Lake District Road Trips
With Summer starting to make an appearance, weekends away in the great outdoors are becoming more inviting again. To help give you some inspiration for your next trip, we’ve created a 2-day itinerary for an adventure in the Lake District National Park.
Visiting towns including Windermere and Keswick, and passing sights such as Rydal Water and Helvellyn, this itinerary includes some of the best attractions The Lakes have to offer.
Start Point: Windermere
End Point: Buttermere
Length: 35.2 miles
Drive Time: around 1 hour, 20 minutes, excluding stops
Despite only being a short driving distance, this trip can very easily take 2 days. Depending on which sights you want to see, activities you want to do, and how long you want to spend at each destination, it could even take longer if you wanted it to.
DAY 1
Start your adventure in Windermere
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A large town in the Lake District National Park, Windermere is a great place to start your trip. Stock up on anything you might need ahead of setting off and grab a bite to eat to help fuel your adventure in one of Windermere’s many eateries. If you want to spend a bit of time in Windermere, there are so many things to do, from boat trips on Lake Windermere to The World of Beatrix Potter.
Make your way from Windermere to Keswick
The A591 from Windermere to Keswick only takes around 40 minutes, however, with all the attractions and stops along the way, it can very easily take much longer. The journey starts by driving alongside Lake Windermere through several lovely towns and villages, with Ambleside not far from the north of the lake. Carry on along the road and you’ll reach Rydal, with walks around Rydal Water and up to Rydal Cave.
Further up the road you’ll find Grasmere, a perfect stop for a bite to eat or a little mooch around. Grasmere is also home to the Wordsworth Museum and House, and Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, the ideal place to grab a treat for the rest of the trip.
Once you’re back on the road, you’ll reach Thirlmere reservoir, another body of water in the Lake District offering wonderful views, and then the village of Thirlmere. This is a great place to start for those who want to walk up Helvellyn, which typically takes 4-5 hours and provides some excellent views of the area. From Thirlmere it’s a quick drive up to Keswick, one of Cumbria’s most popular towns.
Spend the night in Keswick
A big tourist attraction in Cumbria, the beautiful market town of Keswick is the perfect place to stay on this trip. With plenty of places to stay including a Premier Inn, independent hotels and a range of B&B’s, you won’t struggle to find somewhere to lay your head. However you choose to spend your evening, there is something for everyone in Keswick. Whether you’re exploring the town, eating, and drinking in one of Keswick’s many restaurants, pubs, and bars, or visiting The Theatre by The Lake for some entertainment.
DAY 2
Continue your adventure from Keswick to Buttermere via Derwentwater
Day 2 of this itinerary provides more exploration of the beautiful Lake District National Park as you make your way from Keswick to Buttermere via Derwentwater. Start the day by grabbing a bite to eat in one of Keswick’s cafes and stocking up on anything you might need for the day. Once you’re ready get back on the road, head south out of Keswick onto the B5289.
Once you’ve made your way out of Keswick, you’ll drive alongside Derwentwater which has lots of stopping places so that you can take in the views. Continuing down the road, you can take in the scenery of the fells and villages. For those who fancy a hike, you can take a short detour from Seatoller to Seathwaite, a great place to start a hike up to Scafell Pike. Carrying on from Seatoller towards Buttermere, you’ll drive along Honister Pass which continues to provide wonderful scenery. Eventually, Buttermere Lake will appear on your left-hand side before you reach your destination of Buttermere, nestled in the valley. From there, you can visit the Lake District’s highest waterfall Scale Force, as well as Moss Force Waterfall, or take a walk around the shore of Buttermere Lake before heading home or continuing your adventure in The Lakes.
Before setting off on any road trip, it’s important to make sure that you have everything you need and that you and your car are ready. Prepare for the road ahead with our road trip preparation tips.
Whether you like to have plenty of space for a group of people and cargo on your road trips or prefer something smaller and more maneuverable for a solo or couples’ trip, we’ll have the perfect road trip car for you at Lloyd Motor Group. Browse our full range of new and used cars and take the first step towards your next road trip.
