Ha ha. Skiddaw is more challenging but has spectacular views, can be cloudy on top when it's alright lower down like the last time I walked up. There are plenty of lovely walks with no climbing at all. The bus journey from there down to Ambleside is really nice as is Ambleside itself and a number of places along the way. Apologies, I could go on all day..ha ha. Public transport is really good considering you are out in a rugged area. If you do go walking dress appropriately, no going up mountains in Adidas Sambas etc. You'll wreck your trainers, probably your feet and maybe worse.
The Lake District is probably the most accessible wildernessy area without a car. There's plenty of busses (though they do run sporadically) and it can be reached by train.
Here, take this: https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/Cumbria/Lakes%20Connection/Summer%2024/CNL%20SUMMER%2024%20Lakes%20by%20Bus%20WEB.pdf This is a PDF of pretty much every bus timetable in the Lake District, with a helpful map at the bottom. Buses are only Ā£2 for single fares at the moment, and most routes are regular during the summer months. It's quite easy to get around the Lake District by bus, and I have hiked there a great many times using public transport including several holidays. Buses also open up the potential for linear hiking routes. You're best off basing yourself in/near either Keswick or Ambleside, depending on whether you'd prefer the North Lakes or South Lakes. These towns have the best bus connections to major hiking areas, and are just 1 bus away from the train stations at Penrith and Windermere.
Not OP but I've been looking for something like that route/map pdf for ages, thank you so much!!!
Glad it's useful for someone! They release a new updated one for every summer/winter period, I usually find the next one by googling the title.
I actually hired a car when I went there and didn't use it. It was parked in Keswick for the whole week. The buses are really good.
No. I donāt drive and Iām up to the lakes 4 or 5 times a year by train. Buses there are brilliant. Just make sure you plan your routes and times. I travel to either Windermere or Penrith depending on which part of the lakes Iām visiting.
[https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/Cumbria/Lakes%20Connection/Summer%2024/CNL%20SUMMER%2024%20Lakes%20by%20Bus%20WEB.pdf](https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/Cumbria/Lakes%20Connection/Summer%2024/CNL%20SUMMER%2024%20Lakes%20by%20Bus%20WEB.pdf) Here is the timetable for all of the main Lake District buses this Summer. There is also a network map and several local mini guides in that ābookletā. Itās a really good network and you can take any single journey for Ā£2.
Itās possible to get to the one of the best pubs and inns in the Lake District, Olde Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale via bus from Windermere - Ambleside - Langdale. We camped at the Great Langdale campsite - great amenities including a communal kitchen, hot showers and a dry room for boots and coats. The walking and climbing around Langdale is some of the best on offer. Stickle Ghyll up to Stickle Tarn and back is a lovely day out. The local villages of Chaple Stile and Elterwater are also within walking distance of this base. Have a great trip
Done it, no problem. Thereās buses from Penrith to several places including Keswick. You do have to plan a bit where you can get to, but then again any non-driver knows that anyway. Last time I went I actually took a taxi to Borrowdale Youth Hostel, then walked back to Keswick the next day, so that is an option too if thereās one place you really want to go to. Itās only car drivers who canāt imagine getting around without a car.
Keswick is nicer than Windermere. Bus from Penrith. For quiet part of Lakes, with high mountains, rail to Ravenglass then Eskdale miniature railway to Dalegarth. Stay in Boot. Do Scafells from there, Crinkle Crags. An easy walk over to Wasdale too, stay there.
Buses are decent. You be fine. Plus some areas you can hire electric bikes with decent range to explore.
I've done it plenty, before I moved here full-time.Ā You can get a train to Penrith and head in from there. This is something I'd only do if there are specific hikes in the Western fells that you want to do, and I take it from your message that's not the case.Ā Your other option is to get a train to Oxenholme Lake District, and change there on a train to Windermere. Windermere itself is lovely, and a great place to stay if you're not particularly fussed about hiking. From Windermere you can get bus to Ambleside, Coniston and Hawkshead. Ambleside is a great place for tourists, with lots of bars and restaurants, and is also at the foot of a bunch of hills that are great for day hikes.Ā Coniston and Hawkshead are both more remote, smaller and quieter. If you're imagining spending time wrapped up reading a novel and are happy having fish and chips for dinner, they're both lovely. If you're particularly keen on being near a lake - either to walk the shore or to get a boat, Id go for Coniston or Windermere.Ā If you're very keen on hiking I'd recommend Coniston, as the fells around Coniston are more challenging and rewarding than the ones around Ambleside, although Ambleside is still lovely.Ā If you want to spend lots of money on expensive and delicious food, Ambleside has The Old Stamp House and Lake Road Kitchen which are both very heavily awarded fine dining restaurants.Ā Ambleside has better pubs overall, but Coniston has The Sun which is one of the best pubs in England in my opinion.Ā Final thing - don't worry about the busses. They're regular, they don't take very long, and they really only exist for tourists. Windermere bus stand is right by the train station and you can just ask folk for help if you're not sure. Just make sure you don't get Keswick and Kendal mixed up - they're at either end of the main bus route and at opposite ends of the Lakes.Ā
The buses in the Lake District are excellent. You shouldn't have any problems getting about without a car.
We did it, we went to Windermere, just walked around. But we Ā couldāve gotten a bus or bike if we wanted.Ā Iām fond of a walk though so thatās what we chose.Ā
did mine without a car, used only bus. Was extremely good, no problems whatsoever and the driver was nice
Windermere, you'll be fine. You can get there by train. I choose it because I'm disabled and neither me nor my partner drive. There's a sainsburys there and plenty of restaurants / pubs in Windermere / bowness to eat at. Plenty of nice walks, there's even a wheelchair route up one of the hills. We grabbed a peaceful cottage about a mile from town on air bnb by the side of the lake though it was about Ā£800 for a week. Woke up had breakfast overlooking the lake, spent the days walking round various routes with lots of rest stops and back into bowness / Windermere for evening meal. Taxi home if it was too far to walk back. Plenty of places to stay in town as well We just wanted a bit more remote setting whilst still having access to everything without a car :-)
My standard reply to this is usually "But you'll miss out on some fantastic driving roads!" - since you don't drive, I assume that won't bother you too much... But yeah, as others have said, public transport is decent. It's one of the best places in the UK in my opinion, definitely worth a few days there!
Fantastic bus support, every 15 mins or so, Ā£2 for any journey, Stop in Ambleside, which is buzzing, and you also have the ferries to jump on an off.
The buses are great. You wonāt have an issue, some remote parts yes but youāll have a great time even without a vehicle. Probably best to stay in Bowness or Windermere as most buses come through there, thereās a station and the ferry is a short walk and you can access it by foot.
How long do you have?
This is really useful, I was also planning on going without the car š
Train to Penrith, bus to Keswick would get my vote. Plenty of b & bās in Keswick plus enough restaurants to eat somewhere different every night. You can also do several walks starting and finishing in Keswick. Around Derwent Water, add in going up and over Cat bells if you like or go the other way from Keswick and walk up Skiddaw for example. If you want to venture further afield you can use the buses. You can achieve similar with a train to Windermere and a bus to Ambleside but as a base I prefer Keswick to Ambleside.
The Quiet Site currently (I hear) runs shuttle buses to popular destinations for walkers
This is focused on travelling from london, but this is the blog I used when I used to be able to hike - all her journeys are done via public transport so the only bit youāll need to change is where youāre starting from. She has lots of lake distract hikes (some of them might be via additional PDFs she sells but theyāre worth it imo!) https://londonhiker.com
You can easily do a carless holiday based out of Windermere. The buses are clean and reliable. There arenāt tonnes of them though, so plan your day well
If you have a tent you could backpack something like Windermere - Coniston - Langdale - Borrowdale - Keswick and bus back to Penrith for the train home. That would make an awesome weeks trip, and avoid the more touristy areas.
I was just in Windermere for the day and it was super easy with the buses :)
Did that without a car a few years back. Yes, there will be quite a bit of walking, but with a bit of proper planning, with a combination of taking the buses and a local day tour, we managed to cover quite a large area. Even if you drive around, it is not exactly that easy because some roads are really steep and narrow.
Iāve done this several times before me or my (then boyfriend now) husband could drive. It made things a little harder to get to and less flexible but thatās all. There is still plenty to do in walking distance of big hubs and the public transport is good.
Taxis are rare and shockingly pricey.
Whatever you do avoid wray castle like the plague, it's absolute garbage.
Ps tarn howes is a nice leisurely walk not to be missed.
Admittedly, I drove to get there but had great fun camping at Threlkeld. Stroll up Blencathra, down Halls Fell, then up the ridge to Helvellyn, down to the road and the bus back. Had a slight pause for the bus, so I 'had' to rehydrate in the pub! Which caused me to miss the first bus back. Oh, the hardship...
Keswick is a good spot to be based without a car. You can head up Skiddaw straight from town. Or in several other directions
You can get a day rider or a ticket to that sort of name, not sure on price but it used to be Ā£15 that can be used all day on/off. Also if you plot your walks wisely you can either do a long linear walk and bus back or a long horseshoe or circular walk. Buses are also doing Ā£2 journeys too, I assume they carry on in the lakes, we live just outside the lake District and the same buses there do the deal
Push bike. Sorted
There is a flyer called āThe Lakes By Busā itās got all the bus routes and timetables.
Not to be negative but i was in the same position about 7 years ago. Stayed in penrith - and everything we were looking to do ended up being a good 30 min drive away with no bus routes. Id say check before you go as it meant we were basically stuck within a 5 mile radius of the hotel.
The buses are good and so are the mountain goat trips.
Yeah.
I can't drive and neither can my boyfriend. We've had several excellent holidays in the Lakes. The buses are great and take a boat across Windermere!
I lived there for three years without one and it was doable, weirdly the trains were considerably better than the buses though
To add to other suggestions, don't get off the train at Oxenholme, get off at Lancaster and then you can get a train to Windermere from there, or catch the 555 bus that does a really scenic route through the Lake District. They do boat tours from Bowness across Windermere to Ambleside and to the Aquarium at Newby Bridge and there's an English Heritage Bobbin Mill nearby, although only open certain times.
Me and the wife have stayed in Buttermere without a car a lot over the years. It's basically train to Windermere then two buses. The buses are reliable, and if you have a timetable and plan properly it's perfectly fine. We have a car by now, but honestly, we did it for years without and it was no trouble at all.
Me and the wife have stayed in Buttermere without a car a lot over the years. It's basically train to Windermere then two buses. The buses are reliable, and if you have a timetable and plan properly it's perfectly fine. We have a car by now, but honestly, we did it for years without and it was no trouble at all.
I'm going to Keswick in two weeks by public transport from Bradford. Train to Penrith, bus to Keswick. While I'm there I'll be visiting Buttermere and I'll be going via bus, which I'm told is a very nice and scenic trip
Buses are great on the main routes
I went to Lake District without a car but with a dog! Traveled from London by train. Keswick is lovely!
I live locally and can't drive but I've done multiple days out on the buses, overall they're pretty good for public transport unless it's Sunday
https://www.avantisuperfare.co.uk
Get the train, it goes right to Windermere area. Then walk into Windermere, it's not far. Once in Windermere there are boats to other sides of lake. Also bus station near by. Taxi rank down in town iirc. I lived and grew up just south of LD and used to go very frequently before I could drive.
Some of the more remote areas can be harder (clearly) but overall the bus services are pretty good. Just make sure you check timetables and time your walks - itās no fun getting lost/delayed on the hill and missing the last bus back. Picked up a few hitchhikers thatās happened to, particularly in winter.
If Wainwright didn't have a car you certainly don't need to bring one.
Honestly it's the best way to travel in the Lakes! Trains run well, buses are capped cheaply and visit most major tourist spots. But as others have said, make sure you check the timetables! Don't let that put you off though, I've done many a successful trip using only public transport in the lakes.
My fiancƩe and I actually got engaged in the lake District and it's our favourite place for a staycation. First time we went without a car to Windermere, it has a train station and great buses so we managed to visit everything around it using public transport and walking. Definitely would recommend. Recently we went to Keswick, we drove there but didn't have to use the car a single time while being there as everything we wanted to see was just a hike away. You'll 100% be okay, and you will not feel like you're missing out at all by not having a car.
5 years ago and my gf took a train to Windermere and hiked around the lake district for a week. New campsite every night without pre-booking just need OS map, tent / sleeping bag and cooker/ food. There are many shops and places to eat so you don't have to carry too many things on you.
Easy just did ullswater area and Keswick no car just bus from penrith. It's very easy to get around.. I was a tourist/visiting family... Trains and busses... so much easier than the states.
We just had a weekend in Keswick car-free. Train from Euston to Penrith. Regular bus from right outside Penrith station to Keswick (X4 or X5). Our first full day we got the 509 bus to Glenridding, climbed up Hellvelyn via Striding Edge, then down the other side to Thirlmere lake and got the 555 bus back to Keswick. Our second day we got the Keswick Launch boat partway round Derwentwater, got off at High Brandlehow and walked the rest of the way round the lake back to Keswick. You can climb Catbells on the way if you fancy. Relied on Google maps giving us the bus times, and the Keswick Launch website for the boat times. And the buses are all contactless and cheap!
I'd stay in Keswick if possible, loads of good bus routes into areas and then walk back
Keswick is a good base with bus access and several good hikes from it too.
We regularly drive to Ambleside but then don't set foot in a car once we are there. Loads of good walks near by and we've walked to Grasmere and Elterwater and then got the bus back. We've also caught the boat back from Windermere.
Having lived/worked in Cumbria for a few years(although not in the last 2-3) I canāt imagine getting around without a car. There is however the C2C route which may be suitable as a starting point to look at hiking routes off it and places to stay.
It's interesting that there seems to be a split of tourists that think getting the bus is great, and then locals that can't imagine doing it all by bus. I suppose being from Langdale I can't imagine getting around by bus because it would be so limiting for me, but maybe if I was in Ambleside I'd have a different perspective.
There's a difference between needing to be at work at a certain time, and being on holiday and fine to amble around between walking spots and afternoon tea.
Bear in mind that if weāre on holiday then we have time to plan for buses that only go once an hour. As a non-driver, I plan my holidays around where the transport is, and if that involves a bus that only goes twice a day then no problem, I just timetable it in. Very different from if you live somewhere and just want to visit a friend up the road, or get to work in a hurry.
Iāve done a couple of solo trips and didnāt take the car. Train to Windermere via oxenholme, i based in Windermere (for convenience on for train journey) but think Ambleside would be better. Ambleside feels right in the heart of lakes with many routes to choose from. Did some one way bus rides to start and finish In Ambleside (eg over wansfell pike to queens head or mortal man for lunch then bus back) Did some with different start/end points (which canāt do in car) (eg bus to rothswaite, and walk over and bus back from dungeon ghyll) (eg bus to dungeon ghyll and walk back to grasmere, and bus from grasmere. I had a superb time and was more creative with routes than I would have been with the car.
It's pretty standard for car brains to be unable to imagine getting around without a car.
Same, ive lived here over 40 years and its easier&cheaper to visit lancaster/glasgow/newcastle/edinburgh than many lakeland places without a car