Where to Stay in the Lake District for Hiking? The Lake District National Park in northwest England is a hiking paradise with lakes, valleys, peaks, and charming villages to explore. With so many excellent home bases, choosing where to stay can be overwhelming. Using your hiking plans and preferences as a guide, here are the top areas for accommodation when visiting this scenic park.
Main towns and villages in the Lake District
The Lake District features several tourist hub towns and villages that make ideal central bases for hiking adventures. Each caters to visitors with abundant accommodation and dining amidst the area’s striking natural beauty.
Ambleside
Set along the shores of Windermere at the foot of Loughrigg Fell, Ambleside’s scenic village center has over 1,500 hotel rooms combined with guest houses, hostels, and holiday cottages. This makes room finding easy with ample choice. Its central location within the national park provides convenient access to hiking trails.
Where to stay in Ambleside
With Ambleside’s wealth of quality accommodation, travelers can easily match preferences for luxury, budget, scenery, and location.
Accommodation Type
| Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa | Luxury Hotel |
| Ambleside YHA Hostel | Budget Friendly |
| Lake View Country House | Charming Guest House |
Keswick
Situated on stunning Derwent Water under the mighty Skiddaw massif, Keswick abounds with Lake District beauty making it very popular. Finding available rooms can prove competitive during peak visitor months.
Where to stay in Keswick
Snagging Keswick accommodations requires planning, but rewards with a room steps from trails.
Peak Season Lodging Tips
- Book 6+ months out for hotel rooms
- Check smaller guest houses and B&Bs
- Consider self-catering cottages
- Travel midweek for more availability
Well-situated accommodation ensures you make the most of Keswick’s surroundings.
Grasmere
William Wordsworth resided in Grasmere village, inspired by its idyllic setting between lake and mountain. With its postcard-perfect views, finding a room can be difficult. Helm Crag’s distinctive summit makes a classic backdrop visible from many guest windows.
Where to stay in Grasmere
From cozy hideaway cottages to stately manor house hotels, Grasmere presents abundant beauty whichever you choose.
Special Lodging
| Daffodil Hotel & Spa | Luxury boutique hotel |
| No. Forty The Loft | Rural apartment |
| Wordsworth Hotel & Spa | Full-service with views |
Other towns and villages in the Lake District
Beyond the main visitor hubs lie numerous smaller Lake District towns and villages with limited accommodation but excellent proximity to hiking.
Bowness-On-Windemere
On the shores of Lake Windermere beneath views of the Langdale Pikes, Bowness village makes a fine base to explore Windermere by ferry boat while lodging steps from numerous trailheads.
Where to stay in Bowness-on-Windemere
With small B&Bs and intimate guest houses, Bowness visitors feel part of village life while resting weary legs after big hike days.
Coniston and Hawkshead
Sitting amidst the rugged peaks of Coniston Old Man and Dow Crag, Coniston village hugs peaceful Coniston Water beloved by boaters. Neighboring tiny Hawkshead hosts Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top Farm. Finding lodging can be limited but the payoff is gorgeous views straight from your front step.
Where to stay in Coniston and Hawkshead
Rustic country inns, cozy pubs with rooms, and Lake District farmhouse B&Bs capture the pastoral charm.
Where to stay in Cartmel & South Coast
Along the Lake District’s southern boundary, Cartmel Peninsula offers a quieter, less touristy alternative to Windermere towns with its rolling green countryside, medieval Priory, and artisan food producers.
Top Lodging Picks
| Grange Hotel | Boutique country house hotel |
| Swan Hotel | Gastro pub with rooms |
| Far Loughrigg Lodge | Lake view guest house |
Base yourself in charming villages like Cartmel or Grange Over Sands. This makes an excellent starting point for exploring lesser-visited southern fields.
Borrowdale & Buttermere
In the northwest corner of the Lake District, Borrowdale Valley and Buttermere villages offer protection right beneath imposing mountain ridges and Lake District heights. Their isolation rewards visitors seeking escape from crowds.
Where to stay in Borrowdale & Buttermere
Rustic chic hotels, cozy pubs, and traditional guest houses characterize lodging options in these pristine settings. Booking early secures availability in these tiny, high-demand destinations.
Off the Beaten Path Stays
| Fish Hotel | Luxurious lakefront inn |
| Yew Tree Farm | Secluded B&B haven |
| Scafell Hotel | Classic country inn |
Prepare to be wowed when the clouds part revealing Buttermere’s sensational mountain-ringed lake vistas outside your window.
Elterwater & Langdale
Sitting at the foot of the Langdale Pikes beneath towering peaks, Elterwater village makes an ideal base for tackling renowned Langdale Valley trails with terrain ranging from rocky scree to grassy fells.
Where to stay in Elterwater & Langdale
Langdale’s collection of family-run guest houses and hillside hideaways keep you nestled right within the slopes you plan to summit.
Lodging Gems
| Langdale Hotel & Spa | Lake view full-service hotel |
| Brimstone Hotel | Luxurious cottage suites |
| Great Langdale Campsite | Scenic backcountry camping |
With Langdale’s mighty mountain backdrop starting right outside your door, this makes an ideal base for peak conquering ambitions.
Windermere & Bowness
Famously the largest and longest lake in the Lake District National Park, the thirteen-mile ribbon-shaped Lake Windermere offers travelers numerous waterside towns and villages to use for exploring the lake by ferry or foot.
Where to stay in Windermere & Bowness
From grand Victorian-era hotels to cozy hillside cottages, Lake Windermere accommodations range from Windermere village at the lake’s headwaters to lively Bowness-on-Windermere by the central waters.
Lakeside Lodging
| Cedar Manor | Windermere boutique hotel |
| Waterside House | Bowness luxury guest house |
| Winder Hall | Hotel with gardens & lake access |
With these premium waterside stays, iconic Lake Windermere views start as soon as you open the curtains each morning.
Wasdale & Eskdale
In the Lake District’s far western corner, the Wasdale Valley presents an epic mountain playground beneath England’s highest peaks while neighboring Eskdale shelters the Ravenglass & Eskdale Narrow Gauge Railway. With limited lodging, booking early is essential.
Where to stay in Wasdale & Eskdale
Rugged scenic mountain inns and local pubs with rooms characterize sparse accommodation choices but reward intrepid lodgers with front-row views of the Lake District’s most magnificent peaks.
Scenic Stays
| Wasdale Hall Inn | Historic inn below Scafell Pike |
| Boot Inn | Walkers’ pub with Wasdale access |
| Irton Hall | Manor house hotel |
Prepare for glorious mountain scenery stretching in every direction when staying in these destinations.
Conclusion
With breathtaking mountain vistas, shimmering lakes, and charming villages as rewards, determining where to base yourself in the Lake District National Park can be tough. Hikers wanting luxury turn to Windermere and Ambleside while Keswick provides budget options still surrounded by beauty. For true escapism choose cottage rentals scattered across the ridges and fells to come home to roaring fireplaces after each day exploring legendary trails. Wherever you lay your head, the Lake District welcomes you.
FAQs About Where to Stay in the Lake District for Hiking
What is the most popular town to stay in the Lake District?
Keswick and Ambleside are the most popular bases for exploring the Lake District thanks to their central locations and wealth of accommodation choices.
Where should I stay for hiking Scafell Pike?
Wasdale Valley puts you closest to England’s highest mountain with Wasdale Hall Inn or Wast Water Hotel ideally situated for tackling Scafell Pike.
What village is best for hiking Helvellyn?
Staying in Grasmere positions you well for tackling the Helvellyn range peaks with accommodation choices from luxury to budget rentals.
Where should I stay to climb Skiddaw?
The town of Keswick sits right at the base of Skiddaw making it the perfect launchpad for ascending this Lake District beauty with abundant hotels and B&Bs.
What is the most scenic town to base in for hiking the Lake District?
Picturesque Grasmere village offers quintessential Lake District charm and Helm Crag views making it one of the prettiest and most peaceful places to stay for adventures.
Where can I find Lake District cottages to rent?
Windermere, Ambleside, Coniston, and Keswick feature abundant cottage rentals for every budget immersed in the scenery with sites like Sykes Cottages or Lake District Cottages.
What town should I stay in for easy access to hike multiple peaks?
Staying centrally in Ambleside makes reaching numerous celebrated summits like Loughrigg Fell, Wansfell Pike, and the Fairfield Horseshoe convenient.
Where are the best luxury hotels in the Lake District?
For upscale stays book the Gilpin Hotel & Lake House in Windermere or Brimstone Hotel suites in Langdale blessed by beautiful views.
What Lake District towns have hostels and budget stays?
Keswick and Ambleside deliver excellent budget-friendly hostel dorms and hotels perfect for thrifty travelers and backpackers.
Where should I base to hike Sour Howes and High Stile?
Locate yourself in picturesque Buttermere village surrounded by peaks including Sour Howes and High Stile for direct trail access from your door.
What town should I choose as my base to climb the Langdale Pikes?
The tiny village of Elterwater sits at the entrance to Great Langdale making it the perfect launchpad for tackling the Langdale Pikes.
Where is the best area to stay to hike Catbells?
Lodore Falls Hotel, Manor Hotel, and York House in Borrowdale Valley put you at the trailhead for Catbells climb with rewarding lake views.
What village has the most charming place to stay for hiking?
Hawkshead delivers postcard beauty with cottages and bed and breakfasts dotting its winding lanes surrounded by sensational walking territory.
Where can I find lodging closest to England’s longest lake?
Windermere town sits at the quieter north Lake Windermere headwaters with excellent hotels like The Hideaway situated right on the shores.
What area has romantic hotels perfect for hiking couples?
Couples love cozy, upscale lodging choices in Grasmere village surrounded by Wordsworth country walks straight from the doorstep.
Where should I stay to hike Old Man of Coniston?
Coniston town hosts traditional Lakeland inns and small hotels in the mighty mountain’s shadow steps from routes up the Old Man of Coniston peak.
What town makes the best base for photographing mountain hikes?
Dramatic peaks surround Keswick, reflected perfectly in Derwentwater Lake making it a photographer’s paradise with abundant accommodation.
Where can I find secluded, scenic cottages to hike from?
Langdale, Coniston, and Kentmere valleys scatter romantic, secluded cottages and farmhouses set amidst sensational Cumbrian countryside.
Where should I stay to summit Bowfell?
The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel in Great Langdale makes an ideal base sitting right beneath the towering Langdale range and knife-edged Bowfell ascent.
What towns can I reach Buttermere hikes easily?
Guest houses and hotels in Keswick enable easy access along scenic Honister Pass to reach beloved Buttermere Lake and village for legendary climbs.
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My name is David James I am an adventurous hiker based in California. Through this weblog, I percentage my passion for exploring nature’s wonders, documenting breathtaking trails and hidden gemstones.