Things to Do in Windermere for
Hikers, Dreamers, and Wanderers
A Guide for Those Who Walk Slowly, Look Closely, and Listen Deeply
There are two ways to arrive at Windermere.
One is as most do - with a checklist in hand, chasing summits, boat rides, and postcards.
The other is quieter. A little slower.
It’s the way of the walker, the lingerer, the person who knows that the physical landscapes we pass through sometimes mirror the emotional landscapes within.
This guide is written for the second kind. For those who are simply looking for a place to breathe. To begin.
A prelude before heading to the heart of the Lakeland.
Orrest Head: The Hill That Changes Everything
“Places like this are thresholds. Not destinations, but invitations.”
If Windermere has a pilgrimage, it’s Orrest Head. It was here, in 1930, that Alfred Wainwright stood for the first time before the Lakeland fells. A moment that would alter the course of his life and, through his guidebooks, the lives of thousands.
The climb is gentle, threading through woodland and old stone walls. At the summit, the lake unfurls below, and the spine of the Fells rises in the distance - Scafell Pike, Bowfell, Langdale Pikes, Helvellyn. A soft kind of vastness.
Start: Opposite Windermere train station (signposted).
Time: 40–60 mins return.
Tip: Go for sunrise or sunset. It’s softer.
Walking to Troutbeck: Into the Quiet Heart
For those who prefer paths less taken, the walk from Windermere to Troutbeck is a hymn to slow travel. It begins past Orrest Head, threading through lanes flanked by mossy walls and the scent of damp earth. The Lakeland stone glistens when it rains.
There are farm gates, old milestones, and views that gradually open toward the Troutbeck Valley.
In Troutbeck, stop at The Old Post Office - the local tea room. Pause for a moment at the village church.
Route: Orrest Head —> Robin Lane —> Troutbeck.
Time: 2–2.5 hours one way.
Rest stop: The Old Post Office : serving home made cakes and ice cream.
Sailing Across Windermere: Ferries and Stillness
The lake isn’t just backdrop… it’s a passage.
From Windermere, ferries drift toward Ambleside, Bowness, and Far Sawrey.
There’s something meditative about watching hills float past as the wake unspools behind.
For something slower still, hire a rowboat. Let the rhythm of oars replace the rhythm of thought.
Windermere Lake Cruises (Timetables and tickets)
Holehird Gardens: A Secret Garden Above the Lake
Tucked quietly above Windermere lies Holehird Gardens - one of the Lake District’s best-kept secrets.
These 10 acres of walled gardens, alpine beds, wild meadows, and woodland offer a quieter kind of beauty.
The sense that someone, years ago, planted something simply because they believed beauty matters.
Getting There: A 40-minute uphill walk from Windermere town. Combine with Orrest Head for a lovely loop.
Holehird Gardens
Wray Castle: A Gothic Daydream on the Water’s Edge
It looks medieval but it isn’t. Wray Castle was built in 1840 by a wealthy Liverpool couple, more fantasy than fortress.
Yet it holds its own magic: turrets wrapped in ivy alongside a forest spilling toward the lake.
Getting there: Ferry from Bowness —> walk or cycle along the western shore.
Cafes, Pubs, and Cozy Corners
Because walking requires fuel. And so does wondering.
Homeground Coffee — Small, usually busy but worth the wait.
The Little Ice Cream Shop — a charming blue shop offering flavours of delight
The Crafty Baa — quirky and fun. Find inside England’s smallest pub.
Practical Notes for Wanderers
Trains: Direct to Windermere from Oxenholme (on the mainline from London/Manchester/Glasgow).
Buses: Regular Stagecoach buses connect Windermere to Ambleside, Keswick, and beyond.
Ferries: Cross-lake services to Bowness, Ambleside, and Far Sawrey.
Stagecoach Cumbria | National Rail | Lake District Ferry Info
Further Resources
Windermere Is a Beginning, Not a Destination
Most people come here to tick something off. But like all true places, Windermere offers something subtler if you let it.
It’s a place to ask questions. To pause at the edge of something vaster.
This article only scratches the surface.
If you'd like to walk deeper into the stories, the history, the hidden paths —
I’ve written an entire trail book woven with reflections, folklore, and handdrawn routes.
Explore my book, Finding Solace in the Lake District
(Available in print and ebook)
You can also support my work by purchasing one of my limited-edition photo prints, captured on this very journey. Every purchase directly funds future books and hikes — and means more than you know.
Thank you for walking alongside me — even from afar.
