Local Attractions

Ivythwaite Lodge


Windermere Lake Cruises


Winner of the 2003 Cumbria for Excellence Award - Large Tourist Attraction of the year. Over 1 million passengers carried each year! Enjoy some of the Lake District’s most beautiful scenery courtesy of Windermere Lake Cruises. It takes three hours to sail around the whole lake. A freedom ticket allows unlimited travel on all scheduled launch and steamer services sailing between Bowness, Ambleside and Lakeside, and on island cruises from Bowness, circular cruises from Lakeside, the Fell Foot ferry and the Brockhole service from Ambleside. Individual and family tickets are available. A delightful 45 minute sightseeing tour from Bowness Bay to include the magnificent mountain scenery, lovely secluded bays and shore line and inevitably the many wooded islands around the central parts of the lake. A special one hour version of this cruise is available for the exclusive use of private parties.

Windermere Lake Cruises

World of Beatrix Potter - Bowness-on-Windermere


The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction can be found in Bowness. The attraction has won a number of awards and is one of the top ten most popular visitor centres and the centre is a place for all the family young and old. Within the centre you will discover Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck and all their friends in a magical indoor recreation of Beatrix Potter classic tales, with the sights, sounds and also the smells of the countryside. You will be able to see Mrs. Tiggy-winkle in the Kitchen, go past Jeremy Fisher's Pond and even walk through Squirrel Nutkin's Old Oak Tree. Also at the centre you will be able to learn more about Beatrix Potter's life in the Hidden Beatrix Potter's presentation and video wall. Take a break in the Tailor of Gloucester Tea Rooms and then a visit to the shop where you can browse and purchase top quality Beatrix Potter merchandise.

World of Beatrix Potter - Bowness-on-Windermere

Windermere Jetty Museum - Windermere


Windermere Jetty Museum is located on a former sand wharf site where, for many years, barges unloaded gravel dredged from the bed of the lake. When this operation ceased in 1975, the Windermere Nautical Trust acquired the use of the site and the Museum was built in 1976-77 with the help of The Maritime Trust and the English Tourist Board. For a great day out visit the Windermere Jetty Museum situated on the shores of beautiful Lake Windermere. This Windermere attraction offers a unique and historic collection of Steam and Motor Boats. Steam Launch Trips, Shop and Refreshments. The Museum is open 10am to 5pm daily from mid-March to the first week in November

Windermere Jetty Museum - Windermere

Guided driving tours of the Lakes


If you’d like to leave the planning, organisation and driving to someone else, check out Mountain Goat Tours and Lakes Supertours. Mountain Goat Tours operate daily, departing from Bowness and Windermere, and offer a choice of guided sightseeing tours around the beautiful English Lake District. Tours include lake cruises, steam train journeys, cultural, historic and literary attractions. Based in Windermere, Lakes Supertours operate eight and sixteen seat minibus tours around the Lake District, offering morning, afternoon and full-day tours, with several itineraries to choose from. So sit back, relax, and take in the scenery.

Guided driving tours of the Lakes

Wray Castle


Wray Castle is a Victorian neo-gothic building at Claife in the English county of Cumbria. The house and grounds have belonged to the National Trust since 1929, but the house has only recently opened to the public on a regular basis.

Wray Castle

Fell Foot Park


Fell Foot Park is situated on the south shores of Lake Windermere just off the A592 and in the care of The National Trust. The Victorian park is open daily with its eighteen [18] acre grounds that have been restored to its former glory in which you will see in spring and early summer displays of daffodils and rhododendrons. The park in winter is open with limited facilities. You can relax and have a picnic on the lawns next to the lake and watch the boats go by, or you could take a boat trip from the park across the lake to Lakeside and take a Lakes Windermere Cruise, even a trip on the The Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway or visit to the Aquarium. If you wish you could hire a rowing boat on the lake, there is a children adventure playground, a shop in which you can purchase National Trust gifts with a tea room close by serving teas, coffee and light meals.

Fell Foot Park

Aquarium of the Lakes - Windermere


From mountain-top to Morecambe Bay the award-winning Aquarium of the Lakes takes you on an amazing voyage of discovery. More than 30 spectacular, naturally-themed habitats bring the natural history of the Lake District vividly to life. Enjoy close encounters with hundreds of amazing creatures including trout, eels, pike, perch, giant crabs, rays and many more. Come face to face with playful otters in their riverbank home, discover the mysterious life of a river after dark and take a closer look at Lakeland life in AquaQuest's educational activity centre. Then enjoy the ultimate underwater thrill as you stroll along a recreated section of Windermere's lake-bed surrounded by surrounded by gigantic carp and the amazing diving ducks.

Aquarium of the Lakes - Windermere

Book Online