The Lake District itself is relatively small and easy to get around, whether by car, bus, bike, or foot. Getting to the Lake District, however, is another matter. No airports are particularly close by, and if you’re coming from overseas, there’s a good chance you’ll end up having to take multiple planes and/or trains to get there.
Major airports closest to the Lake District:
Manchester – This is the closest major airport to Cumbria. If you’re flying from the US, you’ll probably have to connect through Dublin or London. (American cities with direct flights to Manchester include New York, Orlando, Houston, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. Virgin Atlantic also offers direct flights from Boston to Manchester on Wednesdays and Saturdays from May through October.) Train service leaves directly from the airport and whisks you up to the Lakes in a couple of hours.
London (Heathrow, Gatwick) – With lots of nonstop flights from international cities, it may be easier for international travelers to fly to one of London’s airports and simply take the train from there. The Heathrow or Gatwick express will take you to central London, where you can take the Tube or a taxi to Euston station. There are several trains a day from Euston to the Lake District, many of them nonstop. These direct trains are about 3.5 hours from Euston. The benefit to doing this is that you get to skip the hassle and potential delay of having a layover. The nonstop flights from the US to Gatwick can be quite cheap The downside is mostly on the return — if your train back to London is delayed or canceled, you will have a very stressful or expensive day trying to find your way back down south.
You can also fly to Glasgow or Edinburgh and take a train south to the Lakes. I have never done this, but I have looked into it. There’s a train from Edinburgh airport to the city’s central train station, where you can pick up a train to the Lakes (from where it is about 2.5 to 3 hours). From Glasgow, it seems the quickest way would be to take a taxi from the airport to the city’s central train station (from where it would take about 2.5 hours to get to Penrith).
Last but not least, you can also fly into Newcastle, on England’s east coast, and take a train across the Pennines. Again, you’ll have to connect if you’re flying internationally, but this is supposed to be a beautiful train route.
Getting to the Lake District by Train:
Direct trains run from London Euston, Glasgow Central, Manchester Airport, and Edinburgh, as discussed above. There’s also a train from Newcastle to Carlisle, which is in Cumbria but north of the National Park; you’ll have to change here.
You’ll want to get off either at Penrith (for the North Lakes) or Oxenholme (for the South Lakes). There’s a branch line that connects Oxenholme to Windermere, as well as several small towns along the way. (Some direct trains from London go directly to Windermere.) There is also a coastal train service that runs along the Western shore.
I use the Trainline app to buy my tickets, because you can often use the app itself to collect a digital ticket right on your phone. This saves you having to wait in line at the station to pick them up. (Particularly if you have cut it a bit close, queuing up at the ticket machines can easily cause you to miss your train — a bitter pill to swallow when the mountains are calling!)
Reserve specific seats when the option is available, especially on summer weekends, so you don’t have to wander around the train with all your luggage looking for an unreserved seat. Signs in the station can point you to the right platform; the National Rail app can be helpful in figuring this out.
Keep in mind that trains can suffer from delays, so allow extra time on your return journey back to the airport.
Lake District bus service and schedule:
In all my trips to to the Lake District, I’ve had the luxury of a rental car only once; every other time, I’ve relied on the network of public buses and my own two feet. Scenic bus routes connect Penrith, Keswick, and Windermere to the rest of the Lakes; many of the routes intersect in Ambleside or Keswick, so sometimes a change is necessary there. The 599 buses from Windermere to Grasmere, and the 78 bus from Keswick to Seatoller, are open-top buses, giving you the option of enjoying the fresh air and sunshine while en-route. Some of the long-distance buses, like the 555, include USB charging outlets and WiFi onboard.
The three-day and seven-day bus passes are well worth it. For a full, up-to-date schedule and map, visit this link, where you can also download the latest PDF schedule (definitely recommended for fell walkers!). Paper versions of the map and schedule are available on most buses, and in some pubs and hotels. Bus stops will have a list of the buses that stop there, with the times they are scheduled to arrive. UK residents can get a useful bus app from the app store, but it’s not yet available in the US.
Note that in the winter (generally mid-October to early April), some routes shut down and others run a limited schedule. Extra buses are added in July and August. On Sundays, there is a more limited bus schedule and the buses start later in the day. Read the schedule two or three times to make sure you’re not looking at the wrong day!
Buses generally have several stops in between the major stops noted on the schedule. Sometimes drivers will also let you out between stops, if you ask them nicely when you get on and if it’s not summer’s busy season.
As an American, I have always been impressed by the Lake District’s bus service; we simply don’t have anything like it in rural areas in the US. However, buses do sometimes run late, break down, or get canceled due to road works or other events — if a bus is canceled, there will usually be a paper sign taped to the bus stop.
Lake District taxi services:
Most taxi services are pretty local — they will either do south lakes or north lakes, but not both. It’s best to book your taxi and agree on the fare in advance; this is more reliable than simply trying to hail a cab or call for one the moment you need it. Most taxis take credit cards, though spotty mountain data service means you should always ask the driver at the outset of your ride about paying by card; he or she may need to run your card before you head for the hills. As of this writing, there are no ride-hailing services (like Uber or Lyft) in the Lakes.
Here are some services I’ve used:
Lakeside Taxis (Windermere/Southeast)
Amber Taxis (Windermere/Grasmere/Ambleside/South-Central)
Davies Taxis (Keswick/North)
Eden Taxis (Penrith/Northeast)
Gosforth Taxis (Wasdale/West Coast)
Do I need a car to see the Lake District?
With a car, you can easily tour just about all of Lakeland in a day — which is convenient, but which I feel also makes it feel rather strangely small. I prefer to get around by foot and bus, although I admit that a car can be helpful if you want to go to some of the more remote trailheads, towns, and valleys, or if you want to be on a more flexible schedule than the buses provide. However, you definitely don’t need a car to have a wonderful time in the Lakes. And if you are staying in a busy, well-appointed town like Keswick, Ambleside, Windermere, or Grasmere — where buses and amenities are plentiful and parking is a pain — you will likely be happier if you are car-free.
Luggage transport services for the Lake District
The Lake District is criss-crossed by footpaths, and many walkers choose to hike from place to place rather than staying put in one town. If you’re hiking point-to-point, there are a number of services that will move your baggage for you, so that you don’t have to worry about carrying it. This lets you wander footloose and fancy-free over the fells, and when you turn up at your next B&B, your bags will be waiting for you.
In the past, I’ve used Sherpa Van, which can accommodate custom routes — just tell them where you’d like to go and they’ll handle the rest. During peak times (such as July and August) they aren’t quite as flexible — they have van that follows the length of England’s long distance walking routes (the Cumbria Way, running South to North, and the Coast to Coast, running from West to East) and are happy to drop your bags off en route but will not deviate too far from their planned course. They also don’t serve remote Wasdale Head. It’s fairly inexpensive — about £9 per day per bag.
Trail Magic Baggage claims to be the only luggage carrier that services every village every day within the national park. I haven’t tried them yet myself, but I have booked with them for my next trip, which includes remote Wasdale Head!
Lake District walking tour operators
If all of this sounds like rather a lot of work and you’d like to have someone arrange a walking tour for you, I’ve used two walking tour operators and would recommend both:
Mickledore is headquartered right in Keswick and offers both classic Lakeland walks and several routes of their own design. If you choose one of their own walks, be aware that their printed directions aren’t very helpful; you’ll definitely have to rely on your map/GPS skills. They are probably one of the more expensive options, but they also find wonderful places for you to stay.
Absolute Escapes can set you up with a Cumbria Way walk, which is a great way to see the variety and scenery of the District. I found them delightful to deal with, but they’re based in Scotland, and don’t know a lot about alternatives to the main long-distance routes. They have different prices depending on how fancy you want your lodging to be.
We’ve also done some walks through Contours, and had good experiences. They offer a variety of Lake District walks.
If you prefer a group walking experience, outstanding food, and perhaps a bit less actual walking, The Wayfarers offer a group walking tour that includes part of the Lakes as well as Hadrian’s Wall.
