Lake District Solo Travel: Ultimate Guide (2023)

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Looking for information on how to travel the Lake District solo? The Lake District is an amazing place to travel solo and will give you the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful English countryside and scenery.

Travelling around the UK as a backpacker is expensive, but it’s worth doing. From the mountainous Lake District landscapes to the lochs and pubs of Scotland, and the rolling green hills in Wales, backpacking the UK is one giant bucket-list adventure.

In the following post, I explain how to travel the Lake District solo in order to have a successful, fun and rewarding trip. So, let’s get started!

🥾 Visiting the Lake District? Check out my other posts:

• Where to Stay in the Lake District: An Area Guide
• Things To Do In Ambleside In The Rain: 10 EPIC Ideas!
• Lake District Itinerary 1 Day Plan: The BEST Day Trip!

Lake District Solo Travel: A Summary

If you are preparing to do some Lake District solo travel, there are a few things you need to know in order to plan a successful trip.

Firstly, Lake District solo travel can be done and is possible. There are hostels for solo travellers, as well as many solo activities you can do whilst you are there.

However, the Lake District isn’t the most common solo backpacker destination, so you do need to be prepared for that. What do I mean by this?

Well, you may not come across any bar crawls, big backpacker events or social nights out. But if you’re happy to do some hiking, watersports and other activities either solo or with new friends, the Lake District is a great place to visit solo.

If you’re travelling the Lake District solo for the first time, I recommend pre-booking your accommodation in advance and sorting some of the activities or hikes to have a plan in place. Depending on the time of year, you may or may not come across other backpackers. As I said, it isn’t the most popular solo destination, so you might need to spend some days alone.

You will also need to plan how you are going to get around the Lake District. The easiest option will be to hire a car, but if you’re not a confident driver, you can use public transport. You can find out more about getting around the Lake District without a car here.

🚗 If you’re looking to hire a car in the Lake District, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world!  ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in the UK now!

How to get to the Lake District

🇬🇧 IF YOU’RE ALREADY IN THE UK

You can travel to the Lake District without a car from most places in the UK. The first stage would be travelling to a major city (London, Manchester, Carlisle, Glasgow etc) and then boarding a connecting train or two from there. Here are some of the easiest ways to get to the Lake District without a car by train:

• London > Oxenholme (direct)
• Manchester > Windermere (direct)
• Carlisle > Oxenholme (direct)

If you are travelling to the Lake District by train, be sure to book your tickets in advance to get the cheapest prices. From Oxenholme or Windermere, you can either board a bus to your accommodation or jump in a taxi. There are taxi ranks outside the main train stations in the Lake District, and Uber is widely available.

✈️ TRAVELLING INTERNATIONALLY TO THE LAKE DISTRICT

If you’re travelling to the UK for the Lake District, you will need to fly into Manchester Airport. From there, you can board a train to Oxenholme to reach the Lake District. The train takes roughly 1.5 hours and will need to be pre-booked in advance.

Best places to stay if you’re a solo traveller in the Lake District

If you’re a solo backpacker in the Lake District and want the best chance of meeting other travellers, hostels are a great option. If you’re visiting for the first time, I recommend the following hostels:

• 🌳YHA Ambleside: Not only is Ambleside the best area in the national park due to its central location, the YHA is also the biggest hostel in the Lake District. If you’re going to find like-minded backpackers anywhere in the lakes, it will be here! ➡ CHECK PRICES AND AVAILABILITY NOW!
• 🌳YHA Windermere: Another popular hostel in the Lake District, close to Lake Windermere. It has panoramic views of the mountains and a large garden overlooking the lake, as well as a fully catered restaurant and bar. ➡ CHECK PRICES AND AVAILABILITY NOW!

If you don’t want to stay in a hostel and would prefer some much-needed ‘me-time’, I recommend the following places to stay in Ambleside.

• Want a cute and cosy cottage in Ambleside? Our favourite is Grayling Cottage. It’s just a one-minute walk from Ambleside town centre and is beautifully decorated. ➡ BOOK THIS COTTAGE NOW!
• For a luxurious one-night stay in Ambleside, check out The Ambleside Inn. It’s an 18th-century hotel which will give you a true ‘English countryside’ experience. ➡ BOOK THIS HOTEL NOW!

Where to eat if you’re a solo traveller in the Lake District

When speaking to other solo travellers, I know eating in restaurants and in the evenings can be the most challenging part.

For me, it depends on what kind of mood I am in.

The Lake District is a great place to be when eating solo; as it has many takeaway venues like fish and chip shops and pizza shops. It also has lots of large supermarkets, so you can cook your own food if you don’t feel like going out.

If you do want to eat out in restaurants and bars during your trip, I recommend:

🌳 Boardwalk Bar and Grill, The Boathouse Bar & Restaurant in Bowness-on-Windermere and The Lakeview in Bowness-on-Windermere for incredible viewpoints and a sit-down meal.

☕️ Herdwicks Cafe in Coniston, Brambles Tea Room in Windermere and The Giggling Goose in Ambleside for cosy cafes and coffee.

🍺 The Flying Fleece, The Drunken Duck and The Royal Oak (all in Ambleside) or The Bank Tavern in Keswick for a beer garden and relaxed pub atmosphere.

Day activities if you’re visiting the Lake District solo

Luckily, there are plenty of activities to do in the Lake District if you’re visiting solo. From hiking to watersports, relaxing on a lake cruise and wild swimming, there is something to do in the Lake District for everyone.

However, if you’re hiking or swimming alone, I always recommend letting someone know where you are. Similar to location tracking, smartphones are great at allowing anyone to track your taxi or journey. 

This is so important when you’re travelling alone, especially on long or big hikes in the Lake District. Some activity ideas for solo travelling the Lake District include:

• Going on a pretty yet easy hike
• Renting a paddle board or kayak
• Going for a wild swim (ensure you are somewhere safe and there are other people around. Never swim entirely alone!) in Coniston or at Lake Windermere
• Having a walk around some of the villages like Grasmere and Coniston
• Treating yourself to a cosy coffee or pub lunch in Ambleside
• Driving to a viewpoint like Latrigg
• Visit the Rydal Caves
• Joining a pub quiz in Keswick or Ambleside
• Stargazing near your accommodation
• Visit a local brewery
• Visiting Dove Cottage or Beatrix Potter World on a rainy day
• Seeing a movie at the Ambleside cinema
• Going shopping in Ambleside or Keswick
• Visit the mystical Castlerigg Stone Circle

Evening activities if you’re visiting the Lake District solo

The evenings will be the quietest time of your solo Lake District trip, as there isn’t a wild nightlife or club scene.

Most of the restaurants close by 9pm, and there are only a few pubs and bars open later. If you are looking for some nightlife, Keswick and Bowness-on-Windermere are the best places to look.

During your evenings in the Lake District, you will often need to find something other than partying to do. From reading by yourself by your accommodation, to stargazing or going to the cinema, there are still many evening activities.

If you’re in a hostel, you can ask the other backpackers if they’d like to grab dinner, or head to a pub.

👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re going to date whilst visiting the Lake District solo, especially via dating apps, always meet in a public place. Send your location to your friends and keep them updated throughout.

How to meet other solo travellers in the Lake District

If you’re looking to meet other solo travellers in the Lake District, there are a few things you can do. You may or may not want to meet other travellers in the Lake District whilst travelling solo, and both are ok.

If you want to be alone whilst visiting, that is totally ok! Don’t put pressure on yourself to meet people if you do not feel up to it. The Lake District is an amazing place to be alone.

1) Join Lake District Facebook Groups

A great way to meet other travellers in the Lake District is to join Facebook groups. I tend to do this each time I visit a new city for a prolonged period of time. This way, you can see if any events are taking place, or whether you can join in any group hikes. The best Lake District Facebook groups are; The Lake District Group, Lake District Life and Lake District Wild Camping.

2) Stay in hostels

As a backpacker myself, I’m a big advocate for hostels. Staying in hostels means you can make friends from day one, and there are people around you immediately.

During your stay at a hostel, you might become friends with a group of people and end up exploring the Lake District with them. Or, you might book tours and activities with the hostel, which again are always done in big, safe groups.

Hostels are a great way to stay safe whilst visiting the Lake District solo. The reception desk is there to listen to you if you have any worries or fears, and they put your safety first.

3) Book organised tours in the Lake District

Looking to book a tour to meet other people in the Lake District? Tours are one of the best ways to see the hidden gems of the country you are visiting. If you’re travelling during peak season, I highly recommend pre-booking your tours to ensure you don’t miss out!

When travelling, we use this company to book our tours. Tours include skip-the-line tickets to the world’s most iconic attractions, walking tours by top local experts, immersive food and beverage tours, cooking and craft classes, bucket list experiences, and niche offerings you won’t find anywhere else! 

If you’re visiting for the first time, the tours I recommend doing are:

• Ten Lakes Full-Day Tour: ➡ MORE INFORMATION + BOOKINGS
• William Wordsworth and Dove Cottage Half-Day Tour: ➡ MORE INFORMATION + BOOKINGS
• Beatrix Potter Tour: ➡ MORE INFORMATION + BOOKINGS

➡ You can check out available tours in the Lake District with prices here!

4) Join free guided tours

Another great tip for solo travellers in the Lake District is to join a free guided tour. They’re a great way to see a new place and meet new friends, especially if you’re in the Lake District alone.

And best of all, guided tours are free! They’re the perfect budget backpacker activity. Just be sure to have the cash to tip the guide at the end of the tour (roughly £10 ($12) per person).

➡ You can check out the latest guided tours in the Lake District here.

Lake District solo: FAQs

1) Can I go to the Lake District alone?

Yes! You can travel to the Lake District alone and have an amazing time exploring the English countryside. Many solo travellers visit the Lake District every year. From solo hiking, watersports, walks, pub dinners and activities, there’s lots to do in the Lake District for every solo traveller.

2) How many days do you need in the Lake District as a solo traveller?

Three days in the Lake District is a great amount of time to visit as a first-timer. It gives you enough time to do some of the famous Lake District hikes, wild swim in the lakes and explore some of the traditional villages.

However, the longer you can spend in the Lake District, the better! We return year after year and still aren’t close to scratching the surface. There’s a lot to do there!

3) When is the best time to visit the Lake District solo?

You can visit the Lake District 365 days a year; as it’s an ‘any kind of weather’ destination in the UK. However, if you want the cheapest accommodation prices, visit in the shoulder season (autumn and spring). During the winter months (November – February), you can expect layers of snow to be covering the trails and paths.

Summer months in the UK (June – August) are always the most expensive months to visit the Lake District, as well as being the busiest. But of course, it’s when you’ll get the best weather, with dry, hot and sunny days.

➡ Visiting the Lake District in winter? Check out this detailed guide on what to do during the colder months.

4) How do I get around the Lake District?

If you can, take a car to get around the Lake District. If you only have one day, you don’t want to be spending hours waiting for public transport. Don’t have a car? We rent our cars in the UK from this company.

They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ LOOK AT CAR HIRE PRICES IN THE UK NOW!

However, if you haven’t got access to a car, exploring the Lake District can still be done! The Lake District has amazing public transport (a lot better than some of the rest of the country), and you can whizz around on buses and boats. For more information about travelling around the Lake District without a car, you can check out my guide here.

➡ Need to hire a car in the Lake District? We rent our cars in the UK from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! 🚗 LOOK AT CAR HIRE PRICES IN THE UK NOW!

5) Do I need a car to visit the Lake District? 

If you’re visiting the Lake District and are short on time, I recommend hiring a car. However, it is possible to get around the Lake District using public transport.

If you’re looking to hire a car in the Lake District, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world!  ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in the UK now!

6) Do I need a SIM card to visit the Lake District? 

If you’re not from the UK, it’s worth downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and avoid roaming charges as soon as you arrive. 

ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing! Plus, there are eSIMs available for the entire continent of Europe, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!

Lake District Solo Travel: In a Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about Lake District solo travel. When you’re planning a trip to the Lake District, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!

If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more Lake District content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x

• Getting Around the Lake District Without a Car (+ Solo Travel Tips!)
• 13 Tips for Walking in the Lake District
• Things To Do In Ambleside In The Rain: 10 EPIC Ideas!

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